Alcalá Beach

Put a mask on at Alcalá Beach and you have a chance of a sea turtle gliding past below you. The way into the water is easy, and on a day when the sea is flat and clean the views underwater are the reason people come back.

It draws fewer tourists than other beaches on the island, and it still feels like the village's own beach, with restaurants around it for lunch after a swim. For a walk, the promenade runs a few kilometres along the coast past natural pools and more small beaches. Late in the day the sun goes down over the sea towards La Gomera.

• Parking is hard to find, at weekends above all. Arrive early or take the bus.
• The sea changes from day to day: still on some, big waves on others. Look before you swim.
• The midday sun is too hot for sitting on the sand in the open. Bring a hat and something for shade.
• Litter sometimes drifts in on the water, which spoils the snorkelling on those days.
• Lifeguards are on duty at the beach, and there are restaurants around it for food.

Buses stop at Alcalá, about 160 m from the beach, so arriving by bus leaves almost no walk at all. By car, there are two free car parks about 130 m and 250 m away in a straight line. The spaces go quickly, especially at weekends, and an early arrival makes the difference between parking and circling. The promenade along the coast reaches the beach too, if you are walking in from the natural pools along the shore. A tourist office sits about 380 m away.

Best: Early morning, above all at weekends, and on calm days with a flat sea for snorkelling.

Avoid: Midday in full sun, and days when big waves are rolling in.

The car parks fill as the day goes on, the open sand offers little relief from the midday heat, and turtles are easiest to find when the water is still and clear. The shore faces west, so the evening light falls straight across the water.