You will probably find it difficult to get to, as it is not at first sight and does not exactly have an easy path. The beach of Las Gaviotas is an isolated beach in the north-east of the island of Tenerife, close to the capital, which can only be reached by car or by a trip on the ‘guagua’ (that’s the name given to buses on the islands) which will drop you off about a kilometre from the beach.
The first thing that will surprise you about this beach is its dark-coloured sand, which is often referred to as ‘black sand’ beaches. If you’re from mainland Spain you won’t find the strange lack of vegetation in the area either, where the environment is dry and arid and you’ll be hard pressed to find any green shoots.
Unlike many beaches in the Canary Islands where the waves are used for surfing, on this beach the sea is relatively calm, with no strong currents to worry about. However, the fast tide will give you more than a few surprises, and you may find your towel floating on the water, wet and covered in black sand.
If you are going to spend the day on this volcanic beach, we recommend that, if you don’t have a good sandwich prepared at home, you go to ‘casa Charly’, the only beach bar on the beach, where they serve delicious Canarian dishes at reasonable prices.
And so that you are prepared, we must give you a warning: if you go to Las Gaviotas, be prepared to leave your modesty behind, because it is a nudist beach! Don’t worry if you’re shy, you’ll also be able to enjoy this beach well covered with your swimming costume.