good holiday resort in europe for birding?,may (1 Viewer)

[malgringo]

any ideas for resort for a package holiday where can do a bit of birding when gf lets me please?going in may,must be walking distance around resort cheers if can help

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Vilamoura on the Algarve in Portugal, good birding within walking distance of resort centre and a very nice resort as well.

Puerto Pollensa in Majorca, with the Bocquer Valley, Postage Stamp wood and Albufereta all within walking distance and the S'albufera a bus ride away.

Son Bou in Menorca there's a marsh right in the resort which attracts a decent number of birds.

 

[rachk116]

Hi,

Me and my boyfriend (a not particulalry active birder) went to Paphos, Cyprus in September/October 2005 and did most of our birdwatching around the ruin areas of the Old Town and saw quite a lot of things. We did a couple of Jeep Safaris (the Akamas and Troodos Mountains) and saw a few things from these.

I know from what I read about these places that there is a lot of potential for some fantastic birds. Although we went at the other end of migration I would love to go back in the Spring and I've heard it is very good.

A good hotel is the Sofiana Apartments, although you are spoilt for choice within Paphos and most are within walking distance or a short bus ride from the ruins.

Hope this helps

 

[Steve Babbs]

any ideas for resort for a package holiday where can do a bit of birding when gf lets me please?going in may,must be walking distance around resort cheers if can help

I would second Paphos, although I would recommend a car if poss. for at least one day. Roquetas in Almeria, Spain has good birding right next to the resort. I've not been yet but Tarifa might be a possibility.

Steve

 

[balkantrek]

any ideas for resort for a package holiday where can do a bit of birding when gf lets me please?going in may,must be walking distance around resort cheers if can help

Noticed you asked a similar question a few weeks ago on another forum thread in which you specifically mentioned Bulgaria and asked for advice on a good resort where you can find decent birding within walking distance. I posted a reply to the question there yesterday, but don't know if you noticed it, so I will repeat the information for you here:

Given your main requirement of good birdwatching within easy walking distance of a holiday resort, I would reccomend you try a package holiday at one of the two following resorts:

1. Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasutsi) which lies a short distance to the north of Varna. The resort actually borders directly onto the important protected territory known as the "Zlatni Pyasutsi" Nature Park which is laced with hiking trails.
2. Albena which lies a little bit further north along the coast bordering the mouth of the Batova River which itself encompasses the "Baltata" Reserve

Both of these sites offer a lot of interesting birds that can be seen directly in and around the resorts.

You also mentioned (in your origianl question) that you may have a car for one day, so you could then use it to explore some of the great outlying (but not too far off) sites such as Cape Kaliakra, Yailite & Taukliman, Shabla Lake and Durankulak Lake.

Hope this helps!

 

[Laurence H]

Last year, my girlfriend and I went to Kefalonia. We stayed in the resort of Katelios. It was a great combination for birder and non-birder. Whilst I did hire a car to get into the mountains and to a wetland in the north of the island, birdwatching on foot around the Katelios area was good with highlights being good views of red-footed falcon, black-headed bunting, golden oriole, little bittern, hoopoe, and a nightjar which was drinking for the pool in our apartments! (Plus bee-eaters, sardinian warblers, cirl bunting ...)

Laurence

 

[Stephen C]

Puerto Pollensa in Majorca, with the Bocquer Valley, Postage Stamp wood and Albufereta all within walking distance and the S'albufera a bus ride away.

I'd second this and there's many other places on the island accessible with a day's car hire.

You should also consider, Castelldefels next to Barcelona. The series of reserves at Llobregat and (a bit further) Garraf are within walking distance and its coastal anyway. There are great beaches and of course Barcelona for the other holiday things. And its less than ten minutes from BCN airport. Its not a small resort though.

Good luck and all the best

 

[pandachris]

Some nice suggestions. I'll bet that the Llobregat delta is good in May. Do any package operators go there, though? If not, Easyjet to Barcelona plus 10 minutes on Google should chuck something up.

Not really in Europe, except for Eurovision purposes, have you thought about Dalyan in Turkey? Haven't been since 2001 but there are some cracking birds in the area (WTEagle, Eleonora's, Ruppells' Warbler and so on) and lots of tourist activities in the area take you to places where there are birds (e.g. to Lake Koycegiz and the hot springs, to the ruins at Kaunos and if you fancy a day trip Pammukale used to have Finsch's Wheatears and hopefully still does). Definitely plenty to see if you're restricted to walking but if you can manage a day's car hire then White-throated Robin and Kruper's Nuthatch are within easy range. It's also in a rather nice situation with, last I heard, major restrictions on development over 3 storeys high.

 

[Stephen C]

barcelona flights

Some nice suggestions. I'll bet that the Llobregat delta is good in May. Do any package operators go there, though? If not, Easyjet to Barcelona plus 10 minutes on Google should chuck something up.

Actually there's a list of airlines going to barcelona and reus airports on my links page.

Turkey is a great place, loved the people. Unfortunately I went many years ago in my mid-life-non-birding-crisis!!

Cheers

 

[Robert L Jarvis]

My recommendation would be for Mallorca staying in the north near Pollensa. Great birds to be seen within easy travelling distance, great scenery, warm. As for the Algarve, just back from two weeks there. Lot more travelling to see the birds, IMO not as relaxing as Mallorca and in May too many "tourists and golfers" around to be able to see the birds.