English Beach (Playa del Inglés)

The basics

Most visitors to Playa del Inglés stay at a beachside resort or visit for the day from Las Palmas. The beach stretches from the towering resorts on the northern end to the Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve in the south. Near the resorts, you’ll find family-friendly services like umbrella rentals, restrooms, showers, and snack carts. As you head south toward the lighthouse, the beach can get a bit wilder with nude sunbathing areas, beach bars, and surf spots.

Things to know before you go

• Playa del Inglés is Gran Canaria’s largest and most popular beach.
• Nudity is legal on all Gran Canaria beaches, but usually contained to specific nudist areas.
• The Paseo Costa Canaria promenade is wheelchair accessible and offers fantastic panoramas of the beach.

How to get there

Playa del Inglés is located on Gran Canaria’s southern coast, about a 45-minute drive from Las Palmas. By car, take the GC-1 southeast along the coast and follow the signs to Playa del Inglés; pay parking is available near the beach. Bus service to the beach is also available from Las Palmas and Maspalomas.

When to get there

The Canary Islands, with mild temperatures year-round, are an all-season destination. Summer and winter are the busiest times, so visit between March and May or September to November to avoid the large crowds of tourists and save money on accommodations and tours.

The Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve

The massive Maspalomas sand dunes, which begin at the southern end of Playa del Inglés, are a protected nature reserve and can only be explored on foot or by camel ride safari. To learn more about the dunes, visit the information center and viewpoint at the Hotel Riu Palace in northeast Maspalomas.