Melenara: Black Sand and Coastal Experiences

Playa de Melenara gives the town of the same name a distinct coastal character: the beach is 350 metres long and has black sand. It has held the Blue Flag continuously, year-round, since 2000. Alongside the beach and swimming, an open-water swimming channel, a route along the coast and a range of cultural offerings shape the options available locally. If you choose Melenara as your destination, you can focus on different things: training in the water, exploring the coast, or art and seasonal activities.

Playa de Melenara: Beach and Supervised Swimming

Melenara offers supervised swimming year-round. Amphibious beach chairs, crutches, walking aids and therapeutic swimming aids are available. If this kind of support is important to your plans, the equipment listed provides a practical reference. Separate from this is the Merendero de Melenara, which has six tables, two of them adapted for people with reduced mobility. The information relates to supervised swimming and to the tables at the Merendero; these describe different aspects of a visit.

Swimming Channel and Ruta por la costa

Melenara is part of the buoy-marked open-water swimming channel between Salinetas and Charca de Taliarte. The Taliarte–Melenara–Salinetas channel is approximately 1,000 metres long and offers a safe area for open-water swimming training year-round. For swimmers, the orientation line is 100 metres from the coast and 50 metres from the navigation zone. These details about the channel’s length, route and orientation points are practical aspects to consider when assessing this option.

The Ruta por la costa offers a different focus. It begins at Playa de La Garita, passes through Melenara and ends at Playa de Salinetas; it takes approximately two hours. Participants learn about coastal geomorphology and tides along the route and discover the biodiversity of the intertidal zone. Unlike open-water training, the focus here is on coastal formations, the influence of the tides and life in the intertidal area. The two options therefore differ both in subject and in the time specified: an approximate length is given for the channel, and an approximate duration for the Ruta por la costa.

Art, a Shipwreck and a Summer Programme

Near the small pier at Playa de Melenara stands Neptuno, a 4.20-metre bronze statue by Luis Arencibia Betancor. It was inaugurated on 1 September 2001. Its location on the beach and the known details about its material, height and artist give the artwork a clear connection to the coastal town. If you are interested in public art, you can consider Neptuno a cultural attraction in its own right, alongside the activities on the water.

The Coreano shipwreck in Melenara Bay is a different point of interest. It can only be reached by boat. Half of the hull lies at a depth of 30 metres and is covered in gorgonians. Its location, depth and boat-only access clearly distinguish the wreck from the offerings described directly on the beach or along the Ruta por la costa.

Biblioplaya de Melenara is a recurring cultural attraction in summer. For the 2026 season, its offerings include free book lending, daily newspapers, internet access and reading areas. The cultural programme is aimed especially at children and families. Unlike the information about the beach and the open-water swimming channel, this offering is seasonal; the services and activities described apply to summer 2026.

Getting There via the GC-1

Access to Melenara is via the GC-1. After 10 kilometres, take exit 17 towards Melenara. Together with its varied coastal attractions, this route information provides a practical starting point for planning your trip: you can choose the beach, swimming training, coastal route or seasonal cultural offerings as the focus of your stay.

Discover more destinations: Ingenio, La Sorrueda, Comarca Oeste, Casas Nuevas, Moya, Santa María De Guía De Gran Canaria, Ojos de Garza, Puerto de las Nieves

For the main travel overview: Gran Canaria.