After 24 years of living here, we’d like to think we’re experts when it comes to visiting the beach. Here are some of our beach tips for a better experience.
Apply Sun Cream at the car
Sun cream or oils do not mix well with sand. We’ve learned to buy high quality, (expensive!) creams, which are high factor and water proof. We always apply them at the car before heading to the beach. The ones we buy are good for half a day, but if we’re spending longer at the beach, we’ll have a swim, air dry, and then go back to the car to reapply.
You need a hat
There’s not much else to say on the subject – you need one. You can’t really protect your head from the sun, and it’s the one part of your body that is always in it, even when you’re in the ocean. Of all our beach tips, this is probably the most important.
The sand here is sticky!
I think it’s because it’s so fine, but the sand here is a bit of a nightmare – it sticks to your feet, it gets into the pores of lycra style swimsuits and it clings mercilessly to towels.
A good start is to ditch the towels and get yourself those roll-up straw mats to lie on. When you come out after a swim, don’t bother to towel down, just air dry for a few minutes before getting back onto your mat.
On every trip, take a five litre water container filled with tap water and leave it in the car, with a towel. That way, you can wash the sand off with nice warm water before jumping into the car, and you won’t have to queue at the foot showers on the beach.
Swimming costumes are a problem. For the guys, you can go for short style trunks, which aren’t made from stretchy lycra, but it’s harder for the ladies. We’ve found the more shiny styles have a closer mesh, so the sand doesn’t stick so badly. But basically, Lanzarote sand is a nightmare for cossies, so use cheap ones for the beach and expect to change them every few months.
The sand is hot!
You can really burn your feet on the sand here, so flip flops are the order of the day on the beach. It’s perfectly normal to walk down to the ocean in them and leave them at the water’s edge – nobody will steal them. But make sure they are far enough back from the water, so they aren’t caught by a wave and float off.
Look out for rocks
The coastline here is quite rocky, and the ones close to shore are volcanic and can be sharp. But you’ll find at almost every rocky beach, a clear “pathway” into the water. If you’re new to a particular beach, sit on the sand and observe, and you’ll see where others are entering the water. Chances are, it’s a clear path.
And talking of rocks, it can be fascinating wandering among the rocks at the side of the beach, looking at rock pools and so on. But bear in mind, they can be very slippery, and unforgiving if you slip and fall.
Nasty Stuff
We’re really lucky here in Lanzarote. Generally speaking, the sea life is benign. But we occasionally have jellyfish, depending on the currents, so keep an eye out for them. In over twenty years of swimming here, I’ve only ever been stung by a jellyfish once.
Sea Urchins aren’t a problem, unless you’re diving down while snorkelling, as they tend to be at least 5 metres down. Sharks and rays almost never come close in to shore – in all my years here, I’ve only ever seen an Angel Shark anywhere near a beach, and they are very gentle creatures.
Just stay alert and wear a mask or goggles so you can see what’s around you.
Hydration
Dehydration is a real issue on beaches here. The trouble is, you don’t really want to be lugging large water bottles with you. We always take two bike style bottles each, fill them with water, and keep them in the freezer. We just take them out as we’re heading out of the door, and by the time we’re thirsty, they’re defrosted, but still cool.
Eating
We learned years ago not to try eating on the beach. Because of the wind, anything you try to eat ends up being full of sand! Much better to wait until you’re ready to move off, and head to the closest bar for a tapa and a cold one.
So those are out beach tips for Lanzarote for you!
Here’s our big list of Lanzarote Beaches.
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