Even the fish feel like they’re starring in a commercial in water this clear. Papagayo Beach is rightfully the star of southern Lanzarote, but the real magic lies hidden in the entire protected landscape of Los Ajaches. Here’s how to reach Papagayo Beach by car (and why there’s an entry fee), which trails in Los Ajaches are worth it, and why we traded hiking for a full-day swim.
We’ll compare the wild coves and beaches with the commercial world of Playa Blanca resorts and share practical tips on food and camping in the oldest geological region of the Canary Islands.
Los Ajaches – the first protected landscape of the Canary Islands
The whole Los Ajaches area feels like a beach labyrinth someone casually scattered between cliffs, desert, and the Atlantic just for fun. This is Lanzarote’s oldest geological massif. Los Ajaches formed more than 14 million years ago, and today the region is a protected area of beaches, semi-desert terrain, and a tangled network of hiking paths winding between craters and the coastline.
At the edge of the world—also known as Playa Blanca—you turn onto a dusty road. Entry costs a symbolic €3. It’s not an entrance fee; it’s a “road maintenance contribution,” which basically means: prepare your suspension for battle. My personal rating: the car survived, but it complained.
You celebrate here three times:
- when you reach the parking area with all wheels still attached,
- when you see the endless trails linking the coves,
- when you throw yourself into the sea and feel like you’ve stepped into a refreshing version of paradise in January.
Papagayo Beach – a shell-shaped cove you simply have to experience
Yes. Everyone has to see it. (The first time. Only then will you discover the real favorites.)
Papagayo Beach is shaped like a seashell gently placed into the rock by the Atlantic. The cliffs protect it naturally from wind, giving you unusually calm water. It’s warmer than anywhere else on the island, shifting into shades of emerald so vivid you wonder if someone added food coloring.
Behind you sits a tiny beach tavern; in front of you, soft white-yellow sand; all around, rocky outcrops forming a perfect backdrop for those Instagrammers who insist: “I don’t take photos… well, only sometimes.”
Everyone comes here first. Only afterwards—when Papagayo Beach is mentally checked off—do they discover the charm of the other beaches.
The best beaches and trails: 5 interconnected coves of Los Ajaches
Beyond Papagayo lies a chain of beaches linked by trails:
- Playa Mujeres – long beach, gentle waves, ideal if you want few people but not total solitude.
- Playa del Pozo – hidden, beautiful, tranquil.
- Caleta del Congrio – famous for its relaxed approach to swimwear (very practical when changing often).
- Playa de las Coloradas – closest to Playa Blanca, the sand shifts color with the light.
All of them are reachable on foot. If you’re staying on the eastern side of Playa Blanca, expect a beautiful 5-km walk with views of Fuerteventura floating in the haze like an island from a different dream.
Hiking meets beach paradise — and the sea always wins 🥾
We planned to hike at least ten kilometers in Los Ajaches. Honest intention, tragic outcome: we barely managed half. A full-day swim swallowed us alive. The sea calls here—and you obey.
Trails twist between cliffs, gravel, sand, and cacti. The wind does whatever it wants, and the views are so insanely beautiful that you catch yourself thinking: wow, this is almost too much beauty at once.
We also stumbled upon a sand-covered underground bunker, likely the remains of one of the old coastal pillboxes positioned along long beaches to enable crossfire against a potential landing.
If you want a holiday that blends trail running, hiking, wave-watching, and sea-jumping in one day — this is the spot.
Playa Blanca vs. Los Ajaches: commercial paradise vs. raw wilderness
If you’re wondering where all the people on the beaches between Papagayo and Playa Blanca come from — most of them emerge from the massive Playa Blanca all-inclusive resorts. The southern coastline is lined with huge hotel complexes (Princesa Yaiza, H10, Iberostar, Dreams, Sandos, and others), capable of absorbing thousands of tourists and giving this region its commercial character.
Los Ajaches, being a nature reserve, offers the opposite: wild empty coves, naturist beaches, and untouched hiking trails. The entire area feels like an open textbook of geology, light, and colors — and Papagayo Beach is its cover page.
Camping, food, and practical tips
Los Ajaches allows only official camping near Papagayo. Wild camping is prohibited (and monitored). There are exactly two taverns — and one is closed most of the time. Prices are higher than in town, so bring:
– water,
– food,
– sunscreen,
– and if you have an older car… patience.
Working remotely here? Not a chance 💻
Many IT workers fantasize about working remotely from the islands with a sea view. I tried. Impossible. With landscapes like these, you spend the whole day outside and fall into bed like a stone. Perfect for rest; terrible for deadlines.
The Los Ajaches trails and Papagayo beaches are also the best way to understand the architects who shaped Lanzarote. When you look at the cliffs, the shell-shaped bays, the colors of the sand — it suddenly becomes clear why Antonio Padrón Barrera and César Manrique created architecture that “listened to the island.”
Practical tips for visiting Papagayo Beach & Los Ajaches
- Entry, road & parking 🚗
The dusty road to the beaches requires a €3 entry (per car). Drive slowly — the track is rough. Parking is free but unpaved near Papagayo and Mujeres. - Water & food 🥤
Restaurants are scarce and overpriced; only one is reliably open. Bring all supplies (especially water!). - Hiking footwear 🥾
Trails are gravelly and sandy — wear sturdy shoes. - Swimming 🏊
Expect clear, calm water — ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Papagayo is protected from wind by cliffs. 👙 Caleta del Congrio and Playa del Pozo are naturist-friendly. - Camping 🚫
Wild camping is strictly forbidden and monitored by park rangers. - Sun protection ☀️
Always hot. (see actual weather) Shade is rare; sunscreen and a hat are essential. If you want luxury and all-inclusive comfort, stay in Playa Blanca and make a day trip to Los Ajaches.
Epilogue: Evening in Arrecife
Papagayo Beach and the Los Ajaches trails drained our energy, and the day ended, as usual, with a beer in Arrecife. When we asked locals about the seaside promenade, they laughed: “Just a movie set for tourists.”
The same beer cost one-third of the price.
