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Papagayo

Papagayo is the area at the extreme southeastern end of Lanzarote.
The beaches are sheltered from the wind by an immense lava flow that
you can think of as a hand with the fingers curled underneath.
Inbetween the knuckles are the beaches.

Clothing is optional, sunscreen is mandatory, and bring your own
food and water too, as there is only one little kiosk out there and it's
not really near anything. The water is refreshingly cool, clear, and
Atlantic blue.

One day we took a glass-bottomed boat ride from Playa Blanca to Papagayo
during which I took all the offshore shots you'll find on these pages.
That boat travels back and forth between Playa Blanca (old harbor) and
Papagayo several times a day. You have the option of being dropped off
on one of the several beaches, then picked up later, or of just
staying on the boat, like we did.

On another day, we walked from our hotel to the first beach in Papagayo.
Walked? No, hiked. It was a typical July Lanzarote day, about 90 degrees
in the shade, wind howling at about 50mph and gusting higher, and
brilliantly sunny. That end of the island is a desert bordered by
high, ancient volcanoes to the north, and the Atlantic ocean to the
south. Dress accordingly.

Once you reach the beaches, you will be rewarded with white, fine sand,
crystalline cool water, and a natural shelter from the wind. We have
been all over Lanzarote and I must say that the best beaches on the
island are Papagayo's.