Surfing in La Graciosa: How to get there, where to sleep, school, waves and beaches – La Graciosa Island Info
In the 80’s La Graciosa was a diamond in the rough, today declared the eighth island of the Canary Islands, it is still one of the surfers’ jewels of the Canary archipelago, one of the wonders of the Canary Islands for surfing!
A paradise for advanced surfers, there are no surf schools on the island, not suitable for beginners.
La Graciosa is one of the few corners of Europe where technology and modernity have not yet arrived. In La Graciosa there are two villages you can visit, Caleta de Sebo where the ferry docks and where you can find all the services for tourists (restaurant, supermarkets, excursions, diving centre, bicycles to rent and where to stay) and the village of Pedro Barba, in the north of the island (where there is almost nothing).
How to get to La Graciosa from Lanzarote airport:
You must travel to the village of Órzola (Municipality of Haría), to do this you must take a bus from the airport to the bus station in the capital of Arrecife and transfer to another bus to take you to Órzola, here I leave you the website of buses in Lanzarote, where you can see timetables, itineraries and prices www.arrecifebus.com, an adventure in which you can take approximately 3 hours to get to Órzola.
Please note that the last boat usually leaves around 17.00h, so if you arrive late at the airport it is best to spend the night in a hotel in the capital.
Car rental in Lanzarote
Hotels in Arrecife:
www.hotellancelot.com
www.hoteldiamarlanzarote.com
Another good option if you are only going to La Graciosa for a few days is to hire a car with airport pick-up and arrange it before your arrival on the island, you can leave it at the Órzola pier without any problem and on your return you will have your transport to visit Lanzarote.
Manage the car yourself, excellent prices with a car hire company in Lanzarote with no tricks, no surprises, 100% honest.
Once you reach the quay of Órzola and the inner peace begins, “the clock stops”, all you have to do is wait for the Ferry, a boat that will take you back to the 20th century. Amongst unpaved roads, unspoilt beaches and few houses you will find the inner peace you have been longing for.
To visit the island of La Graciosa by ferry we recommend you visit the websites www.lineasromero.com or www.bioesferaexpress.com where you can see the boat timetables and different prices, they usually change during the winter, the boat trip takes 35 minutes to where the ferry docks.
What to do on the island of La Graciosa:
Diving school, surfing courses, sport fishing, hiking excursions, bicycle rental, 4×4 excursions. You can hire any of these services when you arrive on the island, on the same pier where the ferry leaves you you will find the bike rental shops and right next to them you will see a few 4×4 cars waiting for a tourist to ask for the service. It’s also a beautiful island for those looking to surf in the Canaries.
Accommodation on La Graciosa:
In Caleta del Sebo there are two guesthouses (Pension Enriqueta and Pension Girasol) and you can get private flats by asking in supermarkets, restaurants, bike shops or the 4×4 drivers themselves, they all know each other and will do their best to help you, you can also book accommodation before your arrival on platforms such as airbnb.es.
www.apartamentoslagraciosa.com
www.elsombrerito.com
www.evitabeach.club
Enriqueta Guesthouse 928 84 20 51
Where to eat in La Graciosa:
Almost all the bars and restaurants can be found on the same avenue, there are not many to choose from but fresh fish is guaranteed. Perhaps without giving more votes to one than another, I will mention the restaurant Los Marineros and the restaurant of the pension Enriqueta for home-made food (it is the star of the sancocho canario).
The bakery on the same avenue makes delicious sandwiches and sweets, and you can also buy soft drinks, beer and water here.
The supermarket is also on the same avenue and you have another one a few streets up (the supermarket of Margarona, the mayoress).
Surfing in La Graciosa – Incredibly good waves:
Very good quality waves suitable only for experienced surfers, in La Graciosa surfing is not recommended for beginners or intermediate surfers, there are no surf schools on this island, if you are looking to learn surfing I recommend our surf school in Canaries we offer courses for all levels and if you want we offer surf packages with accommodation in Lanzarote, the surf camp is 100 meters from the beach and within the nature reserve of Famara.
The best waves on the island of La Graciosa:
- The French (the island’s diamond)
- Yellow Mountain (epic tubing sessions)
- El Corral (a paradise)
- The Medusa
- El Basurero
- Livestock
- La Concha
- The Bone
The best surf sessions on La Graciosa are from October to the end of April, a surf trip not to be missed during the winter, if you are an advanced surfer you can enjoy a good surfari on La Graciosa, as long as you know how to respect the locals, you will be welcome here.
We have to warn you that the localism on this island is quite radical, if you are lucky you might find a wave with no surfers at all, take advantage, it’s your turn! They usually go late to surf although the epic days are the first ones when they are at the peak, they are generally good people but they love the tranquility and they already have enough to share the waves with all their brothers the Lanzaroteños, who usually go to this island every time good waves come in and as anywhere in the world, if you know how to respect them you can surf!
Beware of hedgehogs and especially hedgehogs that are poisonous, you can tell them apart by the size of their quills (those with large and fine quills).
PS: To start getting any local surfer to like you, either in La Graciosa or anywhere else in the world, the first thing you have to do is to travel alone or at most with a friend…if you go in a group you start badly!
