The best beaches in La Palma
They call La Palma La Isla Bonita, and the moment you set foot on its coast you understand why the name doesn't promise picture-postcard beaches. This is a young, green, volcanic island, so here the sand is black, the lava reaches the sea and where there's no sand there are rock pools: natural pools carved into the stone where the locals bathe. Don't look for golden dunes or turquoise brochure lagoons. What you'll find is stranger and more honest: dark-sand beaches at the foot of cliffs, pools sheltered from the swell and even a stretch of coast that didn't exist half a century ago. We'll tell you the best ones by the kind of day you want and, at the end, how to choose yours and swim sensibly.
Black sand: the island's big beaches
The best known is Playa de Puerto Naos, in Los Llanos de Aridane: the largest stretch of sand on La Palma, with a seafront promenade lined with palm trees. It was closed after the 2021 eruption of the Tajogaite volcano because of a build-up of carbon dioxide, and its recovery has been gradual and tightly controlled: the southern half of the beach reopened in January 2024 and the whole area is monitored by a network of some 350 CO2 sensors. Homes, shops and businesses have been reopening little by little, but some spots may still be restricted depending on the gas readings, so it's worth checking the up-to-date access status before you go. Right next door, Playa de Charco Verde is a black-sand cove with calm waters, sheltered and shaded by palm trees: the most comfortable choice for a family day out along this coast.
North of the valley, Playa de Tazacorte is the other big one. Black sand, a good promenade with fish restaurants right by the water and a reputation for racking up some of the highest number of sunshine hours in all of Europe. It has a fishing harbour, lifeguards in season and a breakwater that softens the swell, so it's one of the few on the island where swimming is usually easy.
The rock pools: the north's natural pools
When the Atlantic breaks hard, and on La Palma it breaks hard, the locals don't go into the open beach: they head for the charco. These are natural pools formed by the lava and later fitted out, where the sea comes in but the rocks hold back the waves. The most famous is Charco Azul, in San Andrés y Sauces, with clear turquoise water, one pool for adults and another for children; from the pools, a pleasant, flat coastal walk leads to the village of San Andrés, one of the most charming historic quarters in the north, with cobbled streets and terraces. At the far northeast, the Piscinas de La Fajana, in Barlovento, are three pools linked by stone walkways, one of them shallow and perfect for the little ones. They're the safe swimming plan when the ground swell shows no mercy on the open coast, and along the way you get to see how the locals really bathe.
Wild beaches: to lose yourself
The most spectacular is Playa de Nogales, in Puntallana, a stretch of almost half a kilometre of black sand at the foot of an imposing cliff. You go down on foot along a cobbled, fenced path of about fifteen minutes, with plenty of steps, so it's not one to tackle in flip-flops while hauling the cool box. The reward is a broad, semi-wild beach that is pure Palmeran character. That said, the ocean rules here: there are strong currents and sudden changes in depth, it's more a surfers' spot than one for a quiet swim, and it's best not to stray far from the shore. Bear in mind too that at high tide the strip of sand shrinks a lot, so it's better to go at low tide and not get trapped against the cliff. In the south, Playa de la Zamora, in Fuencaliente, repeats the recipe of black sand beneath a cliff, split into two coves. An important warning here: the way down to La Zamora Grande, the main cove, has been closed for some time due to the risk of rockfalls from the cliff, and the town council has projects to shore up the slope and link the two coves with a tunnel. Check the access status before you go, because the small cove, La Zamora Chica, is the one that's usually open. These are places to come to with proper footwear, water and no rush.
The volcanic south: where the lava created the beach
The south of Fuencaliente is the island's most geological face. Here, between the San Antonio and the Teneguía volcanoes, the coast is a landscape of black lava flows tumbling into the sea. The hidden gem is Playa de Echentive, also known as Playa Nueva: a stretch of pebbles and black sand with a couple of natural pools at the foot of the cliff, in a raw and stunning setting. There are no beach bars or parasols for hire, and that's exactly the point. It also hides a beautiful story: right by this coast rose the Fuente Santa, a spring of medicinal thermal waters so famous that it gave the municipality of Fuencaliente its name. The 1677 eruption buried it under the lava and it wasn't found again until 2005, when a borehole struck its waters at around 60 degrees beneath the rock. Nearby lie the Salinas de Fuencaliente and the lighthouse, so you can make a perfect southern-coast day out combining swimming, salt and volcano.
Did you know? Playa de Echentive didn't exist before 1971. When the Teneguía volcano erupted, the lava flowed down to the sea and, as it cooled, claimed ground from the Atlantic: the island is reckoned to have grown by around 290,000 square metres along this coast. On that new lava formed the beach of black pebbles you walk on today, which makes Echentive one of the youngest beaches in Spain, born literally from a volcano little more than half a century ago.
How to choose your beach (and a few tips)
Beach or rock pool. If you want sand and a promenade, head for the Aridane valley: Puerto Naos, Charco Verde or Tazacorte, with services and easier swimming. If the sea comes in rough, swap the plan for a rock pool in the north (Charco Azul, La Fajana): they're sheltered and you can almost always get a swim.
Black sand burns. The sun heats volcanic sand far more than golden sand, and by midday it can scorch your feet. Bring flip-flops to reach the shore and don't leave your valuables straight on the hot sand.
How to get there. By car you can reach them all; for the wild ones like Nogales you have to add the walk down, so plan ahead. By bus you can move around the island on the public network: check routes and timetables on the official website of Transportes Insular La Palma.
Check it before you set off. Before getting in the car, a glance at a live camera tells you how the sea and sky are looking. The Tazacorte coast, for example, can be seen on live webcam portals, with the feed from Tazacorte town council's own cameras.
Services. Puerto Naos, Tazacorte and Charco Azul have toilets, showers and restaurants; the wild ones like Nogales or Echentive, almost nothing: bring water, food and shade.
Safety. The Atlantic off La Palma is no swimming pool. On the open beaches there are currents and undertow that can be dangerous even for good swimmers. Always watch the flags, and if in doubt, stay where it's shallow or head for a rock pool. We explain it in detail in our guide to currents and undertow in the Canary Islands.
On islas24 you'll find every one of these beaches and rock pools with its location, how to get there and its services, so you can choose based on the day and the state of the sea. Black sand or rock pool, big or wild: on La Palma there's almost never a beach quite like the one next door. All you have to do is decide what kind of day you fancy.