Playa Grande. Puerto del Carmen

Puerto del Carmen is the most popular resort on the island of Lanzarote and home to the large 'Playa Grande' beach that spreads across the busy seafront, known as the Avenida, and Playa de los Pocillos, also over one kilometre (0.6 mile) long.  At the eastern end of the town is Playa de Matagorda.  This tends to less popular with tourists as there are fewer attractions at this end of town and it's closer to the airport which brings with it the noise of jet planes, however it is a stunning beach for beautiful golden sands.

The man-made beaches of Puerto del Carmen are easily accessible, safe for people who like to swim and friendly for families.  Water sports are usually available and toilets and leisure facilities are never far away. The water quality is great and the beaches provide everything you need for a fun-filled day on the beach!

Avenida de las Playas is a 6km long road packed with a diverse selection of bars, restaurants and shops and runs in parallel with the beaches.  So if you fancy a break from the sun it's easy to seek some shade and enjoy a cold beer, or find an air conditioned shop to snap up some Lanzarote bargains.

Famara

The breathtaking Riscos cliffs overlook the picturesque white sand beaches of Famara, which in turn look out to the neighbouring island of La Graciosa.  This beach, that stretches for miles, is generally prone to very strong winds, which made it famous as a surfers’  paradise.

Whilst swimming conditions are not so good (heavily discouraged in fact due to constant strong sea currents), the northern part of this beach is very quiet and popular with naturists

South of the village of La Caleta stretches another 5 km (3 miles) long white sand beach offering the same ideal conditions for surfers, but strong ocean currents also discourage swimming and diving here.

Playa Blanca

Playa Blanca, once a small fishing port on the south west tip of Lanzarote, has three main beaches.  The oldest is the beach central to the town, known as... Playa Blanca.  This beach tends to be popular with the locals, maybe confirming opinions that its the best beach in the town?

To provide more capacity as the village grew into the resort it is today, two new beaches were built: the more exposed and extensive Playa Dorada to the east and the more sheltered and charming Playa Flamingo, located west of the town’s centre.

The Playa Blanca beaches have amazing views towards the neighbouring islands of Fuerteventura and Los Lobos, are covered in fine, yellowish sand and surrounded by calm and clear waters allowing for safe bathing and a variety of water sports.

Los Ajaches National Park (Papagayo)

To the east of Playa Blanca you can find the Los Ajaches National Park.  This is home to a number of pristine golden beaches with crystal clear waters.

To get to these idyllic beaches you will need to take the short walk over the cliffs from Las Coloradas or drive down a dirt track (check your hire car terms and conditions to see if your insurance covers driving down this track!).  There is a small charge to access the national park by car.

The beaches, from the furthest to the closest are called Playa Mujeres, Playa de Los Pozos, Playa de las Ahogaderas, Playa de la Cera, Playa Papagayo, Playa Caleta del Congrio and Playa de Puerto Muelas

There is a small (and very popular) bar that overlooks the cove of Playa Papagayo but we recommend taking your own snacks as the facilities on these beaches are next to non-existant.

The beaches are great for sun worshippers and snorkelling and the further out you venture, the more likely you are to come across naturists.

La Santa

The fishing village of La Santa on the north coast, where the international sports hotel and trainings centre Club La Santa is   located, boasts a 900 m (2,950 ft) long artificial  lagoon with fine white sand and calm waters, offering ideal beginners' conditions for windsurfing and scuba-diving.

Not far off the lagoon is a small rocky beach, where perfect surfing waves break, though this is for experts only. Due to the waves and undercurrents, swimming is not recommended here. On the eastern side of the La Santa headland is another small beach, Caleta de Caballo, a mixture of sand and gravel beach, with ideal surfing conditions.

Charco del Palo (Nudist Beach)

Just beyond the village of Mala, on the northeast coast of Lanzarote, lies the idyllic Charco de Palo, a tranquil nudist reserved resort which opens out to the Atlantic, guaranteeing complete privacy.

This nudist colony, with residents of different nationalities, comprises pleasant apartment buildings, pretty, privately owned villas and bungalows, restaurants and bars, a supermarket, a hairdresser as well as a boutique.

Volcanic cliffs, with footpaths leading to many small, sandy sunbathing areas, dominate the colony’s picturesque coastline. A natural pool in a beautiful bay with an opening to the sea invites for a swim in the crystal-clear water.

Except for shops and restaurants, there is no dress code within the boundaries of this community.