Maspalomas Dunes

Local name: Dunas de Maspalomas

Golden sand dunes across a 404-hectare nature reserve on Gran Canaria's south coast, running down to the beach

The Maspalomas Dunes are a field of sand dunes on the south coast of Gran Canaria, covering 404 hectares in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. They have been a nature reserve since 1987 and are listed as a Natura 2000 site. The sand came from a marine shelf left dry during the last ice age, and the wind carried it onto the coast. The dunes were among the contenders in the 12 Treasures of Spain competition.

National Park Beach

Accessibility: The dunes are soft, loose sand that is hard going on foot; a wheelchair will not get across it.
Parking: Free car parks and free street parking; the nearest car parks are about 730 m away in a straight line, one of them for customers only.
Difficulty: Walking on soft sand in full sun with no shade; the distance depends on where you enter and how far you go, and climbing the dunes adds effort.
Transport: Bus stops about 790 m away in a straight line.
Address: Playa del Inglés, 35100 Maspalomas, Las Palmas, Spain

What makes it special

From the top of a dune the sand rolls away in golden ridges, with the sea on one side and the mountains of the interior behind. The crests shift with the wind, so the shapes are never quite the same twice. The sand itself is old: it lay on a marine shelf exposed in the last ice age before the wind drove it onto this coast.

Walk across and the dunes run straight down to the beach. Along the edge of the reserve lie a saltwater lagoon (Charca de Maspalomas) and a palm grove, and birds come to the water. Late in the day the low sun picks out every ripple in the sand, and at sunset the whole field changes colour.

Good to know

There is no shade on the dunes and the sand gets hot underfoot. Bring sunscreen, a hat and more water than you think you need.
No drinking water nearby — fill up before you come.
Soft sand makes the walk more tiring than it looks, and it runs longer depending on where you enter and how far you go.
Shoes fill with sand quickly; pack footwear you do not mind taking off and carrying.
Free public toilets stand about 580 m and 690 m away in a straight line.

Getting there

The dunes are reached on foot whichever way you come. The nearest car parks sit about 730 m away in a straight line, and the nearest bus stops about 790 m. From there the walk is over open ground and then soft sand, with a map board and a guidepost along the way.

How far you walk depends on where you enter and how deep into the dunes you go. The sand slows every step, and in the heat the last stretch takes more out of you than the distance suggests. Carry water from the start.

Best time to visit

Best: early morning, or late afternoon through to sunset.

Avoid: the middle of the day.

The dunes are bare sand with no shade, so midday brings the strongest heat and the hottest ground, while the low sun at either end of the day gives softer light, long shadows across the ridges and a cooler walk.

Access & restrictions

The Maspalomas Dunes have been a nature reserve since 1987 and are a Natura 2000 site, so the whole dune field is protected ground. Leave the sand, plants and birdlife as you find them: do not take sand away, do not pick plants and keep clear of birds at the lagoon. Do not build walls or shelters from sand or stones, and take all rubbish back out with you.

Sun & daylight

Beach

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