No. 28 - Its Gran Canaria Magazine

26
GET TO KNOW GRAN CANARIA I CONOCE GRAN CANARIA EDICIÓN 28
Playa de Arinaga
Crystal clear waters along the Eastern side of Gran Canaria
By Mathias Valles
Come and enjoy an exciting coastal destination
in the east of Gran Canaria that has
always captivated local visitors, but which
every year more and more foreign tourists are
being seduced by its charms. Located in the
municipality of Agüimes, this seaside treasure
is known as Playa de Arinaga and offers
a complete experience for anyone seeking relaxation
and fun in a wonderful setting.
The promenade at this seaside resort is the
most prominent feature, packed with palm
trees, other trees and sculptures adorning
its route. As well as providing stunning views
of the mountains, it plays a vital role as the
town's main access route. Therefore, discovering
the wonders that this promenade has
to offer from beginning to end as we walk
along it is an absolute must when visiting Playa
de Arinaga.
Our journey starts at the charming Muelle
Viejo, or old harbour, located next to a small,
golden sandy beach. It has been recently restored
and has an outstanding historical and
ethnographic value. As we go along, we come
across the old lime kilns of Arinaga, and next
to them, the Lime Museum, which houses a
restaurant and offers information about the
history of quicklime mining. Further on, colourful
sculptures of native fish enhance the
beauty of the promenade. Continuing southwards,
we go around a natural black sand
pool called Soco Negro, which is sheltered
from the waves and currents, providing the
perfect place to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing
swim.
As we walk along the winding route, we come
to El Muelle de Arinaga, the harbour area located
in the heart of the village. It is the liveliest
area of the town and is full of restaurants,
offering fine tapas and drinks. This quay is frequented
by fishermen, and a sculpture called
"El Pescador" pays homage to the rich fishing
tradition of the old village. As we continue
along the promenade, we pass the main
beach of the municipality, Playa de Arinaga,
a pebbled area that stretches for almost half
a kilometre and has been awarded the Blue
Flag since 2017. This environmental recognition
is awarded to beaches that offer excellent
facilities, such as toilets and showers,
safety standards and excellent water quality.
A few metres further on, at the southern end
of the town centre, we come to the end of this
promenade. Here the Salinas de Arinaga salt
flats await us, a place full of history and tradition.
Since their creation, these salt pans have
been a salt supplier for the fishermen who
fished in the Canary-Saharan waters. And
they are still in production today. Walking
through this place is like taking a step back in
time and immersing ourselves in the authenticity
of the salt industry.
It is also important to point out that the area
surrounding this promenade is a shallow water
marine reserve, home to various marine
species such as starfish, snails, rays, lobsters
and even seahorses. Thanks to this abundant
marine life and the quality of its waters, it is
considered one of the best areas for diving
and snorkelling on the island of Gran Canaria.
All along the coast, not only will we come
across places to enjoy the sea and have a
swim, but there are also areas specially adapted
for people with reduced mobility, with
access points and ramps. In addition, there
are public solariums where we can relax in
the warm sunshine and sit back on wooden
platforms, ideal for watching breathtaking
sunrises if we are up and about early in the
morning.
The beach also features a children’s playground
and floating platforms that are highly
valued by bathers. These are floating surfaces
measuring 2.5 x 5 metres, made up of
PVC cubes joined together and equipped
with a ladder to facilitate user access. Their
functionality is diverse: from allowing swimmers
who venture into deeper waters to rest
while swimming, to acting as diving boards
for plunging into the waters and enjoying the
most crystalline seabed of the Arinaga coastline.