Papagayo Beaches - A MUST SEE in Lanzarote

Playa de Papagayo

If you're looking for the most beautiful beaches in Lanzarote, then you needn't look further than Playas de Papagayo.

How to get to Playa Papagayo from Playa Blanca

Situated inside Los Ajaches Natural Park, Papagayo beaches are located in the south of Lanzarote, very close to Playa Blanca - around 10 km.

From Playa Blanca you have to head east on to Calle de Papagayo and at the roundabout, take the second exit onto Avenida de Papagayo.

It is very easy to reach the beaches and there will be street signs.

You can also walk from Playa Blanca, depending on where you are staying, but in this case you should make the trip early in the morning, before the heat gets too  unbearable.

You could also rent a bike to make the trip, or take a boat excursion from Marina Rubicon than will take you straight to Papagayo Beach.

Entry fee for Los Ajaches Natural Park /  Papagayo Beaches

Since the Papagayo beaches are located inside a protected natural space there is a fee of 3 Euros/day to enter by car.

You will enter the park by a dirt road that is in pretty good condition and is accessible for any type of cars (even small cars).

Playas de Papagayo - A collection of 5 amazing beaches in Lanzarote

Although most people talk about Playa Papagayo, once you enter the park there is not just one beach to go to, but 5 beaches, spread over a relatively large area, so that you can find a secluded corner just for you if that's what you want.

Good to know - bring water and something to eat / snack if you plan to spend an entire day here, since there is only one small restaurant and the prices are above average (understandable due to the location). There are no shops, so you need to bring with you anything you may want to consume.

Playa Mujeres

Playa Mujeres

Once you pay the fee and enter the park the first beach that you will encounter will be Playa Mujeres.

There's plenty of room to leave the car right close to the beach, so you don't need to go far if you don't like driving on dirt road.

This beach is extensive but there is no natural shade, so you should bring an umbrella if you don't want to stay in the sun all day long.

Also, since this beach is very open, often times the wind brings up the sand, so it might feel unpleasant the mix of sand and wind.

However, the beach is beautiful and the water is turquoise and ideal for swimming.

Playa de la Cera, Lanzarote

Playa de la Cera

Playa de la Cera is the one situated right next to the famous Papagayo beach.

Once you get to the parking and see the restaurant in front, if you go left you go to Papagayo beach and if you go right, you will be at Playa de la Cera.

There is a dirt path that goes down to the beach from the car park and you can even find some spots in the shade, next to the giant rocks that shelter this beach.

In the summer this beach is pretty popular, which is not a surprise given how pretty it looks.

When the tide is low you can pass from one beach to another if you climb on the rocks that separate them, but you need to be really careful.

Again, the water at Playa Cera is a beautiful turquoise and ideal for swimming and there are lots of families with children that come to the beach.

See also our recommendations for the most beautiful beaches in Lanzarote

Papagayo beach as seen from above, next to the restaurant

Playa Papagayo - the most famous beach in Lanzarote

Once upon a time, this beach was a well kept secret and not many tourists arrived on its shores.

Nowadays, Papagayo beach is the most advertised beach in Lanzarote and there are many boat trips that bring tourists here.

The beach is beautiful, there's no arguing that, but be prepare for large crowds, especially during the summer weekends.

If you think that Papagayo beach is too crowded for your taste it's a good thing that there are still so many other beautiful beaches surrounding it, so you can switch places easily.

Personally, I prefer Playa de la Cera to Playa Papagayo, but since they are one next to the other, it's not much difference in crowd size during the summer days.

Caleta del Cangrio and Puerto Muelas

The next two beaches inside the Ajaches Natural Park are Caleta del Cangrio and Puerto Muelas.

You will see a sign to the left that point towards the direction where these two beaches are located.

Caleta del Cangrio and Puerto Muelas are less popular compared to Playa Mujeres, Playa Papagayo and Playa de la Cera, so if you're looking for a more hidden beach in Lanzarote, you might try your luck there.

Is the trip to Papagayo Beaches worth it?


There's no doubt, these beaches are simply beautiful and you should definitely pay them a visit while in Lanzarote.

However, we must say that access is difficult, if not impossible, for people with walking disabilities, since there is only a dirt road and dirt paths that lead to the beaches. 

For families with children, these beaches offer plenty of space to explore and run around, so they would be great for older kids. However, remember that on most of these beaches there is no room to hide from the sun, so a parasol or a beach tent would be great to have with you.

Neither Playa Mujeres or the Playas de Papagayo are supervised by lifeguards, so you need to be careful when going into the water.

If you can, search online for the tide levels before heading to the beach and if possible, go when the tide is low.

This way you will be able to make the most of the trip, as it's easier to get around the beach when the tide is low.

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