Beaches around Gran Canaria

Some of the larger, more expensive complexes and resorts that are built by a beach have various ploys for making access a little difficult or hidden. There's always public access somewhere and the only charges you may have to pay are for the use of sun beds or parasols. A typical example of this is the (highly recommended) Anfi Beach, 5 minutes bus/taxi ride east of Puerto Rico, just before Patalavaca. There's a security hut and guard by the main entrance however a meter or two before him you'll find a pathway down to what is currently one of the best beaches on the island. They had "coral" sand imported from the Caribbean, which means you can walk on it during the hottest of days and it remains cool to the touch. The beach, as do all, proves very popular and crowded at weekends due to the locals making use of them and the restaurants and shops adjacent now welcome non-Anfi guests.

Puerto Rico has two public beaches. The main one pictured above is a couple of minutes walk from the local bus stops. Again this beach is very popular with the locals at the weekend. This has your more traditional sand that will burn your feet raw on a hot day! If you're someone who has a towel fixation for saving the best sun bed, here you'll just have to get there early, from around 9-10am to ensure the best position. Half of the beach is reserved with sun beds, the other half is your traditional towel on the sand area. There's a stone jetty or breakwater that's been built and also reserved by sun beds. They will cost you €2.10 for the day, a parasol an additional €1.50. The facilities by the beach cover everything you could possibly need including a water slide. There are public toilets, dozens of restaurants, cafés and bars, shops selling beach accessories from towels to inflatables, newsagents........ All beaches here play host to topless sunbathing but keep your bottoms on! The rocky area past the harbour to the left of the main beach is where you'll find a nudist section.

Then of course there are the water sports! All located by the beach here.
For a "fairly" accurate idea on prices and what's available, here's my list (in euros).

There's also windsurfing, speed-boat hire, dinghies with motors, sailboats, yachts and surfboards for hire but don't ask me the prices, go down and have a look when you're here!

A promenade has been built starting on the west side of the beach that takes you for a walk along the cliff tops facing over the ocean, a couple of kilometres away to a new beach that has been created, "Amadores" beach. The walk along the coastline alone is worth checking out and takes you to the outskirts of the resort. This new beach is more than twice the size of our current one but the sand here is the foot-friendly, coral style sand, almost white in colour it gives the ocean a crystal blue colour and the whole area looks more Caribbeanthan Atlantic. Access to the beach is problem free and there are lots of shops, bars & eateries. As the surrounding area is still under development, the distant sound of construction is the only thing to spoil a day here but it is just the sound and pretty distant. The beach itself is completed and very popular with everyone. Sun beds and parasols available for hire too - definitely worth checking out. If you can't cope with the sloping walkway, it's easily accessible by car and has good parking facilities and there's also a limited bus service to and from the top of the hill in Puerto Rico, whilst the numbers 1 and 32 Salcai bus service (each runs between Puerto Rico and Mogan every 20 minutes) also stop at Amadores beach. You can drive or walk (20 minutes stroll from Europa Center going down) straight from the main hill here without going through the main resort.

The main beach in Puerto Rico is better for kids as it's pretty safe but at Amadores, the tide can be pretty strong inspite of the breakwater and a few meters out to sea, the depth deepens quite sharply. Amadores was awarded the blue flag for beaches for 2004.

ANFI BEACH

MORE BEACHES AROUND THE ISLAND

BananaBoat ride €6.00 for 10 mins	Jet-Ski for 1 €42.00 - 1/2 hr	Jet-Ski for 2 €54.00 - 1/2 hr
Pedalos €6.01 per hour	Scuba Diving	Parascending €35.00 - 14 mins
Big Red Power Boat - €20 adult/ €15 child for 25 mins
Water ski-ing (with/without instruction) - €42.00 p/half hour
Jet skis at Anfi Beach by the way are €36.00 for a half hour!

Beaches around Puerto Rico & Gran Canaria

Beaches around Puerto Rico
& Gran Canaria