Palmitos Park Maspalomas Gran Canaria

One of the most visited tourist attractions in Gran Canaria is Palmitos Park, which is located 15km inland from the coastal towns of Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas.

Spread over 200,000m2 at the head of the Barranco de Chamoriscan, Palmitos Park is a huge botanical garden and aviary which displays many varieties of palm tree, flora, fauna and cactus, plus over 200 species of exotic birds. Also situated within the park are the butterfly house, the orchid house, large ponds with water birds and an aquarium.

Surrounded by open countryside and mountains, Palmitos Park is one of the best places to appreciate the beautiful landscape of Gran Canaria, which can easily be missed if you stay in a beach resort for your entire holiday. Free bus rides are available from most resorts in Gran Canaria, including: Puerto Rico, San Agustin and Playa del Ingles.

Incredibly, much of the park was destroyed by fire in 2007, but it has been renovated and improved since, and is still the main tourist attraction on the island. Exhibitions include: Birds of Prey, Parrots and Exotic Birds. The Dolphin Exhibition and Primates Island are also well worth a visit.

Primates Island is home to Gibbons and Orangutans, where they live happily in a semi-natural environment. The primates are incredibly agile thanks to their long arms and they keep visitors intrigued and entertained by hopping and swinging through the trees. All Gibbon species are from Asia, and Orangutans come from Sumatra and Borneo. By recreating their natural environment, they now live happily together in Gran Canaria.

You can also find wallabies at Palmitos Park. These active residents of Palmitos Park live close to the emus, and show off their moves to visitors, including speedy jumps. Wallabies come from Australia and Tasmania and can run quickly as well as jump, and their breeding rate is incredible. The gestation lasts only 30 days so you are likely to see plenty of young animals with their mothers.

The Aqua Centre - Ciutadella Menorca

Quite small but very well run, the Aqua Centre at Cala en Blanes, Ciutadella, Menorca is one of the most popular family fun centres on the island.

Covering over 12,000 metres of land, the water park offers a fantastic range of rides and facilities for all ages. For the smaller kids, a castle, a play area and smaller water chutes are available, and there is a restaurant near the main entrance to suit all tastes and budgets. At the end of the park are the big kids rides, including the Giant Slide, the adventure River, the Kamikaze and the terrifying Black Hole. There are also mini-go-karts, video games, an indoor ball park, a snack bar, a medical centre and plenty of gardens for sunbathing and a separate swimming area. Bouncy castles and extra facilities and games are also laid on during the summer months, and the park provides fun for the whole family.