Playa de Sotavento

When travel magazines rave about the most beautiful beaches in Europe, Sotavento reliably lands in the top 5. And rightly so: This 9 km long strip of sand on the southeast coast of the Jandía Peninsula is a natural force in itself — endless white sand, turquoise lagoons that form at low tide, and an almost surreal play of light between sky and water.

Sotavento actually consists of several interconnected beaches:

• Playa de la Barca: The northern section, venue of the annual Windsurfing & Kiteboarding World Cup (July). At low tide, a huge lagoon forms here — ankle-deep, warm, unrealistically beautiful.
• Playa de Risco del Paso: The middle section, popular with windsurfers and kiters. Wide sandy area that invites mudflat hiking at low tide.
• Playa de Sotavento (in the narrower sense): The southern part, somewhat more sheltered, with the Costa-Calma hotels in the background.

The special thing about Sotavento is the tidal dynamics: At low tide, the sea retreats hundreds of meters, leaving behind shallow, warm lagoons between the sandbank and the beach — perfect for splashing, for children, and for those Instagram photos where you seem to walk on water. At high tide, the beach transforms into a paradise for windsurfers and kiters.

Infrastructure: At Playa de la Barca, there is a beach parking lot (free), a simple beach bar (Chiringuito, drinks €3–5, snacks €6–10), and surf schools. In the rest of the beach: nothing. That's the charm.