tips for travel

In this particular article (I have written others about beaches in other areas of the island)
I will cover beaches in Yaiza
one of the seven municipalities of Lanzarote.

This part of Lanzarote is occupied
principally
by the town of Playa Blanca (once a sleepy fishing village)
but in the midst of a major transformation. Playa Blanca extends from the western Pechiguera Point (Where our villa is located in La Goleta
Faro Park) to Coloradas Beach in the east
with the Coloradas Beach effectively becoming the first of the Papagayo coves
which is where I want to start this ‘journey’.
You will have noticed that there is a fair amount of development going on across the broader Playa Blanca area. Visitors will be pleased to hear that building is prohibited beyond this point
so Papagayo Beach will remain completely as nature created it.

Punta de Papagayo
to give it its full name
is located at the most southerly tip of the island and is actually a collection of small beaches (Playa Mujeres
Playa del Pozo
Playa de Papagayo
Playa de La Cera
Puerto Muelas and Caleta del Congrio)
with golden sands of between 100m and 400m in length and separated by high cliffs. Access is not as you might expect and given the beaches are remote and not near the main centre
few services are available
so please go prepared (We’d advise taking a cool box packed full of food and drink as you won't find anywhere to buy a drink or something to eat on these beaches).

Follow the signs to Papagayo from the main LZ-2 Roundabout with the CEPSA garage and you will end up on a bumpy dirt track road (no tarmac and hire companies generally ask that you only venture here in a 4 wheel drive
but this is generally ignored
so you won’t be alone if you choose to ignore this advice). You’ll need to pay a small Toll (2 Euros)
before you get the beach top (park by the one and only cafeteria in this area). You need to walk down the sand bank to the beach (and buggies are simply no go
so leave them in the car).

This unspoilt
undeveloped area is surrounded by stunning picture card landscapes
with volcanic ash cliffs
crystal clear waters and fine white & golden sands and is made up of several small bays and coves (if it is beginning to sounds like heaven
it almost is). This is not one of the best beaches on Lanzarote
it is the best beach on the island and one of the best in Europe. Note
that as you move further away from the immediate cove
nude bathing is allowed (so be prepared !).

As you head back towards Playa Blanca
I will take you on a whistle stop tour of ‘the other beaches’. As nice as there are
they do not warrant as much space in this article as Papagayo. First we have Playa de Las Coloradas
a quiet gravel beach 410 m long
far from developed areas and no public services. Next we find the picturesque beach of Playa Blanca
parallel to the restaurant-lined promenade in the village and 40 m of fine golden sand with placid waters. After we pass the harbour (where you can take a daily ferry to Fuerteventura)
you will find Playa Flamingo (200 m. of fine white sand
next to Playa Blanca
ideal for scuba diving)
Playa Dorada (a sheltered beach of fine white sand
30
long)
both close to all the services that the town has to offer. Here you can rent sports equipment & hammocks.Next we have La Mulata
80
m. of fine golden sand mixed with gravel (located between Playa Blanca and the Faro de Pechiguera lighthouse)
La Campana
140
m. of fine golden sand (close to the Faro de Pechiguera lighthouse)
Monta๑a Roja
260
m. of fine golden sand (near the Faro de Pechiguera lighthouse)
and finally we end with El Golfo
150
m. of picturesque black (yes black) sand !