Lanzarote - Canaries

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In November 2003 the following question was asked on the uk.rec.naturist news group, "We are going to Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote, in February and would appreciate any information on Naturist beaches on the island. We'll have young children with us, so accessibility is important".

Tristan White posted this reply .

OK, first I recommend you download and print the following PDF file: http://www.freedom4sale.com/lanzarote/local_info/lanzarote-map.pdf

And, for quick reference, while you read this this nice and easy small map of Lanzarote:

can be download from here http://www.freedom4sale.com/lanzarote/local_info/lanz_map.jpg

OK now onto the nitty-gritty. As far as I know, Puerto del Carmen itself has no naturist beaches. To be honest, the place is a dive, living up to the "Lanzagrotty" name us Brits like to call it. I was there two years ago, and the place is full of rowdy English and Germans. It is next to impossible to find ANY vestige of indigenous Canarian culture in this town. Get the hell out of there.

As for naturism, there is plenty to choose from, but not in Puerto del Carmen.

There are eight main naturist beaches: two in Arrecife (Tias), your nearest if you are already committed to staying in Puerto del Carmen; four in Playa Blanca, at the south of the island and not the easiest of places to reach from Puerto del Carmen but the best choice, and one in Famara near the Costa Teguise, and one on Yaiza beach.

On all these beaches, naturism is tolerated (i.e. there will be a large percentage of naturists but not 100%), whilst Caleta del Congrio it is the norm... unlikely to find any people in suits at all (but this one has hardly any facilities).

If I were you, cancel your apartment in the horrendous dive that is Puerto del Carmen and get your arse over to the Playa Blanca.

Playa Guasimeta - Arrefice - Tías
Playa Matagorda - Arrefice - Tías
Playa Puerto Muelas - Playa Blanca
Playa Caleta del Congrio - Playa Blanca
Playa Las Mujeres - Playa Blanca
Playa Afre (Las Coloradas) - Playa Blanca
Playa Janubio - Yaiza
Playa Famara - Famara - Teguise

OK, now you know where they are, briefly this is what can be said about them:

* Playa Guasimeta - Arrefice - Tías is a very clean beach, although damn close to the airport (runway runs pretty much beside it). Never gets too packed, has restaurants, and far from civilization. Take the GC-720 road from Tias to Arrecife, take the sharp turn-off where you see a signpost for Playa Honda, and about half a mile down the road you come to a car-parking area for Playa Guasimeta. A short walk takes you to the sea!

* Playa Matagorda - Arrefice - Tías is very similar, clean, but a lot more packed with people and a lot of surrounding villas and urbanisations. More going on here, and the easiest to get to from Puerto del Carmen as you will pass by it on the coach from the Airport going to the Puerto del Carmen. The rep will no doubt point it out. And in fact, you'll find this is where most of the reps hang out themselves. Loads of tourists, especially fat Germans.

* Playa Puerto Muelas - Playa Blanca is OK, this is very small and very pretty, surrounded by cliffs. However, there's nothing here, no restaurants, shops, nothing. In spite of this, it gets fairly packed out. Take the LZ-2 road towards Yaiza, and before you get to Playa Blanca per se, you follow a sign leading from the roundabout that says "Playa Papagayo". This tarmac road soon turns into a dirt-track and then you're at the beach (you can pretty much park on the actual beach so there's minimal walking involved).

* Playa Caleta del Congrio - Playa Blanca is another small beach that gets packed out, and which has no facilities whatsoever, not even a restaurant to my knowledge. Surrounded by hills and mountains but before you get too excited, you'll be lucky to find a single blade of grass there. Follow the same directions to Papagayo as Puerto Muelas above.

* Playa Las Mujeres - Playa Blanca is exactly the same as Playa Caleta del Congrio above. No facilities, gets packed, same vegetation, same surroundings, same directions.

* Playa Afre (Las Coloradas) - Playa Blanca is the nearest nudist beach to Playa Blanca town, therefore it gets busy like the other Playa Blanca resorts, but unfortunately there are no facilities again. The other thing about this beach is the sand. It's very dark (volcanic) and gritty. Kids won't like playing in it. And you'll be trying to scratch the sand out for days. Yuck! However, it's a piece of piss to get to from Playa Blanca and not expensive by cab from the town centre. From Yaiza to Playa Blanca on the LZ-2, take a turn left towards Playa Afre just before you hit Playa Blanca. After a couple of miles (if that) you're there, and you can park fairly close by although not as closely as some of the other Playa Blanca resorts.

* Playa Janubio - Yaiza is boring, dirty volcanic sand and gravelly. Water can be rough and because of it's west-side location it has a tendency to get pretty rough. However, you'll probably be one of the only people on the beach, so if this is what you want then you're laughing. However, it's clearly the worst one for kids, and you won't feel confident with them in the water if it's rough. To get there, it's the LZ-2 again towards Yaiza, but turn off to the left towards Salinas and El Golfo. After a mile you get to a parking area just off the beach. No bars or restaurants.

* Playa Famara - Famara - Teguise is huge, the sand is golden (although a little gravelly in parts), but the wind is high and the sea can be the roughest on the island. The best bit is the sand-dunes. And the beach itself is well kept and clean. A good place to go to after spending some time in Teguise market (in Teguise town inland, Sunday mornings) which is absolutely brilliant BUT REMEMBER TO HAGGLE. If you are buying booze or fags, you will get amazing prices in shops in Teguise (the island is tax-free but that doesn't stop shops on the coast charging extra). I bought a carton of Marlboro in Teguise in a tobacconist for about 9 UKP sterling. Booze is next to nothing. To get to the naturist beach from Arrecife, stay on the LZ-20 towards San Bartolomé, take the LZ-30 to Teguise, just before hitting the town (assuming you're not going to the Sunday morning market) take a left on the LZ-40 to Famara and you're soon there.

I hope this has helped you! If I were you, change your accommodation arrangements with Puerto del Carmen UNLESS you are staying in a really posh place like the 5 star Hotel Los Fariones. Otherwise, the sound of vomit hitting the pavement, of Leeds fans scrapping with Man United fans outside Lineker's Sports Bar, may keep you from sleeping.

If you are staying in Playa Blanca, the four-star Hotel Playa Dorada at Playa Blanca appears to come recommended.

happy to help...

TRISTÁN WHITE

If you have any comments about this report or wish to add further information please email them to:
neffupdate @ ada-augusta . demon . co . uk

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