Papagayo Beach

The first sight comes from the clifftop at the end of the road: a crescent of white sand below, held between two arms of rock, and water clear enough to see the sand under it near the shore. The cove runs 120 metres, a little longer than a football pitch. The cliffs that close it in keep the sea calm and take the edge off the wind.

Papagayo is one of a string of white-sand coves along this stretch of coast, from Playa Mujeres in the west to Caleta del Congrio in the east. Playa de la Cera, a smaller cove right next door, shares the same car park. The name is old. It already appears on the map Leonardo Torriani drew of the island at the end of the 16th century, and may come from a Portuguese name for a fish once caught here, the pearly razorfish.

• There are no public toilets at the beach; the nearest are for customers only, about 660 m away.
• No drinking water nearby. Bring your own water, and food for the day.
• The road in is a dirt track with potholes and cracks. Drive it slowly.
• Stairs lead down from the clifftop to the sand, so pushchairs and wheelchairs cannot get down.
• The sand is bare and bright. Bring a hat and sun cover.

Papagayo lies a few kilometres from Playa Blanca, and the last stretch is a dirt road through Los Ajaches Natural Monument. Cars pay a fee at the entry to the zone. From there the road takes 10–15 minutes, over potholes, cracks and uneven ground, so take it slowly. It ends at unpaved car parks on the clifftop, about 240 m and 640 m away in a straight line, and stairs take you down to the sand.

The nearest bus stops, Las Coloradas and San Marcial I, are about 2.5 km away in a straight line, so arriving without a car means a walk of at least that distance. The coves can also be reached from the sea.

Best: early in the day, before the beach fills up.

Avoid: the hours around midday in summer.

The cove is popular and draws a crowd, and with the sun bouncing off white sand and pale rock there is little shade to be had once the sun is high.

Papagayo and the coves around it lie inside Los Ajaches Natural Monument, and the land behind the beaches is protected. Cars pay to enter the zone, a charge in place since 1998. Keep to the dirt tracks when driving: the ground either side of them is part of the protected area.