Benidorm Stag Do Ideas Guide

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas: lightning strikes more than twice in Benidorm

Take the advice of iamthebestman – if you want your stag weekend to be the one your mates are all still talking about by the time your silver wedding anniversaries roll around, then you’ll struggle to do better than a Benidorm stag do. It’s big, it’s brash, and it goes off with a bang. Read on to find the only Benidorm Stag do ideas guide on the internet.

Benidorm occupies a curious place in the British psyche. On one hand, it has been lampooned for years as an example of the worst excesses of mass-market package tourism, with a coastline tarnished by ugly concrete mega-hotels and promoting an unhealthy combination of binge-drinking and sunburn. But on the other hand, as the party capital of the Costa Blanca, there’s no escaping the fact a Benidorm stag do offers you one of the best destinations in Europe. Like Ibiza or Mykonos but on a larger scale, you don’t get this kind of reputation for hedonism by accident.

Although it’s only a few hours flight to the resort, Benidorm is on the Spanish mainland, so the first thing you’re going to notice when you step out onto the tarmac is the incredible heat – temperatures average 30°C in the summer. Best hit the beach then! Luckily you’ve got two fantastic stretches of sand to choose from, as well as enough pubs, bars and clubs to keep your Benidorm stag do team happy from dusk til dawn. 

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas: A Guide to the Town

Old Town – great views but a bit quiet

The Old Town is in central Benidorm, separating the two other main areas, Levante and Poniente, by way of a rocky headland that juts out into the sea. The atmosphere there is relaxed and quiet, compared to the built-up tourist zone. You can fill a few hours browsing the little Spanish shops and restaurants that line the narrow side alleys, picking up the odd bargain including cheap sportswear. One of the Benidorm stag do ideas a punter recently gave us in this part of town (thanks Mark) is to stock up on sportswear while here as it’s up to half the price back home.

Apart from a few cave-like local bars where space is at a premium, the Old Town nightlife is pretty much zero. As Benidorm stag do ideas go, this is a bad one if you’re looking to party hard. Instead for a warm-up, climb the small hill to the Balcon del Mediterraneo, where you’ll enjoy stunning panoramic views of both beaches. Wandering round the tiled floors of this open-air plaza, surrounded by statues and with a refreshing cold one in your hand, it’s like going back in time. In fact, this rock once served as a watchtower against pirate invasions – with a bit of luck though the only invasions you’ll need to worry about are on the dancefloor at the end of the night.

Poniente – Authentically Spanish

Poniente is another very scenic area, but with not a great deal going on, at least little of interest for Stag groups.  If you want to sample some authentic traditional Spanish restaurants though, this is a good option, and there is the odd Brit bar dotted around.

It’s a similar story with the beach in Poniente. It’s a lot, lot quieter than Levante so you don’t have to worry about anyone pinching your sun-lounger, and you can easily spend a few hours playing volleyball. A good idea to come on the last morning of your Benidorm stag do, to try and shed the worst of your hangovers before heading home. This is where you’ll find Dove Park, which is a charming little green space shaded with palms – (Note for Best Men: if you want to release some white doves at the wedding ceremony, Axl Rose-style, the park would be a good place to catch them, but if the locals catch you you’ll be for it).

In the water it gets a bit more active. Benidorm Port is not far, where you can easily hire a boat or jet ski. You can also cruise to Benidorm Island on a glass-bottomed boat, but there isn’t a lot there to be honest, apart from a restaurant and a depressed peacock in a cage. If it’s a scorcher, we strongly recommend splitting the cost of a speedboat and tanking round the choppy waves for a few hours.

Levante – the only place be for a Benidorm stag do

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas: Levante is the only place to be!

Probably one of the most obvious Benidorm stag do ideas we’re going to give you is this – stay in Levante if you want to be where the action is. It’s where they film the hit TV show, and when people think of Benidorm, this is the area they tend to conjure up. Trust us, lairy doesn’t do it justice. This place gets wild! Weirdly, Benidorm means “sleep well”, which is the last thing you’re going to do if you book rooms in central Levante. Years of development means you’re never more than a few steps from a bar, which as the night wears on you start to appreciate more and more! You’re also conveniently close to the beach, which gets rammed in the summer months. Luckily what it tends to be rammed with is thousands of girls aged 18-30.

This is where all the big clubs are, as well as the English Square with its many bars. The booze flows heavily, the drink discounts will get you merry early doors, and Happy Hour seems never-ending. And whatever Benidorm stag do ideas take your fancy in the day time, from jeep safaris to paragliding, can all be booked out of Levante, usually for a very good deal.

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas – What to do in the day

There are numerous adventure holiday companies in the area putting together excellent Benidorm stag do packages with quality traditional activities. One of the best is Marco Polo Adventures.

Benidorm Jeep Safari

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas: Jeep Safari

Traversing Spain’s sparse and rocky countryside by jeep is truly thrilling in a Jeep Safari. You’ll spin along dried-up river beds with 10ft high reeds, over hills and bumpy tracks, ensuring you’re all thrown around constantly. Most tours operate with you as passengers, but if you want to take control then you just need a clean driving license to hire your own 4×4. At one point the tour takes you past a gorgeous reservoir with clear turquoise waters. It looks beautiful but disappointingly you can’t swim here. Do bring your trunks though, because the tour involves a visit to the Fonts of Algar- a natural freshwater river where you can cool down in the shade and take in some great views at the same time.

The tour lasts all day, from 9.30am-5pm, making this one of the more involving Benidorm stag do ideas, and costs €60 per person. Now while that may seem a little steep, don’t forget it will keep you busy all day. The restaurant at the Fonts of Algar is really nice, and makes delicious food – careful not to overdo the beer at lunchtime though, remember the bumpy road back to resort.

Benidorm Paintball

It may come as no surprise that one of the most popular Benidorm stag do ideas is paintballing – the time-honoured classic that has become a rite of passage for lads on Stag weekends the world over. There’s something about forests, lads and guns that just works, inspiring the perfect blend of manliness, hilarity and skill! Truthfully they really should just be honest, drop the T and call it pain-balling instead because those things can hurt. A Benidorm paintballing stag do follows the tried-and-tested format of many others – a series of exciting games such as “capture the flag” or “defend the base”, with all the equipment you need plus a basic allowance of ammo, and the option to buy more. The basic price is usually around 30€ including your transport to the centre, about 7 miles out of town into the mountains, which represents excellent value, so you can all invest in an extra canister of ammo purely to hunt the Stag.

Benidorm Paragliding

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas: Paragliding

Most people wouldn’t raise an eyebrow if you told them you got high on a Benidorm stag do, but if you told them you mean Paragliding, they might raise both. If you never tried it before, what you’re basically doing is strapping yourself to a stranger who may or may not have all the qualifications and experience he claims to have, and then letting him run off a mountain with you! He has a set of wings on his back so you’ll slowly glide to the bottom, or so the theory goes. Now how about this for one of the best Benidorm stag do ideas of all time – for a bit more money, you can arrange for a bird of prey to fly up and meet you halfway down! It will land on your outstretched arm and pose for a photo before presumably flying off to dispatch some unlucky creature on the ground. Just hope it’s got good vision and doesn’t mistake your nose for an airborne mouse. At least this is one bird on the Stag’s arm that the bride won’t mind when she sees the photos (steals his phone). Cost is 80€ and it’s worth it.

La Cruz de Benidorm

For one of the more alternative Benidorm Stag do ideas you may wish to consider a trip to ‘La Cruz’, which means ‘the cross’. It’s an illuminated, giant metal crucifix that watches over the town at night, much like the Christ statue in Rio. The views from the coastal route you take up to the top of the cross are spectacular. If you’ve hired scooters or a car then making this journey is recommended. Alternatively it takes about an hour or so to walk up. Start from the McDonald’s in the Rincon de Loix (filling up on essential supplies first of course) then climb up the hill, bearing right. Follow the route all the way to the top for a unique perspective of one of the world’s liveliest cities.

Aqualandia – epic waterpark!

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas: Aqualandia

A Benidorm stag do ideas guide wouldn’t be worth its salt if it didn’t mention Aqualandia – an epic water-park with giant slides you can see all the way from town. You can walk up the hill to get there, but there is a bus every 15-20 minutes from the Avenida Mediterraneo so seriously, why even bother? Be sure to buy tickets from one of the touts in the street handing out flyers for a massive discount for the whole group- they are normally found near the Burger King in the Rincon de Loix area. An alternative is the Terra Natura/Aqua Natura zoo and water-park which is also a short bus ride away. Separate entrance fees apply, so only get the Aqua Natura pass for the water-park unless you want to see the tigers and elephants. Wait. what are we saying, who doesn’t want to see tigers and elephants?

Terra Mitica – theme park in the sun

Everyone loves a theme park right? This is a fantastic theme park about 10 minutes taxi ride out. Now, entry is quite expensive, but once you’re in there is a lot to do, and a lot of big rides. This is one of the few Benidorm stag do ideas that we recommend booking in advance because the discounts you can get will be make it worth your while. A word to the wise (as my grandmother would say) – people from all over Valencia visit Terra Mitica to play, so bear in mind that it does get crowded in summer – like any theme park, come off-peak to have your run of it.

La Marina – mall for discounted designer brands

This is a huge and modern mall located a short taxi or bus ride outside Benidorm in La Cala called La Marina. It can be pricey in there but they feature a lot of top designer brands such as Lacoste and Ralph Lauren at discounted prices. The reason we mention La Marina though is if you’re self-catering there is a Lidl there, so useful for cheap food and hotel beers.

The Outdoor Market

On a Wednesday or a Sunday morning make your way to the Hotel Pueblo for the market that resembles a Moroccan medina. It stretches out for what seems like miles. Here you’ll be able to find loads of cool knickknacks to take back for the family, or just a cheap pair of shoes or belt (all the stuff that tends to go missing on a standard Benidorm night out). Another good market, El Cisne, is open on a Thursday from early until about 1pm, and there are thousands of authentic Spanish products here. It’s a bit like a massive car boot sale, fun to wander round for a while. The key thing to remember is they have a tapas-style thing going on: for every drink you buy at the bar you get a plate of delicious paella free. If the kitty is running low then that’s useful knowledge right there.

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas at Night

When the sun sets, Benidorm transforms. After the daily siesta, which occurs between 1pm and 5pm, and when most shops are shut, the resort starts to buzz. Locals and visitors alike start to appear in their evening threads, rolling along the beachfront, stopping to chat or eat in one of many restaurants. As the day slowly fades, the bright lights begin to pop on, until eventually Levante starts to resemble a neon alleyway in Tokyo.

For Bendidorm stag weekends, Levante is the only place to be in the evening. The whole place is thronged with partygoers and there’s no end of choice, but there are a few nightspots we suggest you keep in mind. We’ll cover them in our bar crawl

Benidorm stag do ideas: Bar crawl

Start the night off in a sports bar such as the Last Stop (sounds odd to begin drinking at the Last Stop but the night is going to get a whole lot weirder), right next to the English Square. This is the beating heart of the Benidorm nightlife scene for 18-30s, and also where you’re going to run into plenty of Benidorm Hen Parties. This strip stretches for four blocks along a palm tree-lined promenade, where there are tons of bars, nightclubs and takeaways on both sides.

Continue on to the Hippodrome which has cheap drinks and electric atmospheres, a great environment for Stag groups and plays mashed-up dance and R&B.

Stagger on to the Red Dog, where the legendary Sticky Vicky can be seen performing throughout the week in summertime. This is a notorious act, where Vicky runs through a range of lewd and hilarious tricks. Make sure you let her know you’re a Stag party so she can bring the groom on-stage to find out where he’s managed to stash a lightbulb or a snooker cue – you’ll be amazed, and appalled.

The best clubs for Stags are headed towards the end of the Avenida Mediterraneo one block back from the beachfront, but if you want more serious clubbing, head for the ones along Avenida Communitat Valencia. Most places are generally open until around 7am, if you can make it that far. There is plenty to choose from,

As an alternative crawl, you can start in the Rincon de Loix area, at the Lazy Cow Beach Club. They have some mad cocktails here, with funnels and beer bongs for the sophisticated Stag party. Head along the beachfront to find a host of bars including the Harley Davidson Club which is always rocking, and despite the name it doesn’t have Hells Angels for door staff, so you can relax a bit. The KM Beach Club attracts Spanish and English clubbers alike, and there’s a 24/7 Burger King right nearby on the beach – bonus.

From the beach, go up two blocks into Benidorm, crossing the Avenida Mediterraneo which runs the length of Levante. Here is another cluster of pumping bars that are loaded almost exclusively with Brits on tour. This is clearly a sign that you are getting close to The English Square. Bars like The Yorkshire Pride, Scruffy Murphys and Churchills are in this area- again with cheap pints and mixers right through the summer, only winding down in the months before and after Christmas, with the obvious exception of New Years Eve.  From this section you can see the lights of the clubs, so move on there to finish the night off in style, getting back to your hotel or apartment in time for breakfast.

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas for Gentlemen’s Clubs

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas: It gets crazier than this!

Perhaps surprisingly, Benidorm has relatively few lap-dancing joints to speak of, but in Albir, 10 minutes taxi-drive away there are several. They are centred on both sides of the main thoroughfare, about 2 minutes walk from the McDonalds. As an alternative, you can get a taxi to a more sophisticated club called BeniMont, which treats the whole experience with a bit of style. Add an extra frisson of excitement to the evening’s proceedings with a visit to Benidorm’s newest casino, which is right on the Avenida Mediterraneo in the Rincon de Loix area.

Benidorm Stag Do Ideas for Places to Eat

Not only does Benidorm cater for every kind of debauchery, but it also has an excellent and eclectic blend of food on offer. You can get your usual British grub in just about any pub, and at a good price too, or if you really like seafood then you can stop in at one of the many beachfront restaurants which offer authentic Spanish dishes like paella. Fast-food brands are in the town too of course, and the two McDonald’s and two Burger King’s are at opposite ends of the town but easy to reach.

If you love Chinese, then the Menu of the Day offered around town is for you – a starter, a main, a side, a dessert, beer, a coffee and an ice-cream, plus prawn crackers, is all available for about £4. You’ll struggle to find a better deal. Get yourselves in there if you’re looking for a budget meal out with the lads to line your stomachs well.

Benidorm stag do ideas for Hotels

Hotel prices in Benidorm vary greatly, and if you’re only there for a few days you probably won’t be planning to spend much time your bed unless you get lucky, so don’t book five-star. You can get a cheap and thoroughly decent three-star for much less, and get a nice pool to relax by too. The Hotel Orange is a good Benidorm stag do hotel, right on The English Square, so you can get messy and not have to worry about getting back.

The Sol Pelicanos and the Sol Ocas are where the Benidorm TV show is filmed, and hotels immediately around this massive complex are relatively cheap, as they were built small on the spare land. Do some research before you go and if you are smart and book at least six months in advance you could snap up a right bargain. On a Benidorm stag do, all you really need is a bed so the cheaper the better here. If you want to save on air-conditioning book a room with a fridge and just leave that open!

Incidentally, if putting a raft of hotel rooms on your credit card seems a bit terrifying, then you may want to consider using one of the stag providers such as Freedom Ltd or The Stag Company. Instead of having to play the role of debt collector, an email is sent to each member of the stag party and from there, it’s their responsibility to settle up. This is done within a web portal specific to you and your party which these days also include a bunch of other funky features like offering discounts on speech writing tools like SpeechMate.

Make the most of it

Well, we hope we were able to give you a few Benidorm stag do ideas to ponder. Few places can top Levente for a quality Stag weekend abroad. Alright it’s not the classiest of destinations, but it knows how to have a good time and there’s a lot to be said for that. You’ve got no end of stag do activities to fill the days, it’s not particularly expensive, and you can come back to Blighty with a nice tan. We like to say we’re the number-one guide for Stag weekends, so if you have any tips on where’s hot there right now, iamthebestman would love to hear from you.