Maspalomas, Gran Canaria is one of the most visited resorts on the island. It is known for its picturesque dunes and a large number of green areas. There are almost no historical attractions here, so you should go here for those who love a beach holiday.
General information
Maspalomas is one of the largest resorts in the Canary Islands, which is known for its 12 km long beach and the absence of Russian-speaking tourists. This place is popular – more than two million travelers from Scandinavia and Western Europe stay in hotels and sanatoriums of the town every year.
Maspalomas Resort is located in the southern part of Gran Canaria, 27 km from the largest city of San Bartolome. The population is 33,000. The name of the resort comes from the name of the person who first settled on the island. His name was Rodrigo Mas de Palomara.
Maspalomas does not have a rich past, so history lovers will be bored here. This resort is more suitable for those who want to lie on the ocean and enjoy natural attractions – the best conditions for a holiday in Spain can not be found.
Attractions and entertainment
Golden Dunes
The Golden Dunes are the hallmark and most important natural attraction of the island of Gran Canaria. This is an amazing natural object that constantly changes its shape and looks completely different at different times of the day.
It is a popular holiday destination. You can walk, sunbathe, or just take photos on the dunes – there are no restrictions related to the status and protection of this object.
Tourists recommend coming here early in the morning – at this time there is no one here, but in the afternoon it is full of people. Travelers also note that the Maspalomas dunes are often visited by nudists, and there are so many of them during the day that it is difficult to even photograph the dunes.
- Dune location: Natural Dune Reserve of Maspalomas, 35100, Las Palmas, Spain.
- Official website: https://dunasmaspalomas.com
Palmitos Park
Palmitos is an amusement park in the eastern part of the Maspalomas resort. The place is very popular, because it is both a dolphinarium, a botanical garden, a bird nursery, and an oceanarium. You should go here for the whole day.
Learn more about all the park’s entertainment areas:
- The Orchid House is home to the largest collection of these tropical flowers in the Canary Islands. In total, there are more than 60 species brought from different parts of the world.
- The dolphinarium is located in the center of Palmitos Park. 5 dolphins that live here regularly give performances to the public (the stands are designed for 1500 spectators). The show runs from 13.30 to 16.00.
- A bird nursery is a place where several hundred birds live. Here you can meet parrots, flamingos, ibises and toucans. The highlight of the program is rhinoceros birds, which are native to Africa and Southeast Asia.
- Aquarium. This part of the park contains several hundred species of fish and other marine life brought from all over the world. The most important ” exhibit” is a huge monitor lizard named Dragon, which is considered the first individual raised in captivity in Europe.
- Primate Island is home to gibbons and orangutans. Dozens of species of monkeys frolic on the large territory, protected from tourists.
- The Cactus Garden is a small, cozy park with over 150 cactus species planted in it. Most of the plants are imported from mainland Spain.
- The Butterfly House is the most visited part of the island of Gran Canaria, created 20 years ago. Now it is home to about 200 species of butterflies that fly freely through the garden. The following species are represented: leafhopper, sailboat palinur, Apollo, glass butterfly and others.
Practical information:
- Location: Barranco de los Palmitos, s / n, 35109 Maspalomas, Las Palmas, Spain.
- Opening hours: 09.00-18.00.
- Price: for an adult – 30 euros, for a child from 5 to 11 years-22, for a baby up to 4 years – 9.50 euros. If you go to the park as a company, then it makes sense to buy a ” Family Package “(tickets for two adults and children) for 88 euros or a “Friends Package” (4 adults) for 102 euros. It is better to buy tickets on the official website of Palmitos Park – each ticket will cost 2 euros less than the same one when purchased at the ticket office.
- Official website: www.palmitospark.es
Maspalomas Lighthouse
The Maspalomas Lighthouse is probably one of the oldest structures in the city. The landmark was built in 1890, but still performs its main function today. It’s easy to find-it’s visible from anywhere in the city.
Next to the city landmark is the caretaker’s house and an observation tower. Since the lighthouse is active, you will not be able to visit it – you can only admire it from the outside.
Address: Plaza del Faro, 15, 35100 Maspalomas, Las Palmas, Spain.
Ricky’s Cabaret Bar
Ricky’s is a late-night cabaret bar with daily travesty shows. You can’t call this place very popular – because of the often repeated programs, there are not so many viewers, but those who come talk about the good atmosphere and funny jokes.
Admission to the cabaret bar is free, but in order to become a spectator, you need to purchase a cocktail or dessert.
The show lasts all night. The first – from 20.00 to 00.00, and the second – from 00.00 to 04.00.
- Location: Yumbo Center, Av. Estados Unidos, 54, 35100 Maspalomas, Las Palmas, Spain.
- Opening hours: 20.00-04.00.
Maspalomas Botanical Garden
The Maspalomas Botanical Garden is one of the most beautiful and most visited places on the island. Many vacationers compare it to an oasis in the desert-there are only sands around, and in the garden there are a huge number of trees, flowers and birds.
Admission to the garden is free, and many travelers spend several hours here every day. The only drawback is the relatively small size of the park, which makes it a little crowded in the evening.
Since there are a lot of plants in the park, tourists recommend taking a program at the entrance with descriptions of different varieties of flowers and exotic trees.
Address: Av. Touroperador Neckermann, 2, 35100 Maspalomas, Las Palmas, Spain.
Beaches
Playa de Maspaloma
Playa de Maspaloma is the most beautiful beach in Maspalomas, as it is located right in the middle of the dunes. This location has both positive and negative aspects.
Positive:
- beautiful view;
- despite the distance from the center of the resort, the infrastructure is developed (there are sun beds, shops, toilets and showers).
Minuses:
- lack of infrastructure at the entrance to Playa de Maspaloma (there are no stairs, and due to the fact that the dunes are constantly ” walking”, it can be difficult to go down to the sea);
- during the day, the sand is hot, and it is extremely difficult to walk on it for a long time (and it takes 30-40 minutes to get to Playa de Maspaloma);
- a large number of people.
The entrance to the water is gentle, there are no rocks, seashells and rocky ledges. The sand is fine and dark, and your feet occasionally get stuck in it.
The water and surrounding area are clean – garbage is regularly removed. Playa de Maspaloma is wide and very long (about 4 km), so that even with a large number of people, everyone can relax comfortably.
It’s worth knowing that:
- There are frequent sandstorms on Playa de Maspaloma, so don’t wear your best clothes here.
- Officially, the beach is recognized as a nudist beach, so many people here will be uncomfortable to relax.
- On Playa de Maspaloma, you will not find any insects or fish – there is very little wildlife in this place.
San Agustin
Unlike Playa de Maspaloma, San Agustin is always sparsely visited, and the beach is considered one of the quietest in Gran Canaria. Its main advantage is gorgeous views of the city and surrounding areas.
In the central part of San Agustin, the entrance to the water is gentle, occasionally there are shells and stones. There are a lot of pebbles on the outskirts. The sand is dark and quite fine. The water is clear – the bottom is clearly visible.
Despite the relative distance from the city center, there are no problems with the infrastructure-several cafes are open, showers and toilets are working, and there are rescue towers.
Playa de las Burras
Playa de las Burras is a relatively quiet beach in the eastern part of Maspalomas. It is known as one of the favorite holiday destinations for young married couples and families with children. It is about 800 meters long and about 100 meters wide.
The sand on the beach is grayish-brown, the entrance to the sea is gentle. The water is clear, so the bottom is clearly visible. Occasionally there are shells and rocks.
There are some minor infrastructure problems – there are no toilets or changing rooms on Playa de las Burras. But there is a large shopping center nearby – if necessary, tourists are advised to go there.
As for cafes and bars, there are no questions – there are 3 establishments in Playa de las Burras. Please note that “Bar7” is known as a gay bar.
Village infrastructure
Since Maspalomas in Gran Canaria is famous for its dunes, most tourists go to this part of Spain precisely for natural attractions – there are very few historical ones here.
The village’s infrastructure is adequate – a large number of hotels (about 80) and small cafes, almost complete absence of cheap housing. Entertainment is also not very much – there are a couple of night clubs in the “Yumbo Center”, which regularly organize themed parties.
There are no problems with stores – there are enough of them here, but if you want to make a thorough purchase, it is better to do it in a larger city, where there is more choice and prices are lower. 90% of boutiques are located in the embankment area – this is the most visited place in the town.
Bus service in Gran Canaria is well developed-there are 7 bus routes between the villages and cities of the island, 4 of which also call in Maspalomas.
Weather and climate. When is the best time to arrive
The climate of Gran Canaria is tropical, with hot summers and warm winters. Rain and strong winds are extremely rare here, making the region an ideal holiday destination.
Spring
Spring is a great time for walking along the sea and relaxing. The temperature for swimming in the sea is still quite low, but during the day the thermometer already reaches +23 °C.
Summer
In the summer months, the thermometer varies from +26 to +28°C. Rain is completely absent, and the water temperature ranges from +21 to +22°C. The maximum number of tourists comes to Maspalomas in August.
Autumn
Autumn is the rainy and windy season, but even at this time of year, Gran Canaria is a good place to relax. The air temperature in September and October is +26°C, and the beginning of autumn is considered the “velvet season” – the sun does not bake, and the water is even warmer than in summer (+23°C).
The only thing to be afraid of is the prolonged rains that occur in October. November is already quite cold for a beach holiday, but if this is not your main goal, then this month is ideal for a holiday – there are few tourists and prices are at the low season level.
Winter
The winter in Gran Canaria is very warm and quite dry. Only 2-3 days a month are rainy, and the total air temperature in January and February does not fall below +20 °C. At night, it is slightly colder – about +17°C. The water in the sea is cool, but at the beginning of winter you can still swim – its temperature is around +20°C.
As you can see from the graph, the weather in Maspalomas, and on the island of Gran Canaria in general, is almost always good, and is ideal for a beach holiday.
Useful tips
- Visit the Golden Dunes only in dry, windless weather – after the rain, they sway, and look like a huge desert.
- In the western part of Maspalomas, where there are many wild beaches, tourists are rare.
- If you come to Maspalomas with children, remember that there are many nude beaches located here.
- There are a lot of pickpockets in Spanish cities, so always keep an eye on your belongings and do not carry large amounts of money with you.
Maspalomas, Gran Canaria-a resort for lovers of beautiful nature.
