Lanzarote Beaches
Everyone has a different image pop into their head when they imagine their perfect holiday, but it is fair to say for lots of us this image is primarily taken up by a sun-drenched sandy beached of some description. So whether you like to spend your vacation sprawled out on a sun bed quietly dozing to the gentle lapping of the waves, running around the beach playing volleyball and testing out the water sports on offer, or like to flit between the two, Lanzarote could well be the ideal place for you.
Many would argue that although only 30 kilometres of its 250 kilometre coastline is made up of beaches, Lanzarote is home to the most beautiful beaches in the whole of the Canary Islands. As the Canary Islands are volcanic in their origin most of their beaches are covered in black sand or pebbles, however in Lanzarote this is not the case; although there are a few black sand beaches on the island, most of its 90 beaches are covered in the more aesthetically pleasing white or golden sand. In further contrast to most of the other Canary Islands Lanzarote`s beaches also tend to be small or medium sized, so this is a great place if large expanses of hugely over crowded beach are not really your thing.
Whilst the beaches on Lanzarote tend to be vaguely similar in size, there is a huge variety of different beaches on the island which will cater to a variety of different tastes. If you are planning on a family holiday and so are looking for particularly family friendly beaches there are lots on offer, although Costa Teguise and Puerto del Carmen are especially noteworthy. At both of these beaches there are a variety of water rides and water sports available, including paragliding, pedalos, banana boat rides, doughnut rides and various boat trips. Both of these beaches are also particularly good for family swimming, as they are clean and sheltered. Costa Teguise is the second largest tourist resort on the island, although it is never overly crowded and particularly a brilliant location for families who would like to try their hand at windsurfing. Puerto del Carmen is also rather popular with tourists, many of whom enjoy the superb glass-bottom boat and submarine trips that are
run from here.
For those who are particularly looking forward to trying out some water sports, Lanzarote has a wealth of excellently equipped beaches. Famara is an excellent hot spot for surfers, whereas windsurfers should check out the waves at Costa Teguise and Papagayo. Playas de Papagayo is a protected area and so there is a small admission fee, however the white sandy beaches and turquoise blue water make it more than worth the money.
As well as the many water sports on offer, diving is also very popular with visitors to the island of Lanzarote and there are many diving opportunities – both scuba and deep sea – for everyone from absolute beginners to experienced divers. Lanzarote is particularly great for diving as the crystal clear waters, exotic marine life and stunning underwater volcanic rock formations make for an ideal diving experience. The best beaches to go for diving are Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero and Playa Blanca.
For some people the ideal way to enjoy their holidays is with as little clothes on as possible and with this in mind there are a number of beaches in Lanzarote that allow discreet naturism. Perhaps the best naturist beach on the island is as Charco del Palo on the north east cost of the island, as not only is it particularly beautiful it has also become a kind of nudist resort. Other beaches that allow naturism are Guacimeta, Papagayo, Janubio and some parts of Famara and Playa Quemada.
