Best Sandy Beaches in the Canary Islands
We rank the 16 sandy beaches in the Canary Islands. Maspalomas Dunes (Spain) comes first with 4.7 / 5, followed by Playa de Sotavento, Playa de Cofete.
The sea reaches about 23 degrees C in season, and most of these beaches are at their best from June to September. 11 of the 16 have easy access, and 4 are hidden gems.
1Maspalomas Dunes
Maspalomas, Gran Canaria · 4.7 / 5 · Moderate access · about 22 °CA protected field of golden dunes at the southern tip of Gran Canaria, running down to a wide Atlantic beach.
2Playa de Sotavento
Jandia, Fuerteventura · 4.7 / 5 · Moderate access · about 22 °CA very long beach of pale sand on the south of Fuerteventura, with a shallow turquoise lagoon and a sandbar that changes with the tides.
3Playa de Cofete
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain · 4.6 / 5 · Challenging access · about 20 °CA wide, wild beach of golden sand below the Jandia mountains, with strong waves and very few facilities.
4Playa de Papagayo
Playa Blanca, Lanzarote · 4.6 / 5 · Moderate access · about 21 °CA golden cove at the foot of dark volcanic cliffs on the south coast of Lanzarote.
5Costa Calma Beach, Fuerteventura
Costa Calma, Pajara, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 23 °CCosta Calma is a resort on the south of Fuerteventura with a wide beach of golden sand that runs for kilometres along the Sotavento coast.
6El Cotillo Beach
El Cotillo, Fuerteventura · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °CA wide sandy beach near the fishing village of El Cotillo on the north-west coast of Fuerteventura, known for clear turquoise water, steady wind and windsurfers.
7Playa de Amadores, Gran Canaria
Amadores, Mogan, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 24 °CPlaya de Amadores is a curved bay of white sand on the south-west coast of Gran Canaria, protected by breakwaters that keep the water calm and clear.
8Playa de Benijo, Tenerife
Benijo, Anaga, Tenerife · 4.5 / 5 · Challenging access · about 22 °CPlaya de Benijo is a beach of dark sand and rocks below the Anaga mountains on the north-east coast of Tenerife, with sea stacks called the Roques de Anaga rising from the water.
9Playa de Famara
Caleta de Famara, Teguise, Lanzarote · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °CA long, wide sandy beach on the north-west coast of Lanzarote, framed by the dramatic Famara cliffs and popular with surfers and kitesurfers.
10Playa de las Canteras
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °CA long, sheltered city beach in Las Palmas, protected by a natural offshore reef that keeps the water calm for most of the year.
11Playa de las Teresitas
San Andres, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 21 °CA long curved golden beach on the northeast coast of Tenerife, with the Anaga Mountains behind and a breakwater that calms the water.
12Playa de El Medano, Tenerife
El Medano, Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Canary Islands · 4.4 / 5 · Easy access · about 23 °CEl Medano is a seaside town on the south-east coast of Tenerife, with a long beach of golden sand beside the volcanic cone of Montana Roja.
13Playa de Mogan, Gran Canaria
Puerto de Mogan, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands · 4.4 / 5 · Easy access · about 24 °CPlaya de Mogan is a small beach of golden sand beside the harbour of Puerto de Mogan, a village of white houses, flowers and canals on the south-west coast of Gran Canaria.
14Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria
Playa del Ingles, San Bartolome de Tirajana, Gran Canaria · 4.4 / 5 · Easy access · about 24 °CPlaya del Ingles is a wide beach of golden sand on the south coast of Gran Canaria, next to the large dune field of Maspalomas.
15Playa de Los Cristianos, Tenerife
Los Cristianos, Arona, Tenerife, Canary Islands · 4.2 / 5 · Easy access · about 24 °CPlaya de Los Cristianos is a sheltered beach of golden sand in the port town of Los Cristianos on the south coast of Tenerife.
16Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife
Playa de las Americas, Adeje, Tenerife, Canary Islands · 4.1 / 5 · Easy access · about 24 °CPlaya de Las Americas is the biggest resort area on the south coast of Tenerife, with several beaches of dark and golden sand, a long promenade and many hotels, bars and restaurants.
Quick comparison
| # | Beach | Country | Score | Water | Best season | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maspalomas Dunes | Spain | 4.7 | 22 °C | Year-round | Moderate |
| 2 | Playa de Sotavento | Spain | 4.7 | 22 °C | April–October | Moderate |
| 3 | Playa de Cofete | Spain | 4.6 | 20 °C | April–October | Challenging |
| 4 | Playa de Papagayo | Spain | 4.6 | 21 °C | April–October | Moderate |
| 5 | Costa Calma Beach, Fuerteventura | Spain | 4.5 | 23 °C | June–September | Easy |
| 6 | El Cotillo Beach | Spain | 4.5 | 22 °C | April–October | Easy |
| 7 | Playa de Amadores, Gran Canaria | Spain | 4.5 | 24 °C | June–September | Easy |
| 8 | Playa de Benijo, Tenerife | Spain | 4.5 | 22 °C | June–September | Challenging |
| 9 | Playa de Famara | Spain | 4.5 | 22 °C | April–October | Easy |
| 10 | Playa de las Canteras | Spain | 4.5 | 22 °C | Year-round | Easy |
| 11 | Playa de las Teresitas | Spain | 4.5 | 21 °C | Year-round | Easy |
| 12 | Playa de El Medano, Tenerife | Spain | 4.4 | 23 °C | June–September | Easy |
| 13 | Playa de Mogan, Gran Canaria | Spain | 4.4 | 24 °C | June–September | Easy |
| 14 | Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria | Spain | 4.4 | 24 °C | June–September | Easy |
| 15 | Playa de Los Cristianos, Tenerife | Spain | 4.2 | 24 °C | June–September | Easy |
| 16 | Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife | Spain | 4.1 | 24 °C | June–September | Easy |
How we picked these beaches
Included when the shoreline is mostly of this type, then ranked by our editorial score. See how we rate beaches for the full method.
Frequently asked questions
Which are the top-rated sandy beaches in the Canary Islands?
Our top three are Maspalomas Dunes (4.7 out of 5), Playa de Sotavento (4.7 out of 5), Playa de Cofete (4.6 out of 5). Scores are editorial ratings from the EuroShores team.
When is the best time to visit these beaches?
Most are at their best from June to September. Water temperatures average about 23 degrees C in season. Each beach page lists its exact season.
Which of these beaches are easiest to reach?
Costa Calma Beach, Fuerteventura, El Cotillo Beach, Playa de Amadores, Gran Canaria, Playa de Famara, Playa de las Canteras and 6 more have easy access. The others need a walk, stairs or a rougher road, so check the access note on each page.