Directly south of the twin resort towns of Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés is an enormous field of sand dunes called the Maspalomas Dunes. It is like a microcosm of the Sahara Desert, and the beach along this area extends over 5 kilometers. The beach goes by two names, even though it is one continuous area. The south-facing part of the beach is Playa Maspalomas, and the main point of access is at its far west end. The east-facing part of the beach is Playa del Inglés (same as the town), and the main point of access is at its far north end. A large portion of these two beaches is signed for nude use, and nudity is also quite common within the dunes as well. The area shaded in red approximates the nude area, which covers about 3 kilometers of coastline.

There are a number of small, square kiosks on the beach where snacks and beverages are sold, and at each kiosk there is a collection of lounge chairs and umbrellas. Each kiosk (or kiosco) is identifiable by a number and the name of the beach, and these kiosks can help you get oriented. (The kiosks are numbered sequentially, but there are some missing numbers.)

Assume that you enter the beach from the Playa Maspalomas end. Kiosk 1 is located near the parking lot and the lighthouse, along a textile part of the beach. Facing the water, go to the left (east). In 300-400 meters, you will reach Kiosk 3, which is also in the textile area. Continue about 300 meters farther and you will reach Kiosk 4 at the start of the nude area of the beach. At this kiosk, the lounge chairs are available for nude use. Beyond Kiosk 4, clothing is not necessary for about as far as you'd care to walk. Another 300 meters past Kiosk 4 is Kiosk 7, which is the last kiosk of Playa Maspalomas. This area is attended almost exclusively by gay men, and this part of the beach is one of the most renowned gay beaches anywhere in the world. Beyond Kiosk 7, the crowd begins to thin out. You would have to walk more than 1.5 kilometers past Kiosk 7 to reach the curvature of the land that is the dividing point between Playa Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés. This stretch of the beach is the most sparsely populated section.

Now assume that you enter the beach from the Playa del Inglés end. Facing the water, go to the right (south). Kiosks 1 and 3 are both along the part of the beach that corresponds to the huge parking lot, and there are numerous shops and eateries in this area. Continuing about 400-500 meters past the end of the shops, you will pass Kiosks 4 and 5, which are both still in the textile area. The nude area begins shortly past Kiosk 5, then Kiosk 8 is within the nude area. The curvature of the land that is the dividing point between Playa del Inglés and Playa Maspalomas is a few hundred meters past Kiosk 8.

Since Maspalomas is such a contained resort area, some visitors choose not to rent cars unless they are going farther afield. Taxi service is abundant and inexpensive. If you ask to go to Playa Maspalomas, you will be dropped off by the lighthouse. If you ask to be taken to the beach of Playa del Inglés (as opposed to the town of the same name), you will be dropped off next to the huge parking lot where all the shops and eateries are located. Another taxi hub is Club Hotel Riu (pinpointed), which is located behind the field of sand dunes. (Or arriving by car, it is also possible to find streetside parking near the hotel.) From the hotel, a walk of about 20 minutes across the dunes gets you to the nude beach. However, many visitors advise that it can be difficult to figure out which way you are going through the dunes if you want to head to a particular area of the beach.

more info (in Spanish) from Lugares Naturistas (and more here)

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GPS: 27.7381, -15.5704

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      San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria, Islas Canarias, Spain

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