Playa Blanca: The Canary Islands’ Secret Beaches

The best-known beaches in Spain’s Canary Islands are on the popular islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, but families looking for fewer crowds and a laid-back atmosphere will want to choose the golden strands along the southern shore of Lanzarote.

It’s not just the golden sand; the waters off the coast of Los Ajaches Natural Monument are crystal clear, and behind its 2 miles of beaches are dramatic cliffs interspersed with coves, each protecting about 100 yards of sandy beach.

The favorite of these is Playa Papagayo, protected by high cliffs and wrapped around a crystal-clear lagoon. While you can park atop the cliff and take a trail down to the beach, an easier way to get your family there is by taxi boat from the port at Playa Blanca. You’ll also find restaurants and snack bars on the beach.

More beaches lie in coves along the coast, including Playa Mujeres, about a 20-minute walk from the town, and Caletón del Cobre, where the water is so clear you can view the seabed while snorkeling on the surface.

A small cove beach at the center of Playa Blanca’s small commercial area, below the promenade and Playa Dorada and protected by breakwaters, is a 15-minute walk to the east. These intown beaches are more likely to be crowded, especially in high season.

The main shopping street in the former fishing village of Playa Blanca runs parallel to its promenade and beach, lined with cafés and restaurants. Stone steps lead between these two levels and the port, where you can find water taxis to the beaches and ferries bound for the neighboring island of Fuerteventura (whose long white beaches you can see across the water).

If you can lure your children from the sand and sea, nearby Timanfaya National Park is a good daytrip from Playa Blanca. Set around an active volcano, the park is filled with unique experiences, including a chance to eat lunch cooked on a grill set over the vent of an active volcano … that’s a story to tell back home.