Surfing in Gran Canaria – A Complete Guide

Hello 🙂 welcome to the ultimate guide to surfing in Gran Canaria. I would divide the surfing spots in Gran Canaria into the south and the north, with the south being more suited for beginners and the north offering bigger and stronger waves for the more experienced surfers. I will leave the spots on the west and east for another time.

Note: of course, there are many more spots in Gran Canaria than those mentioned in this article, but I have specifically listed only the ones I have personally visited 🙂

Surfing in Gran Canaria is definitely one of the things you’ll love about this beautiful island. Combined with year-round beautiful weather and European amenities, it offers a perfect surfing experience. Whether you’ve never stood on a surfboard before or you’re an experienced wave rider, and regardless of whether you’re 18 or 60 years old, everyone finds their waves in Gran Canaria (yes, it’s quite common to see a fit 60-year-old with a surfboard in hand strolling down the street, but that’s the beauty of it!).

This article is also intended for non-surfers because the mentioned beaches and the sight of people catching and riding waves are priceless 🙂

Surfing in Gran Canaria brings everything together, but of course, Gran Canaria cannot be compared even remotely to surfing paradises like Australia, Bali, South America, and the like.

Surfing itself is for me harmony with nature and something that gives me a completely different meaning to experience and feel myself and the sea (if you haven’t experienced it, you probably won’t understand), but rocking on a surfboard and waiting for the right moment when the wave comes that I want to catch is simply a whole different level of happiness and connection with the sea 🙂 When you’re riding the wave, you feel like the wave itself, just awesome (now I really feel like buying a ticket and going to GC for 2 hours to surf). Personally, I’m not a pro surfer and I tried surfing directly in GC for the first time 6 years ago.

Watch the webcams! Gran Canaria has a lot of webcams placed directly on the beaches that I will mention below. Just check a specific webcam right before you go and assess the wave conditions. That’s how I did it nonstop 🙂 and I’ll tell you, it saved us a lot of time and potential disappointment 😀 (when you’re looking forward to surfing all day and then you come to the beach with the sea as smooth as glass). Just google the webcam well (beach name + webcam).

For example, like this for Playa de San Agustin:

https://www.google.sk/search?q=webcam

Webcam San Agustin on the South, which I used daily. In this view, you can beautifully see surfers, which means the likelihood of waves is high 🙂 Surfers on the beach and in the water!

Surfing in Gran Canaria can be done year-round, but sometimes there comes a period of “dry spell” which usually doesn’t last more than a few days. The island can be nicely divided according to your skill level, with the southern part being ideal for beginners and the north for more experienced surfers.

Surf Spots – South Gran Canaria

In the north, as I mentioned, waves are almost year-round, while in the south, it’s more challenging and you have to catch a good period with a bit of luck. Even in the best conditions, don’t expect 2.5m waves there, as we’re all happy with any waves on the south 🙂 It’s an area ideal for beginners, as the waves are very small here. It’s also a great place when you go with friends or family who aren’t interested in surfing and just want to relax and swim… while you can try to catch some waves and surf, so it’s a win-win! Overall, there are several well-known and lesser-known spots here.

The first and my favorite (beginner) spot is Playa de San Agustín Beach – I have never found this spot mentioned anywhere as an official surf spot, but very rarely you can have a good ride here. It’s dear to my heart because this is where I learned to surf 🙂 The occurrence of good waves is minimal, but in 2020, when we lived here almost all year, there were good waves at least twice a week from September to June 🙂 However, when we stayed here again in 2022, during the same period, there were barely any decent waves, just once in about 2 months 🙁 A friend who lives here long-term (hi Jasmín) says that generally, you can expect good waves once every two weeks.

This is what Playa de San Agustin looks like when there are waves 🙂

Beach bottom: Sandy

Difficulty: Beginner

Rental: No (the nearest rental is Playa del Inglés)

Courses: Courses are conducted directly on the beach, but you need to arrange them with instructors in advance.

Keď nie sú až také vlny, tak zajazdiť si môžete aj na Paddle Boardoch.

The south is really for beginners who just want to ‘get a taste’ of surfing, and the most famous and popular spot is Playa del Inglés – this is a well-known beach for beginners, where you’ll find plenty of courses, instructors, and surf rentals (located behind the beach). In fact, this is where I tried ‘surfing’ for the very first time in my life. Erička and I found a group 4-hour course where we learned the basics and tried surfing on the white waves (meaning foam), the blue ones are the ‘real’ ones for professionals. Personally, I only saw a lot of pro surfers there a few times, as the waves here are really small and even that rarely.

This is how we tried it at Playa del Inglés as a pair 🙂

This is how we were excited before the surfing course at one of the surf schools on Playa del Inglés beach.

I purposely placed two beaches under each other, as they are a meter apart and when I was there, surfing was on the left side (looking at the sea from the town) by the lighthouse near the rocks. With these two beaches, it’s clear from the name that it will be a complete idyll. Here I saw a lot of surfers who were no longer beginners 😉 the waves were bigger and the current was really strong. It’s otherwise a beautiful place because at sunset you have a beautiful view of the lighthouse and the sand dunes, which looks like something out of a postcard. However, I didn’t surf much because we were there over the weekend (on Saturday) and there were so many surfers on the lineup that I was really afraid someone would knock me down 😀

This place is very interesting, we went there several times and I never saw waves here, so they are rather rare. It is very close to the well-known tourist beach Amadores. However, once I experienced such a great swell there that beginners and intermediates had a great time.

Two surfers in the photo arrived exactly when the swell started, so they must have known the conditions well. They caught some very nice waves and showed me that it’s possible to surf at Playa de Tauro too 🙂

Near Arguineguín is El Pajar, known for its reef. The waves here can be quite challenging, so it’s more suitable for experienced surfers. I’ve never been to this spot, so I can’t judge, but the waves here are probably rare since nobody really talks about or mentions this place.

So, this is the entire southern surfing coast of Gran Canaria (at least from my perspective), which offers ideal conditions for beginners and families, as well as for those looking for a more relaxed surfing experience. With its friendly waves and beautiful beaches, it’s a great place to start your surfing adventure 🙂 Remember, this is just the south of the island, and there are beginner surfing spots throughout the rest of the island as well.

PS: If you have any tips for another surfing beach in the south, be sure to write it in the comments or email me.

The north of Gran Canaria is more for truly experienced surfers, as the currents are extremely strong and the waves much larger. There are several beaches where you can surf to your heart’s content all year round!

Since we always stayed in the south and had a small rental car (my surfboard couldn’t fit inside), I never surfed in the north. I always wanted to rent a board, but it never worked out. One of the most famous and easily accessible spots is the first northern beach:

Playa de Las Canteras is basically in the center of the capital, Las Palmas, so you probably won’t miss it. It’s a place that even non-surfers will love, as you can watch dozens of surfers riding the waves from the promenade, which is perfectly situated three meters above the sea while enjoying a nice dinner or lunch. This beach is also suitable for beginners, as there are many surf schools here. It’s a very long shallow beach, which is somewhat divided into two parts.

Close to the shore, there are usually smaller, easier waves full of beginner and intermediate surfers, and further out (barely visible) are the pro surfers. These ‘two’ parts are divided by a rocky bottom, which is visible at low tide, so be extremely careful if you go to the back part to surf. I only went swimming there, and the current is incredibly strong!

In the video above, it’s clearly visible that even the north is suitable for beginners 🙂 There were so many surf schools at this spot.

The beach offers ideal conditions for all levels of surfing and is equipped with shops and clubs for lovers of this sport.

This is a beautiful beach, which I think is one of the most famous surfing spots on Gran Canaria. It is well known for its excellent surfing conditions. Located on the outskirts of the capital, Las Palmas, it offers a natural environment with stunning ocean views. The beach has a rocky and sandy bottom, creating diverse conditions for surfers. The waves are consistent and often large, making this beach ideal for advanced and experienced surfers… I didn’t dare.

Beach bottom: Sandy/rocky

Difficulty: Advanced

Rentals: Nearby on Las Canteras beach

Courses: no

Here we really have challenging waves, so it’s ideal for advanced surfers. There were brutal rocks and really pro surfers. Even such experienced surfers had problems there as seen in the video below… the waves were strong, and the current was crazy… the guy in the video was getting out of the water for about 15 minutes because the rocks are so big that if he wasn’t careful and didn’t wait for the right moment, they would have smashed him. For those who just want to watch, there’s a great spot for sitting right behind the playground.

This place is really only for pro surfers and is suitable for surfers with significant experience on reefs.

Consistent waves for professionals and a very strong current.

Significant right-hand waves, especially at low tide.

It’s right by the GC2 highway, and you can’t miss the beautiful view if you’re perhaps on a trip to Gáldar or Agaete. Suitable for all levels, with a sandy bottom, but very strong current.

This lesser-known spot on the northern coast offers strong waves and is less crowded compared to other popular spots. It’s ideal for advanced surfers looking for a challenge. The rocky shoreline adds to the beauty and excitement of this place. It offers opportunities for both left and right-hand waves.

World-renowned spot for bodyboarding, but also attracts advanced surfers looking for a challenge 😀 The wave breaks over a shallow volcanic reef and is known for its strong currents.

This place is suitable for all levels. The waves are consistent and strong, especially for bodysurfers. When we were there, we saw only 2-3 surfers and about 15 bodysurfers. The waves were super strong…

Beach bottom: Large rocks and boulders

Difficulty: Advanced surfers

Rentals: No

We discovered this beach because of its beautiful natural pool and not for surfing, but every time we were there, many people were surfing the waves in the back, as well as many bodysurfers. It’s a beautiful scene because you can see the island of Tenerife from there, but the waves are big, and the current is extremely strong.

Something from our accommodation and our favorite beach, San Agustín.