Camping Playa de Vargas

Sand basking, scuba diving, surfing and wildlife watching are a teeny pick of what you can get up to around Las Palmas and Gran Canaria, on the beaches, in its waters and inland at its nature areas. The site is a short stroll from a protected natural area, full of wildlife, native trees and walking trails; several paths from here lead to some of the region's old salt mines. A hydrotherapy centre, shops and night entertainment are also within a few minutes' walk. The wind and waves of Vargas beach make it a popular place for kitesurfers, windsurfers and surfers all year round, and paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing and diving during the calmer summer months. Four beaches belong to Las Palmas city to the north: Las Canteras, the longest at over three kilometres, Las Alcaravaneras, a top spot for sailing, canoeing and yachting, La Laja, a favourite of Gran Canaria surfers, and Confital, also a surfing hotspot and the site of the qualifiers for the professional world surfing championship every year. To the south of Gran Canaria and 25 minutes' drive from the site is the tourist town of Maspalomas, the most popular destination in the Canary Islands and part of the Natural Reserve of the Dunes of Maspalomas.