Es Cana a small resort on an island

Benidorm a large resort on the mainland,

Nuff said really.

Hi Rosiepeardrop,
I agree Benidorm is a great place, i do agree you do have to watch your hand bag, and take care, because like allot of markets/places around the world there is pick pockets, but when people start using violence abuse and knives that changes the whole picture. i would not feel safe goiing to Benidorm again, which is a shame because we have family who live thier.
I hardly saw a police car in the week i was thier. No bouncers on the pub doors.NO PREVENTION.
I go out regulary into Liverpool were their is a high police presence and their is very rarely any trouble, and when it does start it is stopped pretty quickly.

I have to say I'm starting to get worried now after reading these posts. We're not really used to Spain, as apart from a visit to Costa Del Sol last Easter (which we enjoyed) we tend to go to Greece. We've booked a week in Benidorm during the school summer holidays and now I'm starting to hear about the beggars and Gypsies that are causing a nuisance there. Hopefully, as we're not really into late nights we won't be caught up in any trouble with people with knives etc. However saying that, what time do most of the shows finish? We'd at least like to stay until the end.

We've been to Benidorm for the last two years for a fortnight each time in the height of the season.

We visited the new town a few times but spend the majority of our time in the old town, sometimes walking back to our apartments at around midnight and a few times a lot lot later than that.

We have never seen one bit of trouble while we've been there. I think all you need to do, as previous posts have said, is make sure you're not too legless to walk and act as you would do if you were in your hometown at night - be aware of whats going on around you. (We've seen a lot more trouble in our home town than we have in Benidorm).

My advise would be please please don't let it put you off, just be careful where you go and go easy on the drink - don't make yourself an easy target.

We've just booked again for last year - and I can't wait!!!!

Best Regards

Elaine

We've just booked again for last year - and I can't wait!!!!

whos doing the flights .. i cant think of any current airline offering time tarvel only long time travel

sorry

gettin fed up with this subject a bit now. been 4 times to beni and never seen any trouble or pikies or owt been 2 times this yaer stag weekend in july and family hol in august and had no hassle. in july i spent all my time in the square walkin back to the royal hotel at 4 on the sat morn 7 on the sunday morn and 2.30 on the mon morn to catch my bus back to airport and i walked back every time myself pi**ed most of the time and still seen nowt i love beni and i am going back for another stagg in june and i cant wait just go and enjoy and have fun i will

the fatboy

Well I think we've all had our say on this matter.If anyone hasn't been to Benidorm don't be put off.When you come into it it takes your breath away.I love arriving at night seeing all the lights I could look at them all night.The promenade is lovely on both beaches.If people stop going then it will suffer.Go enjoy yourself and keep returning.

It is becoming tiresome, same comments over and over.

What else can be said that hasn't been already?

Mark

Hi Shirley h,
I hope you have a great time in Benidorm, go and see all the shows they are a big part of your holiday, and really good, the shows do start/finish quite late but they are worth staying up for.One of my favourite comedians was a fella called ricky who has a money in a box he is very talented. so is Chrissy Rock. My only word of warning would be to get a taxi back to your hotel if it is on the out skirts of the centre, then there is no chance of bumping into any low lifes. And keep your bag close to you.
But dont let my experience put you off Benidorm, Just take care and ENJOY.

I actually think Benidorm is now taking action against street crime. There was certainly a higher Police presense on the streets when we went in July and Sept than i've seen previously. There were noticably less Beggers and Dossers on the Streets than ive seen before. Always used to see tramps hanging round outside the indoor market, but there were non there on our last visit. I feel as safe if not safer actually in Benidorm at night than i do in my home town. I believe there is also some new cctv cameras in the process of being set up, which will hopefully prove to be a help in crime prevention.

Shirley H....dont be worried, just take the normal precautions that you would anywhere and i'm sure you'll have a great trouble free holiday. I cant remember the last time i saw an incident in Benidorm, and come November i will have been 5 times this year. Because these events are always stressful and frightening for people when they happen, they do tend to get highlighted. This is fair enough, because its a reminder for all of us to be careful, and not to let our barriers down too much because we are on holiday, but believe me, these events are very very rare in proportion to the number of people that Holiday in Benidorm year after year. It would'nt be as popular a place as it is, if crime was rife on the streets. I'm sure when you look on this, and maybe other forums to, you will come across occasional posts highlighting certain crimes which have taken place. But you will also see a vast proportion of reports of the positive side of a holiday in Benidorm, trust me, these will far outnumber the posts you will read about crime. So relax, and start to look forward to a nice holiday, lets face it, Great Britain's not exactly a barrel of laughs at the moment is it? What with the economic situation, plus if you open your own local newspaper, i bet there's never an edition that does'nt have several very serious crimes having taken place! As far as the entertainment venues go, you will be spoilt for choice. Most of the Cabaret Bars have their first act coming on at around 9pm and the last act will usually finish around 2am, up to you whether you stay in one to hear all the acts, or wander from one to another picking out acts you think you would like, either way theres plenty of variety, and there will be something to suit anyone. Enjoy!

Best Regards - Taggy

Haven't been due Beni this year due to illness, but when we were there in May last year we witnessed two incidents. One involved Gypsies stealing from a small shop and the other was two young boys (don't know nationality) attempting to steal a purse from a handbag. Although these were the only two incidents witnessed in nearly 10 years of visiting Benidorm, we did feel more nervous walking about during the early hours of the morning on that holiday. It was as if there was a tension in the air - it was really bizarre. This was so strange as I have visited Benidorm with my 80+ year old Mum in the past and felt no qualms about walking back to our hotel at 1a.m.!!! Hopefully when good health returns we will again visit Benidorm as it is a wonderful holiday destination. But as previously said you have to be observant and careful wherever you are in the World. I would not venture into my local town during the early ours of the morning the way we do in Bendiorm. The police will sort out any problems because tourism is such a major source of income that they will not want visitors going elsewhere.

i just got back on saturday , i have to agree wae taggy , i have found a heavy police show this summer , last time i was beni in april it was full of romanians , pea men , and beggers .

honestly the 2 weeks i was there , hardly any romanians , no peamen , and very little beggers ..and that was just the ambassador /rincon /spanish end i was drinking .

i cant comment on the square as i dont go there , the old town seemed ok , plenty of police.

too be honest , i drink in glasgow , and i have to say benidorm is the safest place in the world compaired to some british citys .

last word on this , my mum and dad are both 78 years old , they both said it was great walking home at midnight to the dalmatas feeling safe at all times .

that sums it up for me .

I'm in Beni now and I totally agree with Tartanscone and Taggy.

Sue

Have read it all and can I just add to the mix.... I´ve lived here in Beni for almost 7 years now and (so far) have never been mugged!! However, I HAVE seen fights and muggings happening. The majority of these have been with very drunk people arguing and fighting and very drunk people being followed to quiet areas and mugged. My advice would be don´t walk home alone, don´t get so drunk you aren´t aware of your surroundings and if you do get mugged or see a mugging, don´t fight back or get involved, cos it´s not worth getting stabbed for either your or someone else´s mobile phone or money.

A lot of the muggings are carried out by the gypsies but most of them are Romanians and Eastern Europeans, the Spanish Gypsies keep to themselves. The other robberies are carried out by the prostitutes who are the (no other word for it) black ladies in tracksuits. However, due to a recent crackdown by the police, I´ve not seen anywhere near as many prostitutes or beggars or gypsies around this season.

Just back from 16 days in Benidorm and have to say never had or saw any problems apart from on last night in KFC when a couple of British guys got into an argument and one threw a chair over the others head.

Been to Benidorm 13 times now in last 7 years and have to say I feel a lot safer there than when out over here. You can certainly see a greater Police presense over last 6 months or so although I never thought there was a major problem in Benidorm any way.

Hi All

Me and my sisters just returned from a week at the Levante Club Hotel

On our last night when we were walking home a guy on a moped came up behind my sister and attempted to grab her bag

Tricia did not let go and pulled back sending her but also the guy flying off his moped

T picked up her bag and herself and we legged it to the Dynastic which was just up the road and the security guards were great they went to c if the guy was still there checked T was ok and then put us in a taxi

T fine a bit grazed and shaken but otherwise ok

This is the 3rd time we have been to Beni and dispite this incident we will def be going back

Things like this are just as likely to happen on a night out in your home town and we wont let it put us off

In hindsight T probably didnt do the right thing as anything could have happened but we were lucky and it worked out ok

Please please please take care but dont ever let it put you off a wonderful holiday destination

Kitten

fights, muggings etc...happen everywhere. benidorm is no different to any town in the uk.

i lived in benidorm and worked in the square as a pr, saw plenty of fights, some got a bit nasty, and i saw a few more serious incidents. I want to say that it wasnt all british, spanish were fighing, german were fighting...all nationalities.

I'm off to Benidorm on friday for the 1st time, this thread worries me. I keep reading "It's no different to any UK city" as a way of reassuring readers...blimey!! I'm paying good money to sample the horrors on my doorstep. I'm use to Menorca and have never even seen a drunken youth there

Calm down!! We have an apartment in Benidorm and spend a lot of time there.

If you like to sleep when most of us are awake and go out from dusk til dawn, you might possibly meet some less than savoury characters. If you are a normal person, who keeps to regular hours, you will miss all the slightly dodgy people.

Even if you do want to do the midnight shuffle, for the most part, everything will be fine. the fights and other crap take far more space than the norm. I'm sure Benidorm is no better than any other place, but I personally feel very comfortable there.