Laura Hamilton explains coronavirus rules in Gran Canaria

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British expats still deciding on a destination for their relocations may be looking to far-flung places. While Bali, Hawai’i and the Caribbean are attractive options, there are idyllic islands closer to home.

The Postcard Academy podcast said: “Move over Bali, Gran Canaria is the new hot spot for expats.”

With plenty of sun and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the Canary Islands, just a hop and skip away, could be the best destination for British expats.

With Gran Canaria, expats, digital nomads and entrepreneurs have found their dream destination.

The main Canaries’ island offers plenty of opportunities for British expats and there is a large expat community.

On an expat forum, user Boseley wrote: “I live in the Canary Islands and have done for quite a number of years.

“We have an excellent lifestyle, the cost of living is a lot cheaper than the UK, we do not have any heating or air conditioning bills.

“We have a garden and find we can grow almost anything here.

“The islands have been described as the Fortunate Islands, with a climate of eternal springtime.

“If we are lucky we receive seven good days of rain annually, lack of wet stuff falling from the sky is a problem.

“I like Las Palmas, a large bustling city with plenty of culture and splendid shops.

“There is also a large city beach called Las Canteras and many smaller towns and villages on or near the coast.”

When one British expat asked where locals would recommend to move, Lola Penate wrote: “For some diversity, culture and shopping I recommend the east coast where you can be in the city in 30 minutes while avoiding the clouds which form more often in the north of the island, even in the summer.

“Constant year round sun, almost every day of your life sounds good but it really gets to be too much.

“Most of the local people here don’t really go to the beach so much in the winter, the ocean is pretty cold and not so nice to swim and any wind feels quite cool once you become used to the climate.”

Gran Canaria is particularly attractive to working expats, with co-working spaces aplenty on the island.

Digital nomad and co-working space owner Peter Fabor said the best time to visit the island was “anytime”.

He also explained what the clouds in the north of the island were all about.

He said: “In the Summer months, between the 15th of June and the 15th of September, you have the ‘Panza de burro’ (donkey belly) which is a ‘big cloud’ that covers the north of the island (you can easily go one week without sun). I love it as I’m not sunburnt all the time, but many people hate it.”

Peter recommended the north of the island for working British expats.

He said Las Palmas had “better food, local people, better social life, fewer tourists, co-working spaces, faster internet” and was more “authentic and cheaper”.

However, he also pointed out fewer people spoke English in the north than in the more touristy south.

Wherever British expats decide to move to on the island, the Canary Island, and Gran Canaria in particular, are some of the best islands in the world to move to for British expats.

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