"The Playground of the rich" Top 5 Page for this destination Puerto Banus by GibJoe

Puerto Banus was inaugurated in 1970 having a capacity of 915 docking posts for berths ranging from 8 to 50m, and two beaches on either side over 150m long. Puerto Banus gets its name from the promoter of the port, Jose Banus. During the regime of General Franco, Jose Banus was an intimate friend of General Franco. When Jose Banus went to ask General Franco permission to build a port in Marbella, Franco said to him that the port would be a total failure as there was too much wind in the area. Jose Banus then asked an engineering company from France to carry out a research on the area. At the time the province of Malaga was among one of the poorest areas in Spain. Soon afterwards the rich and famous started building and purchasing property in the area, building what is the Puerto Banus of today.

A typical scene of Puerto Banus

Puerto Banus is situated between Marbella and San Pedro and is the home to some of the most impressive yachts in the world. There is a wide range of bars, restaurants and designer shops along the water-front. The nightlife in Puerto Banus is well known among the rich and famous. Stags do´s are very common in Puerto Banus, but Puerto Banus comes at a premium as everything is far more expensive. To really get a feel of what Puerto Banus really is, the nightlife should be experienced, although I must admit that I prefer the port in Benalmadena for a meal and drinks. For me Puerto Banus feels as if everyone is on a catwalk, wanting to be watched.

• Pros:Nightlife
• Cons:More expensive