Costa Adeje, Tenerife

Costa Adeje is the newest resort area in Tenerife, a coastline swathe of plush hotels and modern attractions. It's where much of the recent development money has been poured in, to create a distinctly upmarket area for families and couples. World-class hotels like the Bahia del Duque and the Sheraton La Caleta are the accommodation stars of the area; glitzy pamper palaces catering for the discerning sunseekers.

Although you'll still find a few pie-and-pint pubs, the majority of bars and restaurants in Costa Adeje prefer chic to cheap, classy to sassy. From sushi to spaghetti, fish to fajitas, more than a dozen different nationalities are represented, including some damn fine creative Canarian cuisine. Watch out for the fiery red mojo sauce!

Costa Adeje beaches too, tend to be newer, and with better facilities both onshore and offshore. If you can muster the energy, you can try your hand at windsurfing, sailing, surfing, water-skiing, jet biking and parascending amongst others.

Playa del Duque is one of the best beaches, although families with small children may prefer the calmer waters of Playa Fanabe, just around the headland.

Away from the beach, golf is one of the top activities. Golf Costa Adeje is a superb championship 27-hole course close to the fishing village of La Caleta. If you haven't the time to play a full 18, they also have a challenging 9-hole course. And while one partner tramps the fairway, the other can book themselves in for some serious pampering. Spas are big business in the land of eternal sun. Look for signature treatments using local products such as volcanic mud or banana leaves.

For families and children the options in Costa Adeje include the Aqualand (Was Aqua City), Siam Park, Go Karting, Ten-pin bowling and for younger kids the excellent indoor Miki Park in the Centro Comercial El Duque shopping centre. There's also a 7-screen cinema inside the Gran Sur shopping centre which periodically shows English-language films.

Finally, if you're wondering what that magnificent monastery-looking building is on the headland overlooking Playa del Duque beach, don't believe the rumours. It's not the summer residence of Elizabeth Taylor, or a private casino. It's the weekend retreat of one of Tenerife's most successful Canarian businessmen. And no, it's not for sale.

For a birds-eye view of all of this why not take advantage of one of Tenerife's newest attractions a helicopter tour?