| Playa Blanca : Family Holiday Resort |
 |
 |
Playa Blanca - from a small Fishing Village to a popular Tourist Centre and Holiday Resort in the South of Lanzarote
  Lanzarote is beautiful island and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Canary Islands, a group of islands located off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. The island`s newest and increasingly the most popular area of the island is Playa Blanca which is a stunning beach area and the southernmost point of the Spanish island of Lanzarote. It contains a variety of beaches, from Playa Flamingo to the west, Playa Dorada in the centre and Papagayo in the east, all of which are unblemished white beaches with fantastic outlooks over the sea and great facilities and amenities. (Lanzarote map with Playa Blanca location look here) "Playa Flamingo" beach in the western part of Playa Blanca The nicest and largst beach is the Playa Dorada, or Golden Beach of Playa Blanca. lt is near the centre of the village, very clean and being partly man-made therefore well protected and safe. The area provides lots of possibilities as jet ski, banana boat, pedal boat etc. Snack bar and refreshing bars are available as well as toilets.  "Playa Dorada" - large sandy family beach with lots of posibilities....
  There is also another small sandy beach in the middle of the village center of Playa Blanca - the village beach - located central and surrounded by many restaurants and bars and shops. With the African heat and rainless skies, sea views, historical sites and beautiful beaches it is unsurprising that so many tourists flock to Lanzarote, and in particular Playa Blanca every year.  Small village beach in Playa Blanca next to the promenade Playa Blanca was originally a fishing area with marinas and docks suited to the task of mass fishing and exportation. However as it was also home to a bustling port and ferries to the Fuerteventura, another Canary Island, Lanzarote officials realised that it had the potential for property development and complete refurbishment.
Since 1995 the area has been vastly developed and improved and thus has become an epicentre of tourism, although unlike some other Lanzarote resorts it has retained much of its Spanish charm and seafood cuisine and is a lot quieter than other areas. There has always been a wealth of investment placed into the local communities and area infrastructure instead of just tourist attractions and accommodation. There is also talk of further expansion and improvement including a fantastic golf resort, additional plush vegetation and more communal parks and areas.  Playa Blanca harbour with the ARMAS ferry to Fuerteventura  Also the Ferry FRED.OLSEN EXPRESS connects Lanzarote with Fuerteventura The Sport Marina Rubicon is an example of a past plan for expansion that became a success. The marina lies between Papagayo beach and the main Playa Blanca resort and is stunning, with lots of luxurious yachts and restaurants lining the coastline.
The Playa Blanca resort itself is also generally fairly upmarket, with well maintained beaches and a host of things to do. Visitors to this area can enjoy water sports, designer shops, quaint street markets, clubbing and dining at one of the many fine restaurants. Many of the restaurants are seafood based and offer hybrids of Spanish traditional fayre with an African influence. However, due to the many British, Scandinavian, German and Canadian visitors, there are also many international restaurants catering to the many nationalities cuisines. In the Marina Rubicon there are many up and coming restaurants, or you could enjoy sitting in one of the local cafes there overlooking the harbour.  Sport Marina Rubicon Playa Blanca, Papagayo Beaches in the background
And finally there are the famous "Playas de Papagayo":
The beautiful natural beaches of Papagayo are famous and can be reached on foot, about 15 minutes along a coastal track (walking shoes, sun protection and portable water are very important to take with you). You park your hired car next to the hotel Papagayo Arena at the border of the Natural Park Los Ajaches and walk from there over a dusty little hill to the first long beach - this longest beach of the Playas de Papagayo is the Playa Mujeres with its nearly 400 metres length. |
By car: The Papagayo Beaches can also be reached by mountain bike or by car along an unmade-up 5 km long dust road - a toll road with charge per car per day. There are several parking areas on the road along the beaches where it is easy to carry things like sun umbrella, buggy as well as food and drinks with you by car to the beach. 
