El Hierro Beaches Guide

El Hierro Beaches - Overview:

There are a few beaches on El Hierro as the island is renowned for its dramatic volcanic landscapes. However, from Echedo there is a track leading to the 'Charco Manso' - fantastic natural swimming-pools set in a rugged coast, with lava arches and blow-holes. A wealth of marine life thrives in the surrounding ocean. The sea off the south of the island is normally calm and clear and is an underwater national park, Mar de las Calmas, and is popular for SCUBA diving. Playa de la Verodal, in the extreme west, is the only beach of reasonable size on El Hierro. It is quite remote and noted for its red sand. Due to the lack of beaches, swimming and sunbathing areas have been carved out of the rocks and natural swimming pools formed.

El Hierro Beaches - La Restinga:

There is only a very small beach in the harbour of La Restinga but along this coast are other small remote beaches and swimming places from the rocks at Cala de Tacaron. The small beach at La Restinga has black sand. There was once a small beach with white sand (Arenas Blancas) but this was before the port was built. But then again most visitors to La Restinga tend to be more interested in what lies beneath the surface of the ocean rather than the appearance of the coastline. To reflect this popularity La Restinga is home to no less than nine dive centres.