The best beaches in Lanzarote

We’ve highlighted the best beaches in Lanzarote, selecting one from each of the main resorts, plus some of our favourite beaches to discover outside of the holiday resorts.

Some of the best beaches across the Canary Islands can be found in Lanzarote. The island has some stunning beaches with long stretches of golden sand, calm waters for the kids to paddle in, waves and swells that are ideal for surfing, unusual black sand and hidden coves, which results in Lanzarote having a beach for every holiday maker.

Best beaches in holiday resorts

The best beaches in Lanzarote: Playa Grande in Puerto del Carmen

Lanzarote’s original holiday resort Puerto del Carmen, in the centre of the island is home to Playa Grande which translates to bigger beach.  This is the main beach in the resort and it has been awarded a blue flag.  Holiday makers will find sun beds, umbrellas and pedalos to hire and for a reasonable charge there is a fantastic inflatable aqua park to clamber on during the summer.

Playa Grande’s facilities are great, there are showers, toilets, parking and it is accessible via a wheelchair in parts.  The beach is cleaned daily and it is fairly sheltered from the wind which makes it a popular choice and it can therefore be very busy during peak seasons.

Avenida de Las Playas, which is known as The Strip is a long seafront promenade running in parallel with Playa Grande and holiday makers will be spoilt for choice with the amount of restaurants, bars, shops and lively nightlife available.

The sand is golden and the sea is calm which makes it great for children and paddling. As the beach is manned by life guards all year round, Playa Grande is one of the best beaches in Lanzarote for families.

The best beaches in Lanzarote: Playa Dorada in Playa Blanca

Playa Dorada is one of the best beaches in Lanzarote, it is in the sophisticated resort of Playa Blanca on the southern tip of the island.  It’s name translates to golden beach which is an accurate description as it boasts a warm, golden coloured sand.

The beach is in a bay and is therefore fairly sheltered, making it a great choice for sunbathing and swimming.  The area is well known for water sports and there is a wide range to chose from, you can enjoy scuba diving, paddle boarding, snorkelling, jet ski’s and more.

This blue flag winner beach is close to the Marina Rubicon port, which is a stunning area with plenty of restaurants and shops to enjoy.

The best beaches in Lanzarote: Playa Las Cucharas in Costa Teguise

Playa Las Cucharas is on the east coast of the island, in the popular resort of Costa Teguise.  It is a golden, sandy beach with crystal clear waters and due to the lack of protection and the wind increase in the afternoon windsurfers and surfers love this beach.

It is an all round, good fun beach with a blue flag award and life guards are present all year, making it perfect for families.  You can take windsurfing lessons, or you can simply top up your tan and enjoy watching the action.

The promenade offers a variety of bars, restaurants and shops and the gardens surrounding the beach are beautiful, filled with flowers and palm trees.  The facilities are good and you will find parking, toilets, showers and it is wheelchair accessible.  Beach lovers can hire umbrellas, deck chairs and sun beds.

Best beaches outside of resorts

The best beaches in Lanzarote: Famara in Caleta de Famara

On the opposite coast to the holiday resorts, you can find a small village of Caleta de Famara, which has earned a big reputation in the surfing world.  This massive beach sits at the base of the Famara cliffs known as the Risco de Famara.

This incredibly picturesque area is not great for swimmers due to rip tides and swells, it is however the king of the surf beaches and it is known as the Hawaii of Europe.  The surf at Famara is good almost every day of the year, surfers and kite surfers love Famara.  The volcanic backdrop is spectacular and the cliffs are popular for hang gliding.

The small village which is a short distance away is fairly limited with it’s offerings but you will find a small supermarket and some fabulous fresh fish restaurants, as well as skate and bike rentals and surf schools.

Famara beach is not recommended for swimming and operates a red flag warning. For sunbathing we recommend finding one of the stone zocos for your base, which offer some protection from the wind / sand blowing. This is a fantastic beach if you love walking, stunning scenery (especially at sunset), surfing or kite surfing.

The best beaches in Lanzarote: Las Playas de Papagayo

The southern tip of the island is home to Las Playas de Papagayo, which is a collection of pristine beaches that are part of a protected area, called the Monumento Natural de Los Ajaches.  There is a toll booth in operation as you drive into the protected area.

With white / golden sand and shelter from the cliffs, there is very little wind and the waters are calm and a dazzling green across all of the beaches.  On a clear day you can enjoy a view of Fuerteventura and Isla de los Lobos.

Playa Mujeres is the biggest beach and the one that the day boat trips moor off.  It is a great choice for families as the winds are low and the water is shallow. The area is very exposed, so holiday makers should remember to take plenty of sun cream and umbrellas for shade.

Playa Papagayo can be very crowded on sunny days, but it does offer some shade for those looking for a break from the sun.  This beach has a couple of restaurants and the Princess Yaiza taxi boat service runs from the old harbour, to Marina Rubicon and on to Papagayo.

The beach at Puerto Muelas is popular with campers in the summer months, as a seasonal campsite opens from June to September.

Caleta de Congrio is not so well known and it therefore offers real peace and tranquility, it is considered a naturist beach and gay friendly.

The best beaches in Lanzarote: Playa La Garita in Arrieta

Arrieta is a small village on the north coast of Lanzarote, the beach is fairly hidden from view when driving past on the main LZ-1  road that runs from Tahiche to Orzola.  Playa La Garita is popular with the locals, due to it’s versatility and facilities, this beach has a pier which is great for jumping off, snorkelling under and shore fishing.

The facilities are good, it has a car park, a playground, toilet and showers, a tapas bar and a restaurant.  The snorkelling is great in these waters as it is often calm, but when there is a swell, it’s a great beach for body boarding.

The calm waters and relaxed atmosphere make this a great beach for just about everyone and whilst there is an ad hoc life guard service, the water is shallow and there is a first aid centre close to the beach.

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