In this post we are going to talk about the pools and beach of La Laja, one of the things to do in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria that many visitors forget. The beach is about 5 kilometers on foot from Vegueta old town, so we recommend to come here by bike. La Laja is characterized by its black sand and for being a meeting point for many locals. In other words, it is not at all touristy like other beaches in the city such as Las Canteras.
La Laja beach and natural pool
Next to La Laja beach they have made some natural pools with the seawater. They are ideal to have a good dip or for children to play. The water is quite fresh, since there is continuous seawater from the Atlantic flowing.
Moreover, in La Laja beach you can play football, tenis, surf, walk, etc. It is quite long and never is crowded. It is approximately 1 km long. Please consider that sometime there is corriente here, so be careful and try not to swim very far from the sand.
Visit La Laja beach by bike
To get here from Maspalomas, you should take La Laja exit before to reach the city. If you are staying in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, we recommend you to get here by bike. There is a bike path which goes all around the maritime avenue from the port of La Luz until here. There are around 15 kilometers per way. You can rent a bike in different places from the city and you can even rent one from the town hall. Check further details at Sitycleta.
Another option is getting here by car and park on the other side of the road. There is a tunnel which permits the access on foot under the road. For the sporty ones, there is a chance of getting here running and have a bath as a reward. The return could be with more calm or even take a taxi in the San José or San Cristobal neighborhoods.
Restaurants in San Cristobal
In this area there is any restaurant or shop where to buy food or drinks. So it is better if you take some with you. About 3 kilometers walk it is the fishermen neighborhood San Cristóbal where you can eat good local food. We recommend you to try the fresh fish and Canarian food at Los Botes, La Cofradía de Pescadores and the restaurant Miramar. They are all very similar and nice.
Finally, next to La Laja beach you can visit the huge triton sculpture, so that the old Wind Tower. This tower is the only construction which is left at the beach. Some years ago there were some houses at the seafront, but the city council destroyed them to build up a better promenade and improve the image of the entrance to Las Palmas city.
To conclude, this is your beach in case you are looking for local places and get away from the crowded beaches. We hope you enjoy it!
Video of La Laja beach & pools
Then we leave you with a small video of the natural pools of La Laja and its beach. You can subscribe here to our channel about Gran Canaria to discover the island with us. We have English subtitles in all our videos!
If you want to know more local places like this and let a resident organize your holidays, have a look at our guides section! You will be an expert of Gran Canaria for sure!
We are Ruth & Jorge, Gran Canarians with a travelling soul. Experts in tourism and digital marketing. We share the most authentic side of Gran Canaria (where we live) and… our adventures around the world!
