Gran Canaria’s Golden Playground

If Playa del Inglés is the lively extrovert of Gran Canaria’s south coast, the resort town of Maspalomas is its slightly more urbane sibling.

Famed the world over for its long hours of sunshine and hedonism, Maspalomas also boasts some of Europe’s most spectacular sand dunes, a landscape so vast and surreal it feels like someone dropped a slice of the Sahara on the island.

Taking of sand, the beach at Maspalomas is also a sight to behold. Six kilometres of goldenness stretching as far as the eye can see, linking Playa del Inglés to the east and Meloneras to the west. You can stroll along it for hours if you’re feeling energetic, or at least until your suncream protection gives up.

At the heart of it all is the Maspalomas lighthouse, El Faro de Maspalomas, a 19th-century beacon that’s seen the town grow from sleepy backwater to international playground. These days, it marks the end of a stylish promenade lined with designer shops, cocktail bars, and restaurants serving everything from tapas to sushi.

Every taste bud and budget is catered for here. Yes, you’ll find the classic all-you-can-eat buffets with paella the size of a paddling pool, but there are also family-run guachinches serving grilled sardines and salty papas arrugadas. Down by Meloneras, it’s all about the polished dining scene, think seafront terraces, smart waiters, and wine lists long enough to double as bedtime reading.
And if you just want to grab a cold beer and a sandwich before flopping back on the sand? Don’t worry. Maspalomas doesn’t judge.

Water is never far away here, whether you’re floating in the lagoon at La Charca, a small nature reserve by the dunes where migrating birds stop for a rest, or splashing down slides at Aqualand, the island’s largest water park. Golfers will find one of Gran Canaria’s top courses nearby too, complete with palm trees and views of the dunes.

For families, there’s Palmitos Park, a botanical garden and zoo tucked into a valley a short drive inland. Think parrots, dolphins, and cacti taller than your average teenager. For something a little different, saddle up for a camel ride across the dunes, kitschy, maybe, but also strangely fitting.

Maspalomas after dark is a choose-your-own-adventure book. Stick to Meloneras for chic bars and seafront cocktails, head inland to the Yumbo Centre for its famous nightlife (equal parts shopping mall and party central), or keep it simple with a sunset drink on the beach, toes in the sand and lighthouse glowing in the distance.

You can’t talk about Maspalomas without mentioning its dunes. They’re the headline act, stretching for miles in soft, golden waves, forever rearranged by the Atlantic winds. The dunes are not just for show, though; they’re a living nature reserve, home to rare plants and creatures that somehow thrive in this shifting desert by the sea. Walk into them and you’ll feel like an extra in Lawrence of Arabia, minus the camel. Unless you actually book a camel safari, which you can.

The dunes also have a habit of revealing the resort’s personality. Families stick to the edges near Playa del Inglés, naturists carve out their own patch further along, and couples wander off hand-in-hand at sunset, the sky painting the sands pink and gold. In short, whatever your vibe, there’s a dune for you.
 
Maspalomas is a resort with layers. On the surface, it all looks beaches, buffets, and sunbeds, but wander a little and you’ll find desert landscapes, bird-filled lagoons, and a cosmopolitan vibe that mixes laid-back Canarian charm with international flair.

Whether you’re here for the golden dunes, the dining, or the dance floors, Maspalomas will give you a story or two to take home, and possibly a bit of sand in your shoes as well.