Playa Blanca is a resort located in the very south of Lanzarote, separated from other civilization by a wide swath of desert landscape.
Don't be fooled though, Playa Blanca is a modern resort offering all the amenities, with a motorway leading to it, and is therefore easily accessible.
Compared to the bustling Puerto del Carmen, it offers tranquillity and, unlike the luxurious Costa Teguise, more moderate accommodation prices and, thanks to the desert and volcanic landscape, a touch of the exotic.
The cheapest beachfront hotels
The town centre, with its many restaurants and shops, stretches along the old fishing port and also around the main Blanca beach. The fact that most bars and restaurants close between 10pm and 11pm at the latest makes Playa Blanca an ideal destination for a quiet holiday with children.
Beaches and swimming
The resort is sure to satisfy all kinds of travelers. On the jagged southern coastline, you'll swim at both fully-serviced city beaches and secluded beaches in exotic desert settings. So where to go swimming?
Playa Dorada
The city's main beach in the bay between the centre and the harbour, with man-made bunds that completely protect the beach from any waves.
The entrance to the water is very gradual and safe, the beach is covered with fine golden sand, and there are complete facilities in the form of water sports, sunbed rentals, showers, toilets and restaurants, including a Burger King fast-food restaurant.
Playa Dorada is ideal for families with children and holiday lovers, the downside is its frequent overcrowding.
Playa Flamingo
Very similar to Dorada, this beach in an artificial bay with stone boulders and fine white sand creates an ideal environment of shallow calm sea for families with children.
Although it's smaller than Playa Dorada, it's not as crowded, yet you'll find full facilities and a promenade with restaurants and shops.
Playa Mujeres
This exotic orphaned beach, located about 2.5 km along a footpath from the port, will delight you with its purely natural atmosphere with bare rocks and sand dunes.
There is no hiking equipment here, so take snacks with you. The beach is covered in fine white sand, the entrance to the water is steeper and the waves are bigger, making Playa Mujeres ideal for swimmers and bodysurfers.
Further south you'll find one of Lanzarote's most popular beaches , Playa del Papagayo.
Montaña Roja Volcano
Right in town, spice up your afternoon with a hike up a low volcanic caldera called Red Mountain - Montaña Roja, mainly because of its reddish rock.
This volcanic crater rises just 194 metres above the sea, so the hike is not difficult and the views of the resort and ocean from above are well worth it.
The marked trail from the main street is 1.2 km one way (see map) and the climb up will take about 30 minutes.
Charcones Natural Pools
Another popular destination for short hikes from Playa Blanca are the natural pools created by the island's wildly jagged volcanic west coast and rough ocean. The small pools filled with seawater are mesmerizing to look at, but it's not recommended to swim in them because of the erratic waves that could sweep you out to sea.
The pools can only be reached by car, the nicest one is near the ruins of the former Charcones Hotel about 8km east of Playa Blanca. By car, you'll reach a small car park (see map), from where you'll have to walk about 2km in one direction on flat ground (see map).
Accommodation
However, Playa Blanca also attracts individual travellers, especially with its wide range of apartments and smaller holiday villas. Even so, Playa Blanca is one of the most expensive towns in Lanzarote. During high season you will rarely find prices below 73 eur per night.
The cheapest apartment tends to be consistently Caybeach Sun in a quiet location about 400 metres from the beach.
Classic hotels sell rooms from 92 eur per night.
Among the cheapest are SBH Hotel Royal Mónica.
We would also recommend a more luxurious 5* hotel H10 Rubicón Palace with prices from 110 eur, which is very good value for this category.
How to get there
The town may be in a remote area, but the LZ-2 motorway runs right up to here. From the airport, it's about 40 km, which is about a 45-minute drive.
Free parking is available anywhere on the streets, but due to the lack of large car parks, you should be prepared to spend longer looking for a free space.
There are also buses to Playa Blanca from the following locations (click on the line number for the timetable):
The price to the airport is 3,30 eur.
You can also use the inner-city line 30, which runs across the rather sprawling resort, making it easy to get from beach to beach or to accommodation.
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in Lanzarote.
