The Papagayo beaches are a string of five or six sheltered coves tucked into the volcanic cliffs about three kilometres east of Playa Blanca. Each cove is separated from the next by a rocky headland, giving them a feeling of seclusion despite the numbers that descend in summer. The water is clear and calm, the sand white, and the setting — low reddish cliffs, lava fields running down to the sea — unmistakably Canarian.
You reach them by paying a small toll at the entrance barrier (around €3 per vehicle) and driving down a rough track, or on foot along the coastal path from the harbour (about an hour). Playa Papagayo is the most popular and has a beach bar; Playa Mujeres just to the west is slightly smaller and gets a bit less traffic. Both are worth the walk from the car park. Sunbeds and parasols are available for hire at the main beach.