Popcorn Beach, officially Playa del Bajo de la Burra, lies on the north coast of Fuerteventura just outside Corralejo, in the municipality of La Oliva. Its shore is made up of rhodoliths: nodules of calcareous red algae that grow on the seabed, wash ashore and bleach from red to white in the sun. Their knobbly shape gave the beach its name. The shore is rocky and open to the Atlantic waves, and a traditional fisherman's house stands at the water's edge.
Popcorn Beach
Local name: Playa del Bajo de la Burra
Rocky shore near Corralejo covered in bleached white rhodoliths that look like scattered popcorn.
- Entrance
- Free; there is no ticket.
- Accessibility
- Not accessible by wheelchair. The approach is a bumpy dirt road, and the beach itself is rocky ground and loose rhodoliths.
- Parking
- Plenty of room to park about 145 m from the beach in a straight line, at the end of the dirt road.
- Difficulty
- The hard part is the drive: a rough, bumpy dirt road best taken slowly, ideally in an SUV or four-wheel-drive car. From the car park, about 145 m away, you walk over rocky ground.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stop: Corralejo bus station, about 3.1 km away in a straight line.
- Advance booking
- No booking needed.
- Hours
- Open at any time.
- Address
- Playa del Bajo de la Burra, 35660, Spain
What makes it special
Crouch down and the beach turns out to be made of white lumps, each one knobbled like a kernel of popped corn. They are rhodoliths, built up by red algae on the seabed and thrown ashore by the waves. They were red once; the sun has bleached them white.
The sea breaks hard along the rocks here, and the old fisherman's house on the shore makes the photograph everyone takes. Walk away from the dirt road and the coastline opens up, with crabs on the rocks and Barbary ground squirrels darting between the stones.
Good to know
- There are no facilities: no toilets or drinking water at the beach or nearby. Bring water with you.
- This is no beach for swimming. The shore is rocky, there is no easy way into the water, and the waves make it dangerous.
- The house on the shore is a private home. It serves no food or drink.
- There is no shade, and the white rhodoliths throw the midday sun back at you. Bring a hat and sunglasses.
Getting there
The beach is reached by a rough dirt road, bumpy in places. It is manageable in an ordinary car if you take it slowly, though an SUV or four-wheel-drive car is the easier choice; plenty of people come out on rented quad bikes. There is plenty of room to park about 145 m from the beach in a straight line, and from there you cross rocky ground to the shore.
Without a car, the nearest bus stop is Corralejo bus station, about 3.1 km away in a straight line, and the rest is on foot. The dirt road is busy, and drivers do not always slow down for walkers, so keep well to the side.
Best time to visit
Best: early morning or late afternoon, on a day when the sea is calm.
Avoid: the middle of the day, and days when a big swell rolls in from the north.
Low sun picks out the texture of the rhodoliths and spares you the glare of a shadeless white shore, while a calm sea keeps the spray off the rocks.
Access & restrictions
Leave the rhodoliths where they lie. They grow on the seabed over a very long time, and every handful carried off in a pocket or a suitcase thins the deposit that gives the beach its name. Removing them from the beach is prohibited. Take photographs home instead.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
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Popcorn Beach on the map
The shore is rocky and open to breaking Atlantic waves, and there is no safe way into the water. Do not swim here, and never turn your back on the sea.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the "popcorn" on Popcorn Beach?
Rhodoliths: nodules of calcareous red algae that form on the seabed and wash ashore. The sun has bleached them from red to white, and their knobbly shape looks like popcorn.Can you swim at Popcorn Beach?
No. The shore is very rocky, there is no easy way into the water, and the waves make swimming dangerous.Do I need a 4x4 to reach Popcorn Beach?
The access road is a rough, bumpy dirt track. An ordinary car manages it if driven slowly, though an SUV or four-wheel-drive car is recommended.Are there toilets or a café at Popcorn Beach?
No. There are no toilets or drinking water at the beach or nearby, and the house on the shore is a private home that serves nothing.Can I take some of the popcorn home?
No. Removing the rhodoliths is prohibited, and every handful taken thins the deposit that gives the beach its name.