Amadores Beach: Gran Canaria's Half-moon Holiday Paradise

Amadores beach in south Gran Canaria Amadores beach in south Gran Canaria

The blue water and white sand at Amadores gleam in the sunshine and, along with the restaurants, make it the island's most popular tourist beach.

If you like your sand natural and your surroundings peaceful then this isn't your beach. But if like most people, you like a beach with plenty of facilities and life, then Amadores is perfect. 

Lex says: Amadores is the only beach in Gran Canaria where you can eat a curry right by the sand. Head to the Happy Valley on the west side of the beach.

Amadores was created with sand dredged from off the south coast when Puerto Rico beach got too crowded so it was designed to cater to sun-loving tourists. There's 800 metres of white sand, plenty of parking, a gorgeous walking path from Puerto Rico, dozens of bars and restaurants right by the sea, and more loungers and parasols that you can shake a selfie stick at. 

The beach right in the sunshine pocket in south-west Gran Canaria so it's sunny for over 320 days per year. The shallow water is calm and warms up quickly in the sunshine so it's perfect for families. Snorkelling at Amadores is surprisingly good if you swim close to the breakwaters on either side of the beach. 

Alex says: Snorkel early in the morning as the water is clearer and you'll see more fish.

 It's difficult to rate the restaurants at Amadores because there are so many choices (we're doing our best to try them all). The Ciao Ciao restaurants in the middle do great pizza and ice cream and Happy Valley does excellent Indian food. We always advise people to avoid restaurants with aggressive touts and a couple do push the boundaries at Amadores. 

For pedalos and diving, head to the pontoon at the east end of the beach. 

If the crowds at Amadores put you off, then there's an alternative just next to the beach. The upmarket Amadores Beach Club lets you lounge by the pool in style and the restaurant, while more expensive than most in south Gran Canaria, is superb. There's a fee to use the pool area (about 15 euros per day) but you can just eat at the restaurant. The Memsahib fusion restaurant is a nother upmarket option. It overlooks Amadores beach from behind the roundabout.

Getting to Amadores

Get to Amadores from Puerto Rico by walking along the safe one kilometre clifftop path that starts in the Puerto Escala marina. It takes about 20 minutes with a stop to admire the turquoise waters. You can also walk to Amadores from Playa del Cura along the dirt path that runs past Tauro beach.

Blue bus lines 1, 32 and 33 stop at Amadores all through the day. The bus stop is about two minutes walk from the beach. Amadores is only a few minutes by bus to Puerto de Mogán and Puerto Rico and about 25 minutes to Maspalomas. If you prefer taxis, then there's always plenty at Amadores beach. 

Currently, the little bus that ran up the hill to the higher parts of Puerto Rico isn't running. Ask your accommodation if they provide a courtesy bus. 

Additional Info

  • Lifeguard: Yes
  • Calm water: Yes
  • You're sitting on: Sand
  • Sand colour: Tropical white
  • Looks best at: Sunset
  • Nudist: No
  • Hippy rating: 1
  • Lat/Long: 27.790717, -15.723395
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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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