Los Lagos Beach (El Cotillo)

The water comes first: clear enough to see the sand and the dark rock beneath it, and calm inside the coves while the wind works over the open sea. Low volcanic rock breaks the shore into a chain of bays, each with its own patch of fine pale sand, so the beach runs along the coast like a row of separate pools.

Children play on the sand and in the water all day. Bring a mask: the clear water and the rocks make for good snorkelling. The coast looks west, and evenings end with the sun going down over the Atlantic.

• Wind is the one real drawback: it blows across the beach, and out of the water it can feel cold. Bring a layer.
• The village centre is within walking distance, so lunch or a trip back to your room needs no car.
• The nearest toilets and drinking water are about 540 m away in a straight line.
• The beach is open to the sun with nothing to shelter under at midday; bring a hat and sun cream.
• Pack snorkelling gear: the clear water inside the coves is made for it.

The bus stop in El Cotillo sits about 420 m from the beach in a straight line, and the village centre is close enough to walk back and forth for lunch. Drivers have two car parks to choose from, about 430 m and 550 m away in a straight line. From either one the rest is on foot, ending on the sand of the coves.

Best: late afternoon into evening, when the light comes low off the sea and the sun sets over the Atlantic.

Avoid: days of strong wind, and August, when the island's beaches fill.

The coast faces west, so sunset is the beach's best hour, and the calm in the coves does nothing to stop the wind blowing across the sand.