Los Pocillos Beach

The sand runs wide enough that there is plenty of room to spread out, and the water is shallow and easy to swim in. Move slowly and small fish school around you. Planes coming in to land at the island's airport pass in full view, which keeps children on the sand busy for hours.

The rest is easy beach life: foot showers along the beach, play areas for children, and cafés, bars and a few shops within an easy walk. It stays quiet. After dark, come back for a walk along the shore with the lights across the bay.

• Sunbeds and parasols are hired by the day: lie down on a free one and an attendant comes round to collect the money.
• Toilets are in a grey building by the roundabout, near the entrance to the beach.
• The sand is open with no natural shade, so bring a parasol or hire one.
• Foot showers stand along the beach to rinse off the sand before you leave.

Many people simply walk down from the hotels behind the beach: out of the gate, across the road and onto the sand. Drivers have car parks about 135 m and 400 m away in a straight line. By bus, the nearest stop is Costa Mar, about 130 m away; two stops share that name. Map boards for the area stand about 300 m away.

Best: morning or late afternoon, and after dark for a walk along the shore.

Avoid: the middle of the day without a parasol.

The beach is wide, open sand with no natural shade, so the midday sun hits hard, while the evening brings the lights across the bay.