Spain’s Playful Beach-Desert: Maspalomas Sand Dunes

Ready to walk barefoot on a beach that resembles a miniature desert? Stretching 1000 acres (404 hectares) to the South of the island of Gran Canaria, Maspalomas Sand Dunes offers an unforgettable view: glamorous pyramids of smooth yellow sand on top of which you can witness the neighboring blue ocean.

# Did you know that…?

• The dunes in Maspalomas formed hundreads of years ago and are currently home to a unique ecosystem. The giant lizard of Gran Canaria lives here, as well as various African migratory birds. The Island of Gran Canaria (one of the seven Canary Islands), although belonging to Spain, is very close to Africa (about 210 kilometers away in a straight line).
• 23 degrees Celcius (73.4 Fahrenheit) is the average yearly temperature at Maspalomas, which make it a great destination for Europeans during winter.
• Maspalomas Sand Dunes is not a beach per se, but the area does continues towards the ocean with a ‘regular’ beach. Playa de Maspalomas has a width of 75 meters in its widest point and is a nice stopover after climbing the dunes.

# How to Get to Maspalomas

You can reach Maspalomas beach and Sand Dunes in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana (between the Playa del Ingles resort and the city of Maspalomas).

Getting here is possible by flying into Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Airport, or by flying in Tenerife, a neighboring island in the Canaries and hopping into a ferryboat.There are buses you can take from any part of the island, or you can easily rent a car.

# What to do at Maspalomas Sand Dunes?

• Walk from Maspalomas to Playa del Ingles. The Maspalomas region is more peaceful than its neighboring Playa del Ingles beach. But it’s nice to witness the two by taking a coastal walk between them, which will last about 30-40 minutes, depending on how much you stop to take in the wonderful scenery.
• Walk to the Maspalomas lighthouse (El Faro tde Maspalomas). Constructed in the 19th century, the lighthouse is not open to the public, but it offers an interesting view of the beach. It is neighbored by fancy restaurants and cafes, so you can feel holiday-inspiring pulse of the region.
• Visit the doplphinarium, take a camel ride or do horseback riding
• Enjoy the dunes. Take a camera along and spend time going up and down the shifting sand hills. Be extra careful with ‘nudist valleys’; some places are so remote between the dunes that they turn into a perfect spots for private sunbathing.

# Where to Stay in Order to Visit Maspalomas Sand Dunes?

In order to have easy access to the dunes, you can spend the night in the resort town of Maspalomas. There is an array of accommodation available, ranging from bohemian bungalows to private apartments on the beach.

If you hire a car, the options for spending your night can be multiplied to some of the other small resort towns in the area, You can try to sleep in Puerto Rico or Meloneras (especially if you are into clubbing), however Maspalomas is more wide and offers a larger variety of things to see.