El Juncal beach is 120 metres of smooth pebbles at the mouth of a barranco with high sea cliffs on each side. The water here is almost always calm and clear.

Its main attractions are the pristine setting and the excellent snorkelling just off the beach. If you're lucky, the resident pair of Barbary falcons, one of the last in Gran Canaria, will be whizzing about above you.

Get to El Juncal beach by taking the El Cardonal turn off from the GC 2 between Galdar and Agaete and driving through the greenhouses until you get yo the car park. Unless you have a 4WD the road ends here and you walk down into the barranco to the beach. Off-roaders can shave 10 minutes off the trip by driving down to the beach. Alternatively walk to El Juncal from Agaete (the drop into the barranco is steep) or take a short boat ride from Sardina or Puerto de Las Nieves harbours (no commercial service).

Nudism is fine at El Juncal, but most local nudists go to Guayedra beach the other side of Agaete.

El Juncal is also called Playa del Puertito (Little Harbour beach) because there used to be a little fishing wharf next to the beach.