Maspalomas Beach: Europe's Nudist Capital

Maspalomas baech is big enough for families and nudists Maspalomas baech is big enough for families and nudists

There is only one place in Europe where thousands of people gather every day to lounge around naked in the sunshine: Maspalomas Beach in Gran Canaria, Europe's unofficial nudist capital and the heart of the Gran Canaria naturist scene.

Maspalomas beach is vast: stretching from the Maspalomas lighthouse to the end of Playa del Inglés resort. The golden-sand beach is over six kilometres long and two kilometres wide, if you include the sand dunes. This means that there is plenty of room for everyone on the sand, nude or clothed. Both ends are topless (like all Gran Canaria beaches) but not nudist.

The nudist part of Maspalomas beach is right in the middle, in front of the big sand dunes. You can walk to it in about 15 minutes from either end and it is signposted. Not that you need signs to spot it! 

Most nudists gather around the beach bars: Their staff have one of the most surreal jobs on the island as nobody covers up when they feel like an ice lolly. Shy people and newbies head back from the sea and hide behind a dune until they get used to the freedom.

The LGBT nudist area on Maspalomas beach is easy to find as its beach hut flies a big rainbow flag. It blends into the main nudist area pretty seamlessly. The main difference is that the shorts and sunglasses tend to be more stylish closer to the flag.

Gran Canaria and Nudist Tourism

Nudism is a big draw for Gran Canaria, but you would never guess it from the tourist brochures. We are still coy about advertising our island as a place to come and even out the tan: Gran Canaria's position as a top nudist destination is 100% due to word-of-mouth. 

We've noticed from our website and blog traffic that nudism is a popular search term for people considering a holiday in Gran Canaria. Lots of people obviously like the idea of an all over tan but have never tried it. 

There are seven million active nudists in Germany and even one in seven Brits admits to going naked on the sand. That's a huge market for a tourist destination like Gran Canaria. Nudism seems to be getting more popular and lots of hotels now have nude sunbathing areas. 

Gran Canaria is big enough to accommodate all kinds of tourists. It's a huge couple's destination but also hosts an exuberant Gay Pride Festival every May. The island's laid back atmosphere and tolerance is one of its biggest attractions. We should make more of it!

What About A Festival?

Imagine a week-long festival of beach culture on the best beach in the Canary Islands: Beach volleyball, chilled-out music, cocktails, fire twirling, sand sculptures, a big market along the Meloneras promenade, etc. A laid-back celebration of everything that makes our beaches and island so popular.

As part of the festival, what about a series of nudist events such as a nude fun swim and a mass nude photograph in the dunes. How about some very retro naked volleyball?

A beach festival with nude activities in Maspalomas would be a guaranteed success as the beach is already full of people every day. At the very least, sales of sun cream and cold drinks would rocket for a few days!

What do you think? Would you come to Gran Canaria for a beach festival? And would you take part in nudist events like a swim or a photo? 

For detailed information about all of Gran Canaria's best nudist beaches, buy our Dare To Bare: Nudist Beach Guide to Gran Canaria

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  • How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer
    How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer

    Gran Canaria's hotels have to be licensed and offer a quality level of service as well as having insurance and complying with fire regulations. The same goes for the boats that take people out to watch dolphins, the companies offering jeep safaris, and even the holiday let apartments. 

    However, not everybody in Gran Canaria follows the rules. For example, there is a significant industry running illegal and uninsured transfers between Gran Canaria airport and the island's resorts. These cars, driven by locals and foreign-residents, are just private vehicles and the drivers are unregulated and uninsured. They don't pay tax and there is no way to hold them responsible if something goes wrong. 

     At Gran Canaria Info we believe that all people and all companies offering services to tourists should legal and above board.

    So, how do you know that your airport transfer service is legal and registered with the Gran Canaria authorities?

     Using legal Gran Canaria airport transfers

    It is quite easy to know if your airport transfer service is operating in a legal way because all registered transfers have the following...

     A blue license plate: Taxis and other public service vehicles in Gran Canaria all have blue plates.

    A VTC sticker in the window: This stands for Vehículo de Transporte con Conductor, the official designation for licensed transfer drivers ans chauffeurs.

    An SP sticker on the car: This indicates that the car offer a Servicio Publico or public service and is therefore allowed to pick up and transfer members of the public. 

    Parked in the transport zone: Official airport transfer vehicles don't park in the public car park of the airport. Instead they have their own parking zone right by the arrivals gates at the airport (next to the taxis and package tour buses). Your transfer driver therefore should not have to pay a parking fee before leaving the aiport. 

    How to spot an unlicensed transfer service

    Unlicensed drivers get away with offerring their service because they claim that they are just members of the public picking up a friend. They are allowed to stand at arrivals with a sign (just like any member of the public can).

    However, they also have to park their car in the public car park and will walk you there with your luggage, stopping to pay the parking fee at the meter. A licensed transfer driver does not need to do this because they have their own parking zone right by arrivals.

    Some unlicensed drivers don't even wait at the arrival gate because the official drivers recognise them and get annoyed. Instead they have to stand further away (often by the Spar supermarket or the car rental desks). 

    When an unlicensed driver drops you at the airport they will not want to be paid in a public area because this proves that they are charging rather than "transporting a friend" for free. 

    An unlicensed car will not have a blue license plate, or a SP or VTC sticker, and will often look like a private car (because it is a private car). 

    What's the problem with unlicensed airport transfers?

    Some people use unlicensed cars because they are the cheapest option and don't realise that they are unlicensed. 

    There are several problems with unlicensed services. The most obvious is that they are uninsured so if something goes wrong or there is an accident, you are not protected. The price that unlicensed drivers offer is only low because they cut corners (hopefully not literally). You have no way of even knowing if your unlicensed driver has a Spanish driving license, insurance and a good driving record. Licensed drivers are vetted regularly and must be fully insured and licensed to work.

    Another problem is that unlicensed transfers undermine the legitimate transfer drivers and businesses in Gran Canaria. Local drivers make a living from transfers and offer a legal, regulated service with minimum standards. Every time an unlicensed service undercuts them, it is effectively stealing from local people and the island economy.

    We believe that everybody in Gran Canaria deserves better!

    Gran Canaria Airport Transfer Services

    To find out more about the Gran Canaria airport transfer, see our Gran Canaria airport transfer article which explains the three different models; man/woman from pub with car, online transfer websites, and local transfer services.

    Or you can book a legitimate Gran Canaria airport transfer at a great price right here. Our service uses local drivers and supprts the island economy because all the money you spend stays in Gran Canaria.

    Alex Says: Using our service also helps the Gran Canaria Info team to keep providing quality local information here and in our Facebook Group

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