The Best Things to do in Playa Blanca

Playa Blanca may be the most relaxed of Lanzarote’s big resorts, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. Far from it. Between the beaches, the boat trips, the watersports, the marina and the day trips to the island’s volcanic wonders and beyond, you could fill a fortnight here without ever running out of things to keep you busy, or happily do very little at all. Its position on the sunny southern tip makes it a brilliant base, with the calm waters right on your doorstep and the rest of the island within easy reach. Here’s our rundown of the best things to do in and around Playa Blanca.

Hit the stunning Playa Blanca Beaches

The obvious place to start. Playa Blanca has a lovely spread of beaches, all with soft golden sand and calm, clear water sheltered from the northern winds.

The three main ones sit within an easy walk of the centre: the small, central town beach, the family favourite Playa Dorada with its breakwater-calmed water and the Papagayo shopping centre behind, and the sheltered Playa Flamingo to the west, a quiet, breakwater-protected cove that’s especially lovely at sunset with Fuerteventura on the horizon. Each has its own character, and all are safe and easy for families. It’s worth trying a different one each day.

Make The Trip to Papagayo

Just to the east of the resort, within the protected Los Ajaches natural park, lie the Papagayo beaches, a string of golden-sand coves with crystal-clear turquoise water that are widely rated the finest beaches on the island, and among the best in the Canaries.

They’re a must-see. You can drive out along the unpaved track (there’s a small entry fee per car and a large car park), or reach them by boat or water taxi from the resort, which saves the bumpy road and adds a lovely little sea trip to the day.

The coves are more rugged and natural than the resort beaches, with limited facilities, so take water and supplies, but the setting is unforgettable and the snorkelling in the clear water is superb.

Get out on the water

With such calm, clear seas, Playa Blanca is made for getting out on the water, and the boat trips are one of the highlights of a holiday here. Catamaran and sailing cruises head along the stunning southern coast to Papagayo, typically anchoring in the sheltered coves for swimming and snorkelling, with lunch, drinks and sometimes kayaking or paddleboards thrown in, a genuinely lovely way to spend half a day or more.

There are relaxed family sailings, livelier trips with an open bar, and quieter adults-only options, so there’s something to suit every group. Fishing trips run from the marina too, and for a real treat, the famous submarine safari, which dives beneath the waves to explore the marine life, departs from nearby Puerto Calero with pick-ups available from Playa Blanca.

Try the watersports

If you’d rather be hands-on, Playa Dorada is the main hub for watersports in the resort, where you can hire jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards and pedalos, or take a jet ski tour along the coast.

Kayak and snorkelling trips out towards Papagayo are a popular and active way to explore the coves at your own pace, gliding along beneath the golden cliffs. For something higher, parasailing lifts you up over the sea for those views across to Fuerteventura, and there’s sailing and windsurfing tuition, including sessions for children, available at the sailing centre based at Marina Rubicón. The calm southern water makes this a great place to try a watersport for the first time.

Spend time at Marina Rubicón

Even if you’re not eating or shopping, Marina Rubicón is a lovely place to while away a few hours. The smart marina at the eastern end of the resort is a pleasure to stroll around, with its yachts, waterfront restaurants, bars, boutiques and art galleries, and it’s the departure point for many of the boat trips.

Twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, the marina hosts a popular market, with stalls of crafts, jewellery, leather goods, local food and more in a relaxed, upmarket setting, a nice way to spend a morning with a coffee in hand. It’s the resort’s social hub, and especially pleasant in the evening.

Cool off at Aqualava water park

For a guaranteed family day out, Playa Blanca has its own water park, Aqualava, right here in the resort. It’s the newest on the island and home to Lanzarote’s only wave pool, along with a lazy river, five slides and a dedicated splash area for little ones, and because its pools are geothermally heated it’s the one island water park open all year round. It’s compact, modern and well suited to families with children of all ages, and a brilliant fallback for a windy day or when everyone fancies a change from the beach.

Take the ferry to Fuerteventura

One of the best day trips from Playa Blanca doesn’t involve Lanzarote at all. The ferry port sits right in the centre of the resort, and from here it’s a crossing of just 25 to 35 minutes to Corralejo on the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.

Once there you can explore the town, the enormous sand dunes of the Corralejo natural park, the famous Popcorn Beach and, with a hire car, the pretty fishing village of El Cotillo further afield. You can go independently with a simple Lanzarote to Fuerteventura Ferry return ticket or book an organised day trip with a guide and transfers. Just remember to take your passport, as you’ll need photo ID to board.

Explore the volcanic south and beyond

Playa Blanca makes an ideal base for exploring Lanzarote’s extraordinary volcanic landscapes, with some of the island’s greatest sights right on this side of the island. Timanfaya National Park, the unmissable fire mountains, is within easy reach, as are the boiling lava cliffs of Los Hervideros, the green lagoon at El Golfo, the Janubio salt flats and the ash-hollow vineyards of La Geria.

You can drive yourself, or take one of the organised coach tours that pick up from Playa Blanca and handle the entry and logistics, including the popular Timanfaya and south Lanzarote tours that take in the Fire Mountains, El Golfo and Los Hervideros in one go. It’s the easiest way to see the headline sights without the hassle of booking timed tickets and queuing.

Sail across to La Graciosa

For something completely different, consider a day trip to La Graciosa, the tiny, car-free eighth Canary Island off Lanzarote’s northern tip. It’s a fair drive north to the ferry port at Órzola, so it makes for a full day out, but many organised trips include coach transfers from Playa Blanca along with the catamaran cruise or ferry. With no paved roads and some of the most beautiful unspoilt beaches in the Canaries, it’s a wonderful escape, whether you cycle the sandy tracks, swim in the turquoise water or simply enjoy the slow, timeless pace.

A word on quad and buggy tours

You’ll see Lanzarote Buggy Tours advertised around the resort, often heading towards the Papagayo area and the south coast. They’re a fun way to see the landscape, but it’s worth being aware that the rules around off-road tours on the island’s protected and rural land have been tightened, with off-road driving on much of that terrain restricted. On-road tarmac tours remain fine.

If you’re keen on a buggy or quad trip, check exactly where the tour goes and that the operator is running a legal, road-based route within the rules, rather than heading off-road across protected ground.

Slow Down and Enjoy the Playa Blanca Promenade

Not everything has to be an activity. One of the real pleasures of Playa Blanca is its long seafront promenade, which runs for several kilometres along the coast, from the Pechiguera lighthouse in the west, through the town, all the way to Marina Rubicón in the east.

It’s flat, easy and lovely to walk, linking the beaches, bars and restaurants as it goes, and it’s especially pleasant in the early evening for a stroll before dinner, with the sea on one side and the sunset over the water. Sometimes the best thing to do in Playa Blanca is simply to slow right down, wander without a plan, and soak up the relaxed southern pace.

Playa Blanca is Great for Children

Playa Blanca is a superb family resort, and there’s plenty to keep children happy. The calm, safe beaches are ideal for young ones, Aqualava water park is a guaranteed hit, the catamaran trips to Papagayo are a family favourite, and children love the underwater windows on the submarine safari.

Add the gentle watersports at Playa Dorada, the easy promenade for scooters and strolls, and the novelty of the ferry to another island, and you’ve got a resort that keeps all ages entertained without ever feeling hectic.

Making the most of Playa Blanca

Whether you want action or relaxation, Playa Blanca delivers. You can pack your days with boat trips, watersports, water parks and island adventures, or simply drift between the beach, the promenade and a long lunch by the marina. T

hat easy mix of things to do and space to do nothing is exactly what makes it such a well-loved resort. Take your pick from the ideas above, and build the kind of holiday that suits you.