If you are a beach lover, water-sports enthusiast and appreciator of natural beauty; along with enjoying evidence of long-held tradition, culture and histor,y then a holiday in Lanzarote is likely to be for you.
As one of the best places in Europe for water-sports, Lanzarote is a hot spot for surfers, kayakers, divers and water-babies in general – especially for those who want to escape the chillier water sport resorts of chillier climates.
Find out why a holiday in Lanzarote is a sea-lover’s dream:
Why Lanzarote?
One of the seven Canary Islands, Lanzarote is considered to be among Europe’s top water sport destinations. In fact, Famara Beach -one of the most popular beaches on the island, was voted the best beach in Europe for water sports by The Sunday Times. The stunning volcanic island is a World Biosphere Reserve and one that holds as much beauty onshore as it does offshore.
Lanzarote is the oldest of the Canary Islands and has long been home to some 200 volcanoes. It is a designated nature reserve which means it has restrictions on high-rise buildings unlike other popular tourist destinations.
Over the years, this charming Canary Island has grown to be a haven for lovers of water-based activities with three main locations dominating the tourist industry:
Playa Blanca in the South, Puerto del Carmen on the East Coast and Costa Teguise in the North-East. Aside from the gorgeous climate and stunning beaches that make for nice, relaxing swimming spots, the waters of the Atlantic Ocean which surround Lanzarote make it an ideal place for more extreme water sports from scuba diving to kite surfing. Personally, this is where I developed a love for the ocean when I learnt how to scuba dive in Lanzarote while on holidays as a young teenager.
The average temperature of the waters around Lanzarote rarely fall below 19 degrees meaning it is possible to enjoy water sports pretty much all year round, even in January. The Trade Winds that occur between June and September make summer a great time for serious water-sport enthusiasts. These winds are strongest in the North Coast during the summer afternoons making beaches here ideal for surfing, kite surfing and body boarding.
The South Coast enjoys calmer sea conditions making this part of the island better for more chilled-out water activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, swimming and fishing. Whale watching and dolphin watching are also popular on the South Coast.
Windsurfing:
One of the biggest water sports on the island is windsurfing and Lanzarote has so many fantastic resorts to practice the sport that it has become world famous with windsurfing champions. Some of the best windsurfing schools are located along the beaches at Las Cucharas, La Santa, Tías, Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise.
As far as surfing is concerned, Lanzarote is ranked up there with the best and is often referred to as the “Hawaii of Europe”. The Northern and North-East shores provide some of the best surf in Europe. The waves that break over the volcanic reef along the beaches near Jameos del Agua provide some of the most challenging surfs and should only be attempted by highly confident surfers.
Other great areas for surfing and kite surfing holidays include the northern areas of Orzola, Mírador del Rio, La Santa, Caleta de Caballo and Caleta de Famara; as well as Punta del Papagayo in the South and La Francesa and Montaña Amarilla along the the islet of La Graciosa.
Scuba Diving:
Scuba diving is a must when visiting Lanzarote due to the wealth of marine life that lives within the crystalline waters of the island’s sub-aquatic volcanic world. Aside all manner of Rays, Giant Tuna, Barracuda, Angel Sharks and some other 500 species of fish, there are also a number of caves and ship wrecks to be seen in Lanzarote’s waters.
The best ship wrecks lie scattered within the marine park off the harbour of Puerto del Carmen. There are dive centres all over the island offering courses in scuba diving and snorkelling for beginners to advanced divers, as well as exciting night dives, cave diving and ship wreck dives.
Chilled Activities:
Aside from these more active forms of water-based activity, Lanzarote also hosts a number of more passive forms of water enjoyment. These include submarine safaris, hired yacht and catamaran trips, jet skiing, speed boating and parascending. There are also pedal boats, banana boats and sea kayaks to rent in almost every popular resort on the island.
So if you fancy a sun holiday that offers a little bit more than just lolling around on the beach – Lanzarote is the place to go, whether you wish to learn a new skill, admire the underwater activity from a boat or submarine, or give yourself a challenge on the scale of Hawaiian waters.
