2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Ethan Blackshaw)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A travel content creator has issued a warning over 10 things tourists must not do when they visit Benidorm.
Benidorm, situated on Spain's Costa Blanca, is one of Britain's favourite holiday destinations. Last year roughly 820,000 Brits made their way to the sun-soaked party hotspot. Travel vlogger Paul, from the Who Knows Where channel on YouTube , visited Benidorm earlier this month and discussed "10 don'ts" that tourists must be wary of in one of his recent videos.
Paul said he received a lot of questions about smoking on the beaches. He explained how while generally you can, there are certain "restricted areas" where smoking is prohibited. These areas are around the mobility access ramps.
He warned: "If you are caught smoking around those access points, you could face an on-the-spot fine there and then." Paul warned "beware of the freestanding ATMs" you'll find around Benidorm, explaining how they give you the "worst exchange rate". He recommended using a bank or your hotel instead.
He also said people need to be "very wary of any exchange places that are behind glass windows". He added: "Go up and ask [about the exchange rate], you will see signs on the boards outside but they aren't always what you will get." For the best exchange rate, Paul said he goes to a shop called The Wine Barrel.
"Can someone tell me why you need to come away with every bit of gold that you own?," Paul asked pointedly, suggesting there's no need to risk losing these items or having them stolen. Paul warned: "Don't let one of your party decide to wander off back home once they've had too much to drink, whether it's male or female, don't let them go back on their own, especially if they're worse for wear [..
.] never leave someone on their own, especially at night in Spain." The Pea Men are notorious scammers in Benidorm.
These con artists engage you in a rigged game involving a pea and some cups, and their accomplices will often scan you for valuables and attempt to steal them during the distraction. "They will get your money if you fall for this," Paul warned. "You'll probably see a couple of tourists win - they are not tourists, they are in on the scam.
" "Don't leave your mobile phone unattended on the bar or the table when you go to the toilet," Paul said. He also warned of people with "leaflets, pamphlets and vouchers for excursions", who will approach you and place their stuff on top of your mobile phone. After you wave them along, they will leave and swipe the phone as they do so.
Paul went on to warn of a third scam that involves people approaching tourists and saying they've lost their phone, asking to borrow one to make a call. He said they will simply run away as soon as you hand it to them. Paul explained how it is illegal in Benidorm to walk around the street drinking from a glass or bottle.
He said: "If the police stop you - one, you will lose your drink, and two, you could receive an on-the-spot fine." Paul said vendors selling cocktails on the beach are actually breaking the law. "Do not touch these cocktails," he warned.
"They are not made by the bars on the beach, they are made in the back of dirty vans behind the bins." Paul has been told that the fruit in the cocktails is dug out of hotel bins, and they often contain no alcohol at all. "Between the hours of midnight and 7am, it is not permitted to enter any beach areas here in Benidorm," Paul explained.
He said fines for breaking this law range from £650 to £1,000. Paul said there's "no reason" to ask for doubles at bars in Benidorm because "there's no such thing as measurements in Spain". Most drinks will contain roughly a double measure anyway, he added.
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