Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canaries, home to banana plantations and tropical groves all dominated by Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak and the Earth's third largest volcano - thankfully dormant!

Avoid the straight swamped southern resorts on this high contrast island and head due north instead to make chic, queer enticing Puerto de la Cruz your base, exploring its mountainous volcanic and coastal surrounds on a coach tour or by hire car.

Set in 2½ hectares of magical gardens and parkland complete with aviary, fish-teeming ponds plus in-house swans - Hotel Botanico (C/ Richard J. Yeoward 1, Puerto de la Cruz) is a luxury 5* hotel that has welcomed the likes of Bill Clinton and the King of Spain, and has an elegant and peaceful atmosphere with views over the ocean and Mount Teide. It boasts several excellent restaurants and bars, plus the wonderful Oriental Spa Garden complex.

Within Puerto de la Cruz enjoy the black volcanic beach, old harbour, César Manrique designed Largo Martinez lido complex, Loro Parque (Parrot Park), Botanical Gardens, old churches, quaint eateries, yet further connections with author Agatha Christie and the bustling, gay dominated thoroughfare Avenida Generalísimo – where you will find gay bars D’Espanto, Anderson and Vampi's huddled together at number 24. Check out the Casa del Vino, a restored 17th Century Canarian farmstead, a wee drive east of the town, where you can fine dine downing local wine.

Nearby, Tenerife’s former capital (pre-Santa Cruz, see below) La Laguna is a World Heritage Site on account of its preserved street lay outs and buildings - not least the Santa Domingo Convent, plus Town Hall and palaces around Plaza del Adelantado. Enjoy the fun bars in the Quadrilatero quarter and loads of fine local eateries, like Tasca Lagunera on Plaza Doctor Régulo.

La Orotava is a quaint town in the valleys and foothills of Teide behind Puerto de la Cruz, famous for its crafts, churches and coloured displays of sand or petals around the May feast of Corpus Christi.

Heading further into the interior, Teide National Park’s unique, barren landscape is used as a backdrop to countless films. Ascend by foot and/or cable car to the peak of Teide (3718 metres), gawp at the strangely eroded Roques de García, have lunch at the nearby state-run Parador hotel which offers good food and amazing vistas.

In the island’s north east corner lies Santa Cruz, Tenerife’s bustling capital - over 200,000-thronged. Explore the wonderfully peaceful Parque García Sanabria, lengthy Rambla del General Franco, space age Auditoria de Tenerife, Manrique designed lido park, fine art and anthropological museums, plus the bar-brimming old town area. Gay venues here include La Luna y Tu (Angel Romero 4), Blue Dreams (San Miguel 14) and the Acuario Sauna (Santiago Beyro 9).

If you sport more tacky tastes, head to the tourist brimming southern coastal resort of Playa de las Americas, where gay haunts include Chaplin's, Cellar Bar, Géminis, Gay Sha and Punto Zero – all in the C.C. Salytien, Tenerife’s mini-answer to Gran Can’s mighty Yumbo!

Fuerteventura
It might not be the biggest Canary – it’s second to Tenerife on that count – but Fuerteventura is definitely the longest, measuring 60 miles from Corralejo in the north to Punta de Jandia in the south, and is just 8 miles south of neighbouring Lanzarote and scarce 60 miles west of the West African coast.

Invaded by Spain six centuries ago, Fuerteventura’s current 80,000 strong resident population has become increasingly dwarfed since the 1970s by an invasion of tourists seeking its year round warmth and sunshine - plus cooling, steady breezes which are so perfect for wind and water sports. This influx has brought a degree of financial security, plus the odd maverick call for independence from the motherland!

Corralejo Beach Hotel (Víctor Grau Bassas 1) is a stylish gay-friendly 4* hotel on the north western tip of the island, just a one minute stroll from the main downtown beach in buzzing Carralejo. Excellent pool, grounds and eatery.

Also check out the nearby Bahia Vital Spa at the Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahía Real. Choose from 17 treatment areas and rooms, including heated swimming pool with a sub-aquatic massage circuit, shower temple, hydro jet, Turkish baths, sauna, oriental rasul bath and outside Jacuzzi, plus fully equipped gym.

Since the recent closure of Bubbles bar, local gays have generally shifted a few yards over to mixed Dorada bar and Mafasca club, both in the C.C. Sol Atlántico between Corralejo’s high street and beach – especially later on at night, post 2am, when queer hotel staff clock off.

Touring the north of the island take in the Parque Natural de las Dunas, Europe’s very own Sahara with large sandy dunes bordering the sea just south of Corralejo. It's brimming with wildlife – including the human kind! Isla de los Lobos is a nature reserve just off-shore from Corralejo, is easily reached by boat and is perfect for a secluded 3-4 hour round ramble! Fuerteventura’s famous volcanic neighbour, Lanzarote, lies mere minutes north of Corralejo by regular high-speed ferry, docking at the pleasant resort of Playa Blanca

Explore the Cueva del Llano, a fascinating volcanic lava-flow tunnel and cave system home to unique insect species; El Toston, a historic garrison tower on rocky cliffs overlooking charming fishing village; El Cotillo, just 15 miles south west of Corralejo; La Oliva, a picturesque town 10 miles south of Corralejo, full of interesting 18th Century architecture including the delightful gem that is the Casa de los Coroneles, the island’s HQ for two centuries; and the distinctively pyramidal 'Sacred Mount' Tindaya, from the top of which one can, on a clear day, see over to Mount Teide on Tenerife!

Touring the south of the island take in Betancuria, the historical oldest settlement of all the Canary Islands with its San Buenaventura Convent, Archaeological Museum, Santa María de Betancuria church. Also of note is the Vega de Rio Palmas (Valley of Palms), an ancient route of settlers and pilgrims, Ajuy, a dramatic black sandy beach on the central west coast beneath fossil dune cliffs plus caves, and, of course, the Jandia Peninsula, stretching out south with its mountains, wildlife and stunning beaches!

Read Part I Of Our Queer Guide To The Canaries »
Click to find out more about Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.

Low fares airline Monarch offers a range of great value flights to Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Book at www.flymonarch.com or on 0871 225 3884. Other useful sites include www.turismolanzarote.com and www.grancanaria.com. For general info on Spain visit www.spain.info/uk or request a brochure via 08459 400 180 (24 hrs).