Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote: beaches, boats and Puerto Calero

Puerto del Carmen, in the municipality of Tías, is the resort with the most accommodation on Lanzarote, and also the most convenient: it is a quarter of an hour from the airport and 30–40 minutes from Timanfaya, El Golfo and Papagayo. If you are wondering what to see in Puerto del Carmen, think of three things: the Avenida de las Playas, with golden sand and calm water; Playa Chica, one of the island's main dive sites; and the old harbour, where the dolphin, Papagayo and Lobos boats leave from.

The town grew out of the small fishing harbour of La Tiñosa. It took the name Puerto del Carmen in 1957, and tourism began with the Hotel Los Fariones in 1967. Today it stretches several kilometres along the coast, and next door, 9 minutes by car, is Puerto Calero, the marina for the submarine and the catamarans.

Avenida de las Playas: Playa Grande, Los Pocillos and Matagorda

The Avenida de las Playas is the town's backbone: beaches on one side, bars, restaurants and shops on the other. Along it lie Playa Chica, Playa Grande (also called Playa Blanca, almost 1.2 km long), Los Pocillos and Matagorda, all with golden sand and calm water.

Four have a Blue Flag: Playa Grande, Matagorda, Pila de la Barrilla and Los Pocillos. All four had lost it the previous year and have now won it back. Playa Chica is not on the list: it is the diving cove, not the family beach.

• Playa Grande: the central one, with facilities and a promenade. For a beach day without a car, this is it.
• Los Pocillos: more than 1 km, with sunbeds, toilets and parking: a good choice if you are driving.
• Matagorda and Pila de la Barrilla: the other two Blue Flag beaches, further along the avenue.

The sea is colder than it looks: about 18 °C in February and March, 23 °C in September. See the weather guide and compare with other areas in Lanzarote beaches.

Playa Chica: diving and snorkelling from the shore

Playa Chica is a small cove and one of Lanzarote's great dive sites. The house reef sits at 10–18 m, suitable for all levels, with seahorses, rays and angel sharks, and you walk in from the sand: no boat needed.

Safari Diving has been on this beach for more than 40 years. Its prices: try-dive in the sea, €75 (from age 8, Monday to Saturday at 12:00); dive for certified divers, €45 plus €10 for equipment; 2-hour guided snorkel, €39 (from age 6, Monday to Saturday at 15:00). If you go on your own, they hire out mask and snorkel for €5. Free pick-up in Puerto del Carmen and Puerto Calero.

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More dive centres and the Museo Atlántico at Playa Blanca in diving in Lanzarote.

The old harbour and the Friday market

The old harbour (La Tiñosa, El Varadero) is the part of town with the most character: fishing boats, bars and the excursion quay. Every Friday from 09:00 to 14:00 the Puerto del Carmen market sets up at El Varadero. If you want the big one, Teguise market is on Sunday and bus 12 takes you there from here (Teguise market guide).

Boats from Puerto del Carmen: dolphins, Papagayo and Lobos

Líneas Romero, H2O Sports and Lanzarote Sea Tours sail from the old harbour. What is on offer, by price:

• Water taxi to Puerto Calero (Líneas Romero): €11 single (children €8), €18 return (children €12). Leaves Puerto del Carmen at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 15:00 and 16:30. It is the cheapest boat ride on the island: book the boat to Puerto Calero.
• Dolphins by speedboat (Lanzarote Sea Tours, the Biosfera Jet): 1.5 hours, €35 (13+) and €25 (ages 4–12), with a swim stop. On GetYourGuide it is rated 3.8 from more than 2,300 reviews, low for a bestseller.
• Dolphins by RIB (H2O, "Waverider"): 2 hours, from €65 per person, maximum 12. No under-4s or pregnant women.
• Sunset with dolphins (Líneas Romero, "I Love Sunset"): 18:30, 2 hours, €53 (children €40), with pick-up, a mojito and one drink.
• Papagayo by catamaran (Líneas Romero, "I Love Papagayo"): 11:00, 4 hours, from €66 (children €45), with pick-up, paella or pasta, unlimited drinks and kayaks.
• Small catamaran (H2O): 4 hours, €100 per person, maximum 12, with paddleboarding, kayaking and snorkelling, anchoring at El Poril (Playa Quemada).
• Lobos and the dolphin route (Lanzarote Sea Tours): at 10:00, 5.5 hours with a picnic, from €72: see the Lobos trip.

For sunsets, bear in mind that from this coast the sun goes down behind the Los Ajaches massif, not over the sea. Full comparison in dolphin watching in Lanzarote, boat trips and sunset cruises.

Jet skis and parasailing

Puerto del Carmen has two operators: Paracraft, at Playa Chica, and H2O Sports, in the old harbour.

• Paracraft: 20-minute circuit hire, €56.82 for a single jet ski and €66.29 for a double. No cancellations. Maximum weight: 120 kg single and 150 kg double.
• H2O: 20 minutes from €70; 40 minutes to Playa Quemada from €120. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

No qualification is needed on a circuit or guided trip. The driver must be 18; at 16 or 17, with signed parental consent and a copy of the parent's ID. And a warning: from Puerto del Carmen, the 40–60-minute routes do not reach Papagayo. If that is what you want, start from Marina Rubicón in Playa Blanca.

Parasailing: 10 minutes at 80–100 m. Paracraft charges €57.03 for one person and €95.05 for two (from age 8 with an adult); anyone who just wants to watch from the boat pays €19.01. With H2O, from €55.

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More detail in jet skiing in Lanzarote and our review of Paracraft and H2O.

Rancho Texas: what it is and what it is not

Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park is in Puerto del Carmen itself: a Wild West-themed zoo plus a water park, Aqua Rancho, with heated pools. It opens daily from 09:30 to 17:30 and costs €45 adult and €30 child (3–12). The shuttle from Puerto del Carmen is free; by bus, route 2 stops at San Antonio, a 15-minute walk away.

The dolphins at Rancho Texas live in captivity. The "dolphin interaction" the park sells, paid separately, means getting into their pool with them: it is not swimming with wild dolphins. Many visitors rate the shows and the keepers' care; others feel uncomfortable seeing dolphins in pools, and groups such as PACMA are calling for dolphinariums to be banned.

Country Night (barbecue, unlimited beer and sangria, and a show) is on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Rancho Texas is not on GetYourGuide: Rancho Texas tickets on Tiqets. More in the Rancho Texas guide and our review of the park.

Puerto Calero next door: submarine, catamarans and buggies

Puerto Calero is technically in the municipality of Yaiza, but it is 9 minutes by car or a short water-taxi hop. The marina has a Blue Flag and is the base for trips that do not leave from Puerto del Carmen:

• Submarine (Submarine Safaris): a real 18.5 m submarine that dives to about 30 m with 44 passengers. It lasts about an hour and takes children from age 2. Price: €61.75 online and €65 at the ticket office (children €39.90/€42), with a free bus from Puerto del Carmen. See the submarine guide and the Submarine Safaris review.
• Sailing catamaran to Papagayo (Catlanza): 4 hours with lunch, €85 adult, €60 teenager, €50 child. There is also an adults-only trip for over-13s.
• Dolphins by electric catamaran (Senda Eco Way): 17:30, 2.5 hours, from €75, maximum 12 people, with a hydrophone.
• Buggies (Buggies Lanzarote): two-seater Can-Am, €130 per buggy for 2 hours. See buggies in Lanzarote and the Buggies Lanzarote review.
• Fishing: bottom fishing and trolling trips from the marina, about 4 hours, from €80.

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Puerto del Carmen at night

Nightlife is split between the Avenida de las Playas and the Varadero area. On the stretch known as "The Strip", a handful of venues stay open into the small hours, some until 06:00, with a young crowd.

Under-18s are not admitted to nightclubs and dance venues (there may be special alcohol-free sessions for over-16s), and ID is checked at the door. More ideas in Lanzarote for adults.

Excursions from Puerto del Carmen and getting around

From here almost all of the south and centre is 40 minutes or less away; the north is further. The most useful excursions with pick-up in Puerto del Carmen:

• Timanfaya: entry to the Montañas del Fuego costs €30 (children €15), is bought online, with a time slot and no refunds, and includes the Ruta de los Volcanes (the volcano route) by coach. The half-day Timanfaya excursion costs from €59 with pick-up. See Timanfaya.
• The island in a day: Timanfaya, Jameos del Agua and Cueva de los Verdes from €89. The three tickets alone add up to €64, so with a car and two or more of you, going independently is cheaper.
• Fuerteventura: the Líneas Romero guided excursion picks up in Puerto del Carmen (Fuerteventura guide).
• Wine: Bodegas El Grifo is under 20 minutes by car and opens Monday to Friday only (La Geria and its wineries).
• Horse riding: Lanzarote a Caballo is now in Tinajo (1 hour, €55, from age 7) and picks up from your hotel on request.

By bus ("guagua"): route 2 goes to Arrecife, route 3 to Costa Teguise and route 161 to the airport and Playa Blanca. Note: route 161 does not carry passengers within Puerto del Carmen; to get around town use route 2 or 6. Timetables at https://arrecifebus.com/lineas/. Without a car, see Lanzarote without a car.

With children, besides Rancho Texas there are go-karts on the LZ-2 next to town and indoor crazy golf on the promenade: 18-hole mini golf from €9.50, handy on a windy day. Ideas in Lanzarote with kids. If you are here in May, IRONMAN Lanzarote is based in the town.

The tourist office has points on the Avenida de las Playas and at El Fondeadero (C/ Lanzarote 1), open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.