Qawra is pronounced Awra and is situated on the edge of San Pawl's bay. You cannot tell if you are in Qawra or Buggiba since they are both so close together than one town merges into the next. There are no sandy beaches in Qawra, only rocks from which to get into the sea, yet the area is very popular with tourists. So what could make Qawra such a popular place?

Hands up all those of you that want to drive on holiday and those who do not like getting ripped of by the cost of tour operator excursions. Wow, seems like there are a great number of you out there that feel like I do. Well those without your arm up, this area might still appeal for other reasons. Other reasons could be that most of the hotels seem to be in quieter locations and yet within easy walking distance of bars and many different styles of dining. 

Oh now i got side tracked talking to those without their hand up. Malta's main bus station is very close to the capital Valletta, the only other bus station on the island (excluding Victoria) is at Qawra (will stand corrected if there is another). Now Maltese buses are something you might see on Heartbeat or in 60's movies since many are extremely old. Some older readers will understand when the term double declutching is used to describe how gear shift is obtained on some of these buses. Air conditioning is achieved by having the door at the front of the bus left open. Seems strange that these older buses do not seem to trap heat like modern coaches do and thus travelling on the buses does not cause undue perspiration. 

Still on with buses in Malta, the cost of a 7 day ticket to travel from 5;30 to 23:00 will cost in the region of 14 euro. Now perhaps it becomes more apparent why Qawra could be your ideal location. If you prefer your holidays to be one of sight seeing, from this base you can get to many different parts of the island. Other parts of the island can be reached by catching a bus that goes back to the main bus station.

If you are young free and single and looking for an active night life full of disco bars etc then Qawra is not the place I would recommend you to stay, although you could travel to Paceville by bus.

Like many other places in Malta or indeed elsewhere for that matter, you need to look at reviews carefully. Do bare in mind too that Malta is either a place to love or to hate and that the reviews can reflect the sentiment of the reviewer in this respect.

Which Part of Benidorm to stay in?

If you have never been to Benidorm on the Costa Blanca in Spain and are considering a visit then you will be met will a bewildering choice of places to stay at. The location of these places withing Benidorm itself can make the difference to having a great to poor holiday.

Benidorm stretches some six kilometres from Levante beach in the east to Poniente beach in the west. Between the two of them is what is called the Old Town. Each area has a particular character and will thus suit different travellers staying in Benidorm.

The Levente Beach area is where most of the night life takes place, yet do not let this put you off staying in this area since some hotels are set far enough back so that you are unlikely to notice the late night revellers as they head home. Even hotels that are very close to the action does not automatically mean that your sleep will be disturbed. Careful choice of the specific hotel can make the difference. From the beach there is a slight flat area with hotels before a gentle incline begins to take you further inland. Most hotels in the Levante Beach area are within 15 minutes idle walking distance. With a lot of hotels in the Levante area are on the opposite side of a main road from the beach and this could be an important factor if you have young children eager to race to the beach. The promenade is not closed to traffic but there is only a handful of vehicles that pass by. The actual beach in the Levante area can get quite congested at season peaks hence the reason for over 5000 sunbeds.

The Old Town consists of narrow streets and shops and although quieter than the Levante area it is not dead since there are still many bars and clubs in the area. Some of the narrow streets are steep and thus more suited those without difficulty in walking.

Poniente Beach area is more subdued than the other areas mentioned above, thus making it more the place for those not intending venturing out at night, except for a quiet drink in a sea front bar so you can see the sun setting.

 Later I will be adding more entries with respect to holidays in Benidorm.

Benidorm, Spain's Blackpool??

Some people have compared Benidorm to being very much like Lancashire's Blackpool. Many people have been put off visiting Benidorm because of this.

 So what do they both have in common?

• Both Blackpool are on the coast.
• Both have sandy beaches.

What does Benidorm have that Blackpool does not have.

• Weather, and not just because it is in Spain. Benidorm is located in a south bay and thus even in winter you can get milder weather.
• There is no tide to mention so the beach is always accessible.

What does Blackpool have that Benidorm does not.

• Trams run along the front at Blackpool from Star Gate in the south to Fleetwood in the north.
• Blackpool Tower which was modelled on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.