Canary Islands Beaches

Canary Islands Beaches - Overview:

The Canary Islands offer the beach lover such a diversity of destinations. From the deserted golden sands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote; the Blue Flag beaches of Tenerife and Gran Canaria to the dramatic plunging cliffs and quiet coves of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro - whatever your choice you're sure to find the perfect location from the choice of beaches in the Canary Islands.

Canary Islands Beaches - Fuerteventura:

Miles of golden sandy beaches are the greatest attraction of Fuerteventura and they rate amongst the best in the world. The two biggest beaches, which are also designated 'Natural Parks', are the dunes of Corralejo in the north of the island, and along the south east coast of the Jandia Peninsular at Sotavento. Both areas are popular with windsurfers.

There are also excellent beaches with tranquil lagoons in the fishing village of El Cotillo, with surfing beaches along the west coast, and the sophisticated resort of Costa Calma has some of the most tranquil beaches on Fuerteventura, with a 21km stretch of golden sand. Also the remote sands of Barlovento beach are further down the Jandia Penninsular. There are so many quiet beaches on Fuerteventura that naturism is popular and is practiced on most beaches outside resort and hotel areas. more

Canary Islands Beaches - Lanzarote:

After Fuerteventura, Lanzarote is the best Canary island for beaches. The main resort on the island is Puerto del Carmen, south of the capital Arrecife, which has a large sandy beach. In the south, Playa Blanca has small golden sandy beaches but nearby, and accessible only via unmade tracks, are the beautiful yellow sandy sheltered coves of Papagayo. These remote beaches are popular with naturists. At El Golfo, in the southeast, there are striking, black sand beaches and in the north there are good beaches at Famara and Arrieta in the east. The beaches at Costa Teguise are man-made. more

Canary Islands Beaches - Tenerife:

Despite its size, Tenerife is not famed for its beaches and where the sand is not black it has probably been imported. Puerto de la Cruz has a magnificent lido to compensate for its black sand beaches. In the south, resorts such as Los Gigantes and Playa de la Arena have small, sandy coves. The largest natural beaches are between El Medano and Los Abrigos near the southern airport. These are popular with wind surfers and the southern beach is used by naturists. more

Canary Islands Beaches - Gran Canaria:

The south of Gran Canaria has many golden beaches, whereas the beaches in the north tend to be more shingle than sand and the slightly rougher sea makes them a favourite for surfers. There is however a charming little beach on the north coast at Sardina where Christopher Columbus briefly docked to mend his mast en-route to America, not forgetting Las Palmas' superb 3-mile sandy beach - Playa de las Canteras. more

Canary Islands Beaches - La Palma:

There are two beach resorts on the island of La Palma, one on the east coast, south of Santa Cruz at Los Cancajos, and on the west coast at Puerto Naos. Puerto Naos enjoys the most sunshine and there are quieter beaches, including one naturist beach, located to the south of the town. more

Canary Islands Beaches - La Gomera:

There are only a few beaches on the island of La Gomera, and most are pebbles and black sand. The two main beaches are located at San Sebastian and Playa Santiago, with several small beaches at Valle Gran Rey and on the east coast at Hermigua and La Caleta. more

Canary Islands Beaches - El Hierro:

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. more