All along the Costa Balance shoreline, the weather is favorable most of the year, and Benidorm is no exception. The secret ingredients for this perfect weather are the mountains to the north that protect the region from cold northern winds. Even in the winter, the weather is comfortable.

This is a typical Mediterranean climate, with long hot summers and a moderate winter season. The spring and fall seasons usually have warm temperatures. This makes Benidorm a perfect year round destination, even though summer is the most popular time for visitors. Nice hot weather, beautiful beaches and very little rain make this a perfect beach vacation.

The extended summer, May through October, are the most popular times for vacationers to the Costa Blanca. The spring is very mild, with little rain to interrupt the sunshine. The high temperatures in the spring only range from 16 to 21 degrees Celsius, and the lows are 9 to 14 Celsius.

In high summer, the temperatures are hotter, from 15 to 27 degrees Celsius, with August the hottest month of all, when temperatures can approach 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit. But with the beach and the water so close, no one minds being warm and taking a dip to cool off. In the evenings, when you want to be a bit more active, the temperatures fall to the 18 to 20 degree range.

Since the summer is the hottest and most popular for beach goers, it can be very crowded in those months. If you plan on traveling to the Costa Blanca during the busy summer months, make sure you book your airfare, hotel and car rental well in advance. If you don’t you will have to pay premium prices and will not have a good selection.

Autumn is considered the rainy season, but since this area doesn’t get much rain at any time of the year, there is not a lot of rain. But rain storms and electrical storms do occur, as well as the attendant flooding, so this is the least popular time of year for tourists. But the temperatures are still mild, between 16 and 25 degrees Celsius, dropping to between 11 and 19 degrees. If there are rain storms, they most frequently occur in the evening.

Winter is Benidorm is also very mild, especially compared to the rest of Europe. Many northern Europeans love to escape their frigid climates to the relative warmth of the Mediterranean shores. Many retirees stay in the Benidorm region for the entire winter season. It is very pleasant and there is still plenty to do. There is no snow, and the high temperatures during the winter fall in the range of 12 to 14 degrees Celsius. Since there is little rain in the winter, retirees can enjoy golf, or just strolling and relaxing out of doors. The night temperatures drop to between 6 to 8 degrees Celsius, cool, but not as cold as the northern climates they left.

Concentrating recent findings in Spain, he wrote predominantly for alicante-spain.com alicante-spain.com . Through his documents on alicante-spain.com/benidorm-weather.html Benidorm Weather the columnist expressed his depth of understanding on the topic.

The busiest resort on the island… Corralejo is for those visitors who want a busier view of Fuerteventura. It is situated about 40 minutes from the airport. The main area of nightlife in Corralejo is the Centro Comercial Atlantico on the main strip, where you will find lots of disco bars. Scattered elsewhere along the main strip there are discos, British bars and live music. For a more relaxed feel within this resort, the pedestrianised area at the northern end of the main Avenida has many open-air venues, where you can while away the hours, watching the world go by, and listening to Latin and Spanish music.

There are many restaurants offering local and international cuisine, allowing for pretty much any budget. The harbour is the place to be if you are seeking Canarian and Italian restaurants. There isn’t a huge number of clubs, for dancing the night away – but some bars are open until the early hours of the morning. This is the original part of the town, and it manages to retain it’s charm. Here you will also find Playa la Clavellina, which provides sunbathing, and safe swimming for all ages. The race, La Tres Islas culminates here, and is a huge draw for residents, and the lucky holiday makers on the Island at the time. You can see people clambering all over the sea walls (at times precariously) for a better look.

The dunes of Corralejo are a Nature Reserve, and are an absolute must for anyone visiting the Island. The dunes spread for miles along the coast, even visible from Playa Blanca in Lanzarote, which all builds the appeal of this popular Fuerteventura resort.

canarynightlife.net canarynightlife.net

Maqluba is a sink hole just at the edge of the village of Qrendi, in the southeast part of the island. If a sinkhole sounds like a strange place to visit, it is. But it’s a pleasant green oasis in the yellow sandstone desert of the rest of the island, and Maqluba has a story that’s worth the trip.

You’ll find a church at the edge of the abyss. A charming local legend has it that Maqluba once was a very wicked city, even more wicked than Sodom and Gomorrah. God asked a pious woman to tell the village that if they didn’t repent and stop their evil ways, he would vent his wrath on the city. The woman tried to warn the populace but they ignored her. One day God sent the city to hell. Satan didn’t want it either, so he sent it back up. Now it’s forever suspended between heaven and hell. When a local child asks where he or she came from, the parents will say they found him in Maqluba.

Geologists and historians disagree about when the sinkhole occurred, but the most popular guess is the 14th Century. The only way to get to the bottom is by a very dangerous stairway that has become unusable without climbing equipment. For this reason it is remote. Environmentalists everywhere can cheer for the lucky accident. Several varieties of trees and flowers can be found there that cannot be found anywhere else on the island. Local plant biologists are hopeful that Maqluba can become a greenhouse for reintroducing these species back to the rest of the island.

To get to Maqluba, take bus 38 from Triton Fountain in Floriana. At the end of the line in Qrendi, walk forward in the same direction for about three blocks and make a left turn. That will take you the church, which is the landmark.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to see the sinkhole from the walkway around the church. The declivity is surrounded by privately-owned farms. You can get the best view by taking the service road to the left and following it around. Just around the bend you will come to a clearing on your right that will take you to your best vantage point.

Finally, I recommend you take a sandwich with you if you intend to spend any length of time at Maqluba. I was unable to find a restaurant in Qrendi when I visited there.

More articles about offbeat tourist spots to come. Even though most younger Maltese haven’t heard of Maqluba, it is one of the most interesting places to visit in the islands.

John Anderson has had a lifelong interest in Malta and has written an international thriller, The Cellini Masterpiece, under the penname of Raymond John. If you would like to read the first chapter or contact him, you may reach him at cmasterpiece.com cmasterpiece.com If you want to purchase a copy of the book on Malta, you may do so at the Soleado Guesthouse, 15 Ghar-id-Dud Street. For a more detailed description of Maqluba may be found in his E-zine article called “Language School,” the first chapter of a novel-in-progress.

Many people who take cruises to the Caribbean islands are interested in shopping. And in all the Caribbean, no other island compares to St Thomas when it comes to shopping. St Thomas is the “Mall Of The Caribbean”. You can find jewelry, watches, electronics, cameras, liquor, crystal, and even fine china. The main street of Charlotte Amalie is lined with dozens of little shops.

But your shopping should begin before you even leave home. First have an idea of what you are interested in buying. Are you looking for a particular model of camera, or watch? Maybe you are looking at upgrading the diamond in your engagement ring? Shop around your hometown, and find the best prices you can. You can even shop online if you want. Find the best deal for the items you are interested in. Write down the prices, and bring them with you to St Thomas. Now when you are in Charlotte Amalie, you will have a good idea of whether you are getting a bargain or not. If the price is good, but not great, ask the seller if they will come down a little bit. Offer them a lower price. What’s the worst that can happen? If they say no, there are probably other shops along the strip selling the same thing.

Keep in mind that you want a really good deal. If you buy a camera at home, and there is a problem, you can just hop in your car and return it or exchange it. On cruise, they won’t turn the ship around for you. So if you are only saving a little money on an expensive item, you might be better off buying it back at home just for the piece of mind.

Know what you are buying. Can you tell a real diamond from a fake diamond? I can’t! So I would be a little wary of buying an expensive stone from one of the smaller shops. Some of the larger stores are more reputable, and have deals with the cruise ships that if you are unsatisfied, the cruise line will help you straighten it out. But you can find fantastic deals on loose gem stones.

Another thing to be aware of is that some items being sold may be grey market, meaning they are not being sold through the normal distribution chain. What does this mean to you? It means that the manufacturer may refuse to honor the warranty on the item.

As of this writing, citizens of the United States are allowed to bring back $1600 worth of stuff from St Thomas, duty-free. You will have to pay a duty on stuff in excess of $1600. Keep in mind that this is per person! If you have a spouse, or children, each of them gets a $1600 duty-free allowance as well! Another neat thing is that loose precious gems (diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, etc) are considered rocks, and are duty free. That is unless you also are bringing back a mounting for it. Then the gem is considered to be intended for jewelry and is subject to duty. Since duty-free allowances are subject to change, or may have exceptions, check with cruise ship staff, or hotel staff as to your individual situation.

Rob Jacob loves to travel and runs a travel related blog at TravelWithRJ.com/ TravelWithRJ.com/