🖤 South-West Coast

Here, the beaches reveal a more rugged, volcanic side of Lanzarote. They are not always the best choice for a relaxing day by the water, but they are worth stopping at for their black sand, the power of the ocean and extraordinary scenery.

🖤 Playa de Janubio

🖤 black sand | 🌊 strong waves | 🧂 beside the salt pans | 📷 scenery

This wide beach of black volcanic sand lies right beside Salinas de Janubio. It is primarily a place for walking and admiring the rugged coastline – the ocean can be rough here, and strong waves and currents mean that this is not a beach I would choose for a relaxing family swim.

💚 Playa de los Clicos – El Golfo

🌋 volcanic landscape | 💚 Charco de los Clicos | 🖤 dark sand | 📷  views

What makes this beach particularly special is its location beside the famous green lagoon of Charco de los Clicos. Dark sand, the red and black walls of the former volcanic crater, the green waters of the lagoon and the Atlantic combine to create one of Lanzarote’s most distinctive landscapes.

⚠️ This is primarily a place for enjoying the scenery rather than spending time on the beach. Charco de los Clicos lies within a protected area, and visitors are not allowed to walk down to the lagoon itself. The best views are from the designated viewpoint and path.

🌊 West Coast – Famara

Here, the beach is first and foremost part of an extraordinary landscape. It attracts surfers, but it is worth visiting even if you have no intention of going into the water – for the vast open space, the ocean and the imposing cliffs of Risco de Famara.

🏄 Playa de Famara

🏄 surfing | 🌬️ windy | 🌊 large waves | ⛰️ views of Risco de Famara

This wide, long beach at the foot of Risco de Famara is one of the most distinctive places on Lanzarote. Stronger winds and waves attract surfers, while for everyone else it is a wonderful place for a long walk and for admiring the monumental cliffs, which look particularly impressive from the beach.

⚠️ Take care when swimming – Famara is exposed to the Atlantic, with waves and strong currents. If you are mainly looking for calm water for young children, the sheltered beaches in the south of the island are a better choice.

⚓ Arrecife and the Surrounding Area

In Arrecife, it is easy to combine beach time with sightseeing. Playa del Reducto lies right beside the city centre, making it a good choice both for spending a few hours by the water and for a short break while exploring Lanzarote’s capital.

🌴 Playa del Reducto

🌴 palm trees | 🏊 swimming | 🚶 close to the city centre | 📷 distinctive scenery

Arrecife’s urban beach has pale sand and distinctive palm trees growing almost directly out of the beach. A protective reef means the water here is usually calmer, while its location right beside the city centre makes it easy to combine swimming and relaxing with sightseeing.

🤍 North – Órzola and the Surrounding Area

Northern Lanzarote is all about pale sand surrounded by black lava and small coves with clear water. Here you will find both calm spots that are good for families and larger beaches located right beside coastal villages.

🤍 Caletón Blanco

👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 💎 turquoise water | 🤍 pale sand | 🌋 black lava

One of the most distinctive beaches in northern Lanzarote. Very pale sand, black volcanic rocks and shallow turquoise water create a striking contrast. Naturally sheltered parts of the bay are particularly suitable for families with children and anyone who prefers calmer water for swimming.

🏖️ Playa de La Garita – Arrieta

🏊 swimming | 👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🌊 larger beach | 🍴 close to the village

This wide, sandy beach beside Arrieta is a good choice if you are looking for more space and easy access to facilities. You can combine some beach time with a walk around the village, and there are places to eat nearby.

🥾 Playa del Risco

🥾 hiking trail | 🤫 wild and peaceful | ⛰️ beneath the cliffs | 🌊 spectacular views

A wild beach at the foot of Risco de Famara, reached on foot via a trail descending from the area around Ye. Here, the hike down the cliffs and the views along the way are just as much a part of the experience as the beach itself.

🌴 Puerto del Carmen and the Surrounding Area

Puerto del Carmen has several easily accessible beaches that you can combine with a walk around the resort, sightseeing nearby or a full day by the ocean. You can choose a small cove for snorkelling, a wide beach with full facilities, or a more open stretch of coastline with plenty of space.

🤿 Playa Chica

🤿 snorkelling and diving | 🐠 marine life | 🌊 sheltered cove | 📏 small beach

This small cove in the old part of Puerto del Carmen is one of Lanzarote’s best-known spots for diving and snorkelling. Its sheltered location means the water is usually calmer, while its greatest attraction lies beneath the surface – so it is worth bringing a mask and snorkel even if you are not planning to dive.

☀️ Playa Grande

👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🏊 swimming | 🏖️ wide beach | 🍴 full facilities

Puerto del Carmen’s main beach is wide, sandy and very well equipped. It is a good choice for families and anyone who simply wants to spend a comfortable few hours by the ocean. A promenade lined with restaurants, cafés and shops runs right alongside the beach, so everything you need is close at hand.

🌬️ Playa de los Pocillos

🌬️ windier | 🏖️ very wide beach | 🚶 long walks | 🍴 facilities

One of the widest beaches in this part of Lanzarote, Playa de los Pocillos feels much more open and spacious than Playa Chica or Playa Grande. Its vast expanse of sand means that even when there are more visitors, it rarely feels crowded, while the long shoreline is perfect for walking.

🌊 Costa Teguise and the Surrounding Area

Costa Teguise is one of Lanzarote’s main resorts, but it is worth visiting for more than just its hotels and promenade. You will find two very attractive yet completely different beaches here – the larger Playa de Las Cucharas and the smaller, sheltered Playa El Jablillo.

🤿 Playa El Jablillo

👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🌊 sheltered cove | 🐠 plenty of fish | 🤿 snorkelling and diving

Much smaller and more intimate than Las Cucharas. The bay is sheltered from the open ocean, and its calm, clear water makes it ideal for swimming and watching fish – you can spot them very close to the shore. Playa El Jablillo is also a popular place for snorkelling and learning to dive, so you will often see groups here taking their first lessons underwater.

🏄 Playa de Las Cucharas

🏖️ wide beach | 🏊 swimming | 🏄 water sports | 🍴 full facilities

One of the best-known beaches in Costa Teguise – wide, sandy and located right beside the seafront promenade. You can easily spend several hours relaxing on the beach while enjoying the excellent tourist facilities, and the conditions along this part of the coast also attract water sports enthusiasts.

🏖️ Lanzarote Beaches – Which One Should You Choose?

Lanzarote has a remarkably varied coastline – from small, pale-sand coves with calm water to wide, windswept beaches beneath volcanic cliffs. I have divided them by area of the island, making it easy to find the right place for a day at the beach, a family break, or a relaxing stop after sightseeing or hiking.

☀️ South – Playa Blanca and the Surrounding Area

The south of Lanzarote is easy to combine with exploring Playa Blanca, strolling around Marina Rubicón or climbing Montaña Roja. But some of the beaches here are so beautiful that they are worth making a special trip for.

🐚 Playa de Papagayo

💎 turquoise water | 🏞️ cove surrounded by cliffs | 📷 views | 🏊 swimming

One of Lanzarote’s most distinctive beaches. This small cove surrounded by volcanic cliffs is striking for its pale sand and intensely turquoise water. It is definitely one of those beaches worth making a special trip to the south of the island for.

🏖️ Playa Flamingo

👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🌊 calm water | 🤍 pale sand | 🚶 promenade | 🍴 restaurants

A small beach in Playa Blanca, sheltered by breakwaters. Its calm, shallow water and pale sand make it a particularly good choice for families with children. A promenade lined with restaurants, cafés and small shops runs alongside the beach, so you can easily spend a large part of the day here.

💛 Playa Dorada

👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🏊 calm water | 🏖️ larger beach | 🍴 full facilities

A wide, pale-sand and well-equipped beach between the centre of Playa Blanca and Marina Rubicón. It is a good choice if you are looking for a comfortable day at the beach, calm water for swimming and everything you need close at hand.

🗺️ Beaches on the Lanzarote Map

On the interactive map included with the guidebook Lanzarote with César Manrique, I have marked the beaches as well as GPS points, parking areas and other useful places for exploring the island. This makes it easy to see which beach you can combine with your planned route.

🌊 South-East Coast

This part of Lanzarote is quieter than the resorts of Playa Blanca or Puerto del Carmen. The beaches here are darker, rockier and less developed, but that is exactly why they are worth choosing for their peace and quiet, coastal walks and more local atmosphere.

🖤 Playa Quemada

🤫 peaceful | 🌋 dark sand and pebbles | 🏘️ small village | 🚶 walking

A small beach beside the quiet village of Playa Quemada, surrounded by a rugged volcanic landscape. You do not come here for pale sand and a typical resort-style beach day, but for the peace and quiet, the ocean and the atmosphere of a small coastal village.

🥾 Playa del Pozo – Los Ajaches

🤫 wild | 🌋 Los Ajaches | 🚶 walk from Playa Quemada | 🛞 unpaved road

Hidden within the rugged landscape of Los Ajaches, this beach is for those who want to venture beyond Lanzarote’s usual tourist routes. Unpaved roads and paths lead towards it, but for the average visitor, a much more practical option is to leave the car in Playa Quemada and continue on foot rather than planning a much longer hike from Femés.

🚗 Roads in Los Ajaches are unpaved, and their condition can change. Before driving into the area, it is worth checking the current road conditions and access regulations.