Who doesn’t love Benidorm? No, not the TV show (although that’s pretty good), we’re talking about the real-life resort. For your classic, sun, sea, sand and super cheap drinks holiday with the boys you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere better on the Costa Blanca – or possibly the world!
Contrary to what the wives and girlfriends left at home might think, however, it’s not all about cheap booze and hangovers on a boys’ weekend (or week if you hit the jackpot) away. It’s also often the only chance you get all year to cut loose and pretend you’re still a teenager so you want to make sure you make the most of it. That means eating everything, drinking everything (naturally) and doing everything on offer – and in Benidorm that means getting wet at every opportunity!
Get Wet, Get Wild and Get Out There
While Geoff Maltby from Benidorm (err, that’s the TV show not the resort!) has probably never even dipped his toes in the water to try these activities, we recommend you get into as many of them as you possibly can. Step away from the lunchtime beers because you’re going to be busy…
Banana Boat
If you’ve got a couple of arms and legs you can ride everybody’s favourite, the Banana Boat! It’s definitely a case of the more the merrier on this ride, and up to 16 people can squeeze on to the big yellow inflatables. Each ride is about 15-20 minutes around the bay, so you really get your money’s worth. Budge up and banana on!
The Flyfish
The Flyfish really gets you, well, flying! Imagine three inflatable banana boats joined together on a flat base shaped a bit like a fish, invite a bunch of victims to climb on and hold tight, then tow it behind a boat at maximum speed and watch them all fall off. It’s fast, it’s fun and it flies – what more do you want?
Parasailing
If you’ve got a strong stomach (not recommended with a hangover) and an urge to get high, do it in the best legal way possible! From the deck of a boat out in the bay, you’ll get harnessed up to take off on the flight of your life. It’s up to you whether you go solo or tandem and you come in for a calm landing back on deck – your feet will never even touch the water!
Jet Ski
There’ll be nothing calm about it if you sign up for a Jet Ski excursion, though. With a couple of hundred horsepower at your disposal, this is the best way to blow out a few cobwebs and explore beyond the resort beach – it’s almost like getting some culture! You’re in charge of the Jet Ski (which holds two), but the excursion will take you to places along the coastline you wouldn’t find on your own. Fun to the max!
Local tip: Established for over 30 years, Carlos Water Sports offer all the above activities from either Levante or Poniente beaches. They’re open from 10am-8pm every day (mid May through to end of October).
- Banana boat – €20 for 15 minutes
- Flyfish – €30 for 15 minutes
- Parasailing – €70
- Jet ski – €80 for 30 minutes (for two people)
Sea Kayaking
At a much slower pace, but just as much fun (and more suited to the hangover recovery period), a sea kayaking tour will get you out on the ocean under your own steam to explore the bay and Benidorm Island. You don’t need to have any experience as you’ll be with a professional instructor and groups are capped at six. Warning – don’t forget to lather on the sunscreen for this one, as there’s nowhere to hide.
Local tip: Go sea kayaking with Marco Polo for just €33 for a two-hour experience – which includes a bike ride around the harbour! Tours start from the office at Avenida de Europa 5. Tel 965863399.
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
“I’d like to be, under the sea, in an octopus’s garden with my mates…” If you wake up with that song ringing in your ears, you’re in luck! There’s a whole new world waiting to be discovered beneath the Med, and this is a great place to try scuba diving for the first time (you’ll need to do a short course to get PADI certified first), or improve on skills you already have. With qualified instructors you can venture out to a number of dive sites just five minutes away from the resort by boat, including cave diving.
For those who want to stick a little closer to the surface, snorkelling offers almost as rewarding an experience without the need to invest in any upskilling – except a little hand-mouth coordination to fit your snorkel!
Nisos Dive Centre (Buceo Nisos) offers a range of courses and trips including a Discover Scuba Diving session with a ‘dive try’ for €65. Avenida Vila Joiosa, 18.
Water, Water Everywhere…
There’s endless fun to be had in the water on a lads’ break in Benidorm – your challenge is to see how many activities you can tick off in a few days! Then again, there’s always next year…
Top tip: If you fancy a bit of quiet sunbaking to restore your energy levels after too much partying, sneak away to one of these lovely beaches.
How to Get to Benidorm
It’s not hard to organise a boys’ weekend to Benidorm from the UK, with budget carriers offering cheap flights to Alicante starting from as little as €30. Getting from Alicante airport to Benidorm will only take around 45 minutes if you book a convenient Shuttle Direct airport transfer. We offer budget-friendly shared services, but if you’re travelling with a group of mates it could be just as cost-effective to book a private transfer to get you to your hotel in style.
Where to Stay:
Hotel Perla: For a budget beating lads’ break, the Hotel Perla offers the perfect accommodation right in the heart of the action without eating up all your holiday cash. With two onsite bars, a pool, a sun terrace, and spacious twin-share rooms, the party can start here every night of the week! You’re just 200 metres from the beach, and after a big night on the town it’s just a short 10-minute walk to bed.
Benimar Apartments– The Benimar apartments offer a well suited accomodation for an affordable budget. Situated at 10 minutes walk from the beach. The Benimar Apartments has its own reception area, private swimming pool with children’s section and sun terrace with loungers and parasols. Apartments have free Sat-TV, Wi-Fi and parking area.
Mayra Apartments – These apartments are located in the Rincon-de-Loix area of Benidorm, just five minutes walk from the Levante beach. The Mayra Apartments have individual balcony, lounge/dining room with satellite television, fully-equipped kitchen and complete bathroom. Each apartment have two separate twin bedrooms and a double sofa bed in the lounge thus sleeping up to a maximum of 6 guests.
About Shuttle Direct
Shuttle Direct are the leaders in airport, rail station and port transfers throughout Europe and North Africa. We have a fast, easy to navigate booking system so you can enjoy the peace of mind of organising your travel arrangements before you leave home. Our friendly experienced drivers know the local area and you’ll be met at the airport and taken to and from your holiday accommodation without delay. Choose from shared or private transfer services to suit any budget.
