An Invigorating Beach Walk

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Playa del Ingles Beach

A stay at Playa Del Ingles or the translation, “Englishman’s Beach” wouldn’t be complete without a walk along a long stretch of beach of approximately five Kilometres either to Faro de Maspalomas from Playa del Ingles or going in the reverse direction. I’ve done this invigorating walk both ways and it is a total delight and great exercise. It can on occasion be quite windy, but usually there’s a light sea breeze, just enough to cool you from the heat of the day. You’ll encounter many people on this walk, in fact I’ve never taken this walk in solitude, that being said this stretch of beach is very wide so there is always lots of space and you never feel crowded.

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Maspalomas Dunes

Dabble your toes in the surf, stop for a refreshment along the way at one of the several beach shacks, or rent an umbrella and lounge chair. This area is also known for its nude beaches, a common phenomenon in Europe. A highlight of this walk are the Maspalomas Dunes that you’ll encounter along the way, a unique attraction of Playa del Ingles. You’d think you’re in a microcosm of the Sahara. A walk through them makes for an out of the ordinary experience.

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Maspalomas Lighthouse

Even when you’re quite a distance from Faro de Maspalomas, you’ll see its landmark lighthouse peeping up from the dunes.  It’s a still-active 19th century lighthouse, 56 metres high with a light beam that can be seen 19 nautical miles away. Once there you’ll find tourist shops selling clothing and souvenirs, many fine restaurants, coffee shops, a designer and name brand shopping complex and luxury hotels. If shopping and dining are on your agenda at Faro de Maspalomas, local buses or a taxi will take you back to Playa del Ingles. But if you’re still feeling energetic, a boardwalk continues on from Faro de Maspalomas to Meloneras Beach for another kilometre or so.

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Author relaxing at Maspalomas

The area of Faro de Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles is located in the municipality of San Bartolome de Tirajana at the very southern tip of Gran Canaria Island. In this vicinity, you will find no hotels built on the ocean front. It’s heartening to see that good ecological planning is in force, particularly in the Maspalomas Dunes which have been protected as a nature reserve since 1897. They cover an area of 404 hectares.