Playa Blanca is located on the southern side of Lanzarote, and in recent years has become the third busiest tourist area on the island. The beauty of the place is widely recognised and it is a quiet and ideal destination for the whole family to relax.
The resort has a wide range of hotels, surrounded by many thriving facilities: bars, restaurants, businesses, shopping centres and one of the best marinas on Lanzarote. The waterfront area is very lively, with plenty of shops and clubs.
The beaches are easily accessible by bicycle or even on foot and are all located within a Nature Reserve. For those who want to reach them even more easily, it is advisable to use a car.
In and around Playa Blanca you will find some of the best beaches on Lanzarote: protected, calm and with magnificently coloured water.
Playa de Papagayo is undoubtedly the most iconic beach in Playa Blanca and all of Lanzarote. You can get there by car, but bear in mind that the road is not paved and that it is located at the entrance to a protected park, so there is an entrance fee.
The beach proper, Papagayo, is bordered by two dark rocky ridges and is characterised by white sand and emerald-coloured water, very suitable for diving. If you go there early in the morning you will have this wonderful beach all to yourself, but in the course of the day it can get very crowded.
Continuing to the right you will find more beaches and bays that are a little more secluded, also part of the Papagayo complex. Two bar-restaurants serve the area.
Very fine white sand, calm and clean sea and little wind: these are the characteristics of Playa Dorada, equipped with umbrellas and sunbeds and all the comforts for families. The bay is artificially protected from currents and this makes it particularly suitable for children’s bathing in safe waters. The use of the sun loungers per day costs very little and is free from 6 p.m. onwards. There are many restaurants and services.
This beach is located a few kilometres from Playa Blanca, in an artificially recreated inlet. The water is very clean and has been awarded Blue Flag status several times.
It is perfect for diving, given the abundance of fish and other sea creatures such as hermit crabs, sea urchins and stars that can also be found on the rocks surrounding the beach. At low tide, natural rock pools can be discovered to the left of the beach. There are many bars and restaurants where you can have lunch, and there is even a supermarket where you can stock up.
If you love a lunar landscape and beaches with crystal-clear water while still exuding a Spanish atmosphere, Lanzarote is really for you, as it offers a unique natural landscape that is truly impressive. One of the best places to stay is undoubtedly Playa Blanca, quiet and full of beaches and natural coves.
It is perfect for families who want to spend their holidays with their children, but also for nature lovers, even the most rugged ones, with rocks and cliffs bordering its beautiful beaches. Although it is well served by clubs and shops, Playa Blanca still retains a wild atmosphere capable of winning the hearts of even the most adventurous.
Although small, Playa Blanca is very interesting to visit. Here are the best things to see.
The Port of Playa Blanca is newly built, only in 2003, but has already become one of the most fashionable marinas on Lanzarote. Well-kept and full of restaurants and luxury shops, the Port of Marina Rubicòn is a perfect area for shopping.
It is also suitable for a leisurely stroll at sunset, on the wooden walkways that connect the various venues, or for an alternative lunch break at the beach. On Wednesday mornings there is a flea market that is very characteristic and popular with tourists.
From Marina Rubicón ferries leave for Playa Papagayo and other beaches, as does the hydrofoil to Fuerteventura.
Who said that things to see are only on the surface? The clear waters and ocean floor are in fact one of Lanzarote’s main attractions. Can you imagine enjoying the experience of swimming around an underwater museum, immersed in the crystal-clear waters of the Playa Blanca coastline?
Well, never mind imagining it, because Lanzarote’s Atlantic Museum is a reality! The first 35 statues are submerged at a depth of 12 metres in the bay of Las Coloradas in Playa Blanca and can already be ‘visited’.
This museum is an initiative of the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism and the work of British artist and sculptor Jason DeCaires Taylor, who aimed to create the largest underwater museum in Europe with a total of 300 sculptures on an approximate area of 2,500 square metres.
The sculptures are representations of the people of Lanzarote and everyday life on the island, with references to the problems of today’s society. The statues were made from materials that are harmless to fish and respect the marine ecosystem.
The coast of Lanzarote is rich in reserves and natural pools and Playa Blanca is no exception. Los Charchones can be reached either on foot or by car, paying attention to the roughness of the road.
But once you arrive, the spectacle of the ocean between the rock inlets, which thus form natural pools, will confirm that it was worth it. A view and a place particularly suited to lovers of wilder nature. To be avoided on windy days.
Going beyond Marina Rubicòn on the promenade that leads to the beaches of Los Ajaces, you arrive at this fortress that overlooks the ocean and offers a beautiful view of the coastal cliffs.
The walk and the view are particularly impressive around sunset time and to see from the high ground dominated by the Castillo the sun dipping into the sea is a sight not to be missed. On a clear day you can even spot Furteventura from here.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
Playa Blanca stretches several kilometres along the south coast of Lanzarote, so choosing the right area to stay can turn your holiday around. Essentially there are several main areas, the most important of which is definitely the city centre, which is located at the harbour and along Avenida Maritima. Moving west, you will find Playa Flamingo beach, while to the east you will find Playa Dorada. Here the situation is very similar: both are beautiful semi-circular beaches of golden sand, behind which are mostly all-inclusive resorts with swimming pools.
Other areas to sleep in Playa Blanca include the one near Playa Papagayo, at the eastern end of Playa Blanca, where there are exclusively residences, large hotels and terraced flats. This last area is completely dedicated to tourism, you won’t find anything authentic there, but you will have the enormous advantage of being very close to Playa Papagayo, which you can then visit early in the morning or late at night without huge crowds.
To the west of Playa Blanca, on the other hand, is the area of Playa de Montana Roja, where there are numerous residential complexes made up almost exclusively of villas and second homes, many of which are rented out and can also be booked online.
We offer a selection of hotels at Playa Blanca to suit all categories of travellers. The most booked by tourists are the sea-facing hotels, often right on the beach. If you want to play it safe, choose one of the following: they are among the most booked hotels in Playa Blanca, sorted by number of reviews.
If you prefer space, privacy and the ability to prepare your own meals to a hotel holiday, book a holiday home at Playa Blanca. We recommend a few below, but in this case we advise you to book early because houses and apartments for rent at Playa Blanca are in high demand.
Playa Blanca is the southernmost resort on Lanzarote and is perfectly served by the LZ-2 road, which ends right here. Therefore, getting there is a matter of taking the LZ-2, which runs from Arrecife to the airport and Puerto del Carmen, and following it all the way to the end. Distances vary between 40 kilometres from Arrecife to 30 kilometres from Puerto del Carmen, with equivalent travel times of about 40 minutes from Arrecife and about half an hour from Puerto del Carmen.
If, on the other hand, you are coming from the north of the island, allow about an hour’s journey from Orzola, travelling first on the LZ-1 to Arrecife, and then on the LZ-2 to your destination.
In good weather, from Playa Blanca one can easily sight Fuerteventura, located a short distance away. In fact, Playa Blanca is located on one of Lanzarote’s most southerly points and the ferry ride to Corralejo, Furteventura’s northernmost town, is only half an hour. Given the convenient connection between the two islands, a day trip is more than recommended.
If you want to stay in Corralejo, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to the beach. The town has 11 km of coastline behind which are fabulous sand dunes, and is served by a promenade lined with bars and restaurants.
If you have the option of travelling by car, just 20 minutes from Corralejo is one of the most famous beaches in Fuerteventura: El Cotillo. The resort is a small fishing village and still manages to retain its traditional appearance, despite being an increasingly popular destination for tourists. The crystal-clear waters and fine, white sand are a paradise for lovers, but also for surfers who take advantage of the area’s high winds and waves.
What's the weather at Playa Blanca? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Playa Blanca for the next few days.
Playa Blanca is the southernmost resort on Lanzarote, occupying practically the entire southern coast of the island, from the Punta Pechiguera lighthouse to the famous Playa Papagayo. In front of Playa Blanca stands proudly the profile of Fuerteventura, which is just over 10 kilometres away as the crow flies.
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