Puerto del Carmen

Lanzarote’s major holiday resort on the south coast, Puerto del Carmen, is blessed with three fabulous sandy beaches. The most famous – by many considered as some of the island’s most beautiful – are the yellow sand beaches Playa Grande (confusingly also known as Playa Blanca like the southern tourist    resort) and Playa de los Pocillos, both over one kilometre (0.6 mile) long.  At the eastern end of the town is Playa de Matagorda, with fewer attractions and less frequented, as the noise from the nearby airport keeps off the crowds, but otherwise also very attractive.

Puerto del Carmen’s beaches are man-made, therefore easily accessible, family-friendly and generally safe for swimming. They offer a wide range of water sports and leisure facilities, good water quality and all the necessary infrastructures for an enjoyable, fun-filled day on the beach!

All along the beaches run the six kilometre long Avenida de las Playas, a sea promenade, lined with lots of restaurants, bars and cafés, ice cream parlours, and shops to round off your beach day with more fun-things to do when the sun goes down! 

Famara

Very picturesque and stretching miles long north of the village of La Caleta de Famara are the white sand beaches of Famara, forming strong contrasts with the dark cliffs of Riscos de Famara in the backdrop. Also belonging to the most beautiful of the island, these wide beaches are generally very windy and have strong breakers, which made them famous as a surfers’  paradise.

Though, swimming conditions are not so good, as there are strong sea currents. For more safety only venture out as far as you have ground! The northern part of this beach area is very popular with naturists

South of the village of La Caleta stretches another 5 km (3 miles) long white sand beach offering the same ideal conditions for surfers, but strong ocean currents also discourage swimming and diving here.

La Santa

The fishing village of La Santa on the north coast, where the international sports hotel and trainings centre Club La Santa is   located, boasts a 900 m (2,950 ft) long artificial  lagoon with fine white sand and calm waters, offering ideal beginners conditions for windsurfing and scuba-diving.

Not far off the lagoon is a small rocky beach, where perfect surfing waves break, though this is for experts only. Due to the waves and undercurrents, swimming is not recommended here. On the eastern side of the La Santa headland is another small beach, Caleta de Caballo, a mixture of sand and gravel beach, with ideal surfing conditions.

Charco del Palo (Nudist Beach)

Near the village of Mala on the northeast coast lies idyllic Charco de Palo, a tranquil nudist reserved resort, which opens out to the Atlantic, thus guaranteeing   complete privacy. This nudist colony, with some residents of different nationalities living here all year round, comprises pleasant apartment buildings, pretty, privately owned villas and bungalows, restaurants and bars, a supermarket, a hairdresser as well as a boutique.

Volcanic cliffs, with footpaths leading to many small, sandy sunbathing areas, dominate the colony’s picturesque coastline. A natural pool in a beautiful bay with an opening to the sea invites for a swim in the crystal-clear water.

Except for shops and restaurants, there is no dress code within the boundaries of this community.

Playa Blanca

The resort has three main beach areas, of which the longest known is the central beach – or Playa Blanca beach – at the end of the town’s harbour and, though small, it is one of the best. To provide more capacity, two new beaches have recently been built: the more exposed and   extensive Playa Dorada to the east and the more sheltered and charming Playa Flamingo, located west of the town’s centre.

All of Playa Blanca’s beaches offer – besides fabulous views onto the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura – fine  yellowish sand, calm and clear waters allowing safe bathing, all necessary facilities and a variety of water sports.

Papagayo

If you prefer it more secluded, then opt for the picturesque beaches in the near surroundings of Playa Blanca, along the southern coast between Castillo de las Coloradas and Punta de Papagayo. A bumpy dirt track (there is an entrance fee per car!) leads to a chain of idyllic coves and paradisiacal beaches featuring fine pale golden sand and warm, crystal-clear water to reward all those, who made their way here by car or by boat… or even by foot on a rough path from Playa Blanca!

Considered some of the most beautiful natural beaches of the whole archipelago, the Papagayo beaches are a series of six beaches, of which the largest and the busiest is the 90 m (300 ft) long Playa Mujeres, then come Playa de las Coloradas, Playa de las Ahogaderas and    Playa de la Cera – all west of Punta del Papagayo – as well as Playa Caleta de Congrio and Playa de Puerto Muelas, located east of the Punta.