Bahía Feliz, Gran Canaria: A Happy Bay of Calm by the Atlantic

Nestled between buzzing Playa del Inglés and the breezy surf town of Pozo Izquierdo, Bahía Feliz is a resort that somehow manages to keep its shirt tucked in while the neighbours party until dawn.

Bahía Feliz (meaning Happy Bay) lives up to its name quietly. Instead of neon bars and bass beats, you get terracotta apartments framed by palms, whitewashed walls against volcanic rock, and the sound of the ocean doing its slow, rhythmic thing. Built in the 1980s but ageing gracefully, the resort feels more Mediterranean than mass-market - compact, charming, a little nostalgic.

It’s the kind of place where couples stroll hand-in-hand at sunset, families linger over tapas, and windsurfers pack their vans with sand and stories. The pace is unhurried; the soundtrack, the hush of waves mixed with laughter drifting from restaurant terraces.

The heart of the area is the plaza, a tidy, tiled square with cafés, bars, and a bakery that seems to smell permanently of cinnamon. It’s here you’ll find locals reading newspapers, children chasing pigeons, and visitors trying to remember what day it is. From the plaza, paths wind down to the beach, a mix of volcanic pebbles and soft, dark sand good enough for for a siesta. It's not showiest beach on the island - it’s small, crescent-shaped, and often breezy - but it has personality. You’ll see windsurfers carving up the water and sunseekers sprawled on towels as planes glide silently overhead toward Las Palmas airport.

The resort’s hotels are low-rise, tidy, and friendly. Think more pools and palms than pulsing nightlife. It’s ideal for families with younger kids or anyone seeking a base near the action but far enough to actually hear the sea.

Walk a little south and you’ll hit Playa del Águila and then San Agustín, both within a breezy 20-minute stroll along the coastal path. Or head inland to explore historic Agüimes and the Guayadeque ravine for a change of scenery.

In short, Bahía Feliz is the softer side of the south, a place where the Wi-Fi may flicker, but the sunsets never disappoint. Come for calm seas and cinnamon air, and you might just leave a little happier than you arrived.