Ride the Volcanic Waves: Your Ultimate Guide to Surfing in Lanzarote

Introduction: Discover Lanzarote: A European Surfing Gem

Lanzarote, an island within the Canary Islands archipelago, presents a compelling destination for surfers. Situated approximately 100 kilometers west of the South Moroccan coast, this island offers a unique combination of world-class surfing locations set against a backdrop of dramatic volcanic landscapes. The climate in Lanzarote is consistently sunny, dry, and warm throughout the year, which contributes to its appeal for surfers seeking reliable waves and agreeable conditions.With around 50 surf spots that cater to a wide range of abilities, Lanzarote has earned the reputation of being the "European Hawaii". This comparison suggests that Lanzarote provides a caliber and diversity of surfing experiences akin to the renowned Hawaiian Islands. The volcanic terrain distinguishes it from more conventional surf destinations, offering a visually unique setting for wave riding.

Find Your Perfect Wave: Lanzarote's Top Surf Spots

Lanzarote's coastline is dotted with numerous surfing locations, each offering distinct characteristics suitable for different skill levels.

Beginner-Friendly Spots

For those new to surfing or looking to hone their foundational skills, several beaches provide ideal conditions. Playa de Famara, a sprawling 6-kilometer beach break, stands out as a prime location for beginners and those looking to improve. Its consistent waves break across all tides and can range from 2 to 8 feet, ensuring ample space for surfers of all levels to spread out. The town of Caleta de Famara, situated nearby, is home to a multitude of surf schools, making it a convenient base for learning.

On the east coast, Arrieta Beach offers a different surfing experience. Its waves tend to be smaller, particularly during the autumn to spring period, which makes it a good alternative for beginners and intermediate surfers when the waves on the west coast are too large. Further north on the east coast lies Orzola Beach, a quieter option characterized by a long, gentle break that starts on a reef and finishes on the sandy shore. Surfers should be aware of a left-to-right current that moves towards the rocks in this area.

La Garita Beach, also located in Arrieta, benefits from a small seawall that helps to protect it from larger waves, creating calmer conditions that are particularly well-suited for beginners, especially in the summer months. El Barco presents incredibly long and mellow left and right reef breaks, making it an excellent spot for longboarders, stand-up paddleboarders, and beginner surfers who are starting to ride unbroken waves. Jameos del Agua, a left-hand point break on the north-east coast, offers long, easy waves that break over a sandy bottom. This spot works across all tides and with wave heights between 2 and 10 feet.In Costa Teguise, Las Cucharas is known for its tranquil waters and soft sandy beach, making it another favorable location for beginners interested in surfing, paddle surfing, and windsurfing.

Intermediate-Level Spots

As surfers progress, they can explore spots that offer a bit more challenge. While Caleta de Famara is excellent for beginners, certain sections of the beach also produce faster waves and barrels that can be enjoyed by intermediate surfers. As mentioned, Arrieta can also be suitable for intermediate surfers seeking smaller wave conditions. Similarly, while easier, Jameos del Agua can still provide an enjoyable ride for those at an intermediate level. La Santa Centre features a mellow and long reef break that is perfect for practicing maneuvers and catching smaller barrels.Caleta Caballo, specifically the left-hand break known as "Chicken Left," offers a reef break that works well at high tide and tends to be less crowded than the right-hand break, making it suitable for intermediate surfers. Punta de las Mujeres is a reef break that provides both right and left waves, though it can become quite busy.Finally, El Centrito de La Santaoffers long and manageable waves with a reef bottom, allowing intermediate surfers to work on various techniques.

Advanced-Level Spots

Lanzarote is renowned for its world-class waves that attract experienced surfers from around the globe. La Santa, often referred to as "The Slab" or "La Izquierda," is internationally famous for its powerful and hollow left reef break. This short, explosive wave breaks over a shallow reef and demands a high level of skill.Entering the water at La Santa can be challenging due to slippery rocks and the presence of sea urchins.

Another iconic spot is El Quemao, nicknamed "The Canaries Pipeline," known for its incredibly powerful and hollow left and right reef breaks that produce exceptional barrels. This spot is considered challenging and is frequented by experienced surfers. Localism can be a factor here. Surfers typically paddle out and in via the harbor.San Juan is a world-class left-hand barrel that breaks over a shallow vertical reef. This powerful and unforgiving wave is popular among local surfers and can become quite crowded. A fast, pin-tail surfboard is generally recommended for surfing San Juan.

El Muelle, also known as "The Harbour Wave," breaks over a shallow volcanic reef, offering both left and right waves. It performs best on larger north swells and is a favorite among local surfers. It is advisable to avoid surfing here on crowded days and during low tide. The right-hand break at Caleta Caballo is considered a very good and challenging wave that breaks at low tide.Complex Left is a long, big, heavy left-hand wave located to the north of the La Santa complex, known for its surprising large sets. Ghost Town offers a good and challenging right-hand wave at low tide and a left-hand wave (Chicken Left) that works at high tide. La Santa Right is an incredibly long and powerful right reef break that is suitable for maneuvers and barrels and can handle very large swells.

On the northeast coast, spots like El Cartel, La Hedionda, El Espino, and La Derecha del Lago offer fast, hollow, and shallow waves with volcanic reef bottoms. These spots are relatively difficult to access and are not recommended for beginners. La Cantería Beach in Órzola features several fun breaks, although it can be windy with strong currents. It tends to work best when the wind is blowing from the south, and there is a notable left break in the middle of the beach. In the southeast, Montaña Bermeja Beach offers a spectacular right-handed wave that is at its best during low tide. Other advanced spots mentioned include Pipeline, where bodyboarders and surfers often gather , Boca del Abajo, a super fast left breaking in shallow water , Morro Negro , and the various quality spots around the island of La Graciosa. Playa de la Canteria is a high tide spot that works well with northerly swells , while Las Bajas and El Papelillo are more easily accessible from Famara beach.Finally, Punta Mujeres offers both right and left reef breaks.

Surf Spot Summary

Surf Spot	Skill Level	Best Season	Primary Wave Type	Notable Characteristics
Playa de Famara	Beginner, Intermediate	All year	Beach Break	Consistent waves, long beach, many surf schools
La Santa (The Slab)	Advanced	Winter (Sep-Mar)	Reef Break	Powerful, hollow left, shallow reef, strong localism
El Quemao	Advanced	Winter (Oct-Mar)	Reef Break	Very powerful, hollow left and right, "Canaries Pipeline," localism
San Juan	Advanced	Winter	Reef Break	World-class left-hand barrel, shallow reef, can get crowded
Arrieta	Beginner, Intermediate	Autumn to Spring	Beach Break	Smaller waves than west coast, good alternative when west is big
Orzola	Beginner	All year	Beach Break/Reef	Long, easy break, left-to-right current
Jameos del Agua	Beginner, Intermediate	Summer (best)	Point Break	Long, easy left, sandy bottom
La Santa Centre	Intermediate	All year	Reef Break	Easy, mellow, long wave, good for maneuvers
Caleta Caballo	Intermediate (Left), Advanced (Right)	All year	Reef Break	Right at low tide (challenging), left at high tide (mellow)

Lanzarote's coastline presents a remarkable diversity of wave types, ranging from the gentle beach breaks ideal for those just starting out to the formidable reef breaks that challenge even the most experienced surfers. This variety ensures that surfers of all abilities can find suitable conditions throughout the year. While Famara is consistently highlighted as an excellent location for beginners, the concentration of advanced surfing spots around La Santa suggests that this area is a central hub for expert wave riders and potentially has a more intense local surfing culture. The east coast locations, such as Arrieta and Jameos del Agua, serve as valuable alternatives when the west coast experiences less favorable conditions, often providing smaller and more manageable waves. This indicates that surfers in Lanzarote may need to consider different parts of the island depending on the prevailing wind and swell directions to maximize their surfing opportunities.