Puerto Rico beach, Gran Canaria: facilities, water sports and what to expect

By Terje Moy, editor · Published 25 October 2026

Puerto Rico beach is a 284 m bay of golden sand and boulders next to the marina, with calm water, a lifeguard, sunbed hire and water sports. It is small and popular, so go early.

Puerto Rico beach (Playa de Puerto Rico on the council's list) is a compact bay of golden sand and boulders, 284 metres long, with the resort's marina beside it. Mogán council lists calm water, a lifeguard, toilets, showers, sunbed hire, nautical rental, water sports, restaurants and bars, and step-free access. It is the beach of a purpose-built family resort, which is exactly what it feels like: well equipped, convenient and busy on a sunny day.

It is about 7 kilometres from Arguineguín by road, so most visitors from the town come by bus, boat or taxi. This page is about the beach; for the resort and its streets, hills and shops, see Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria.

The beach in numbers

The council's page gives the length as 284 metres, describes the sand as golden with boulders, and the water as calm. Access is marked easy and the accessible icon is shown. The setting is urban, with apartments and hotels stepped up the valley sides behind the sand. There is no council crowding rating for this beach, but a small bay fills quickly: sunny weekends and school holidays are the busy times.

Swimming and the marina next door

The bay is sheltered, and the regional tourism board calls it a beach suited to children, where the sea is calm at any time of year. The marina sits beside the sand, which has two consequences. Boats and water-sports craft come and go nearby, so swim in the part of the beach where bathers are, and heed the flags and buoys. And the harbour makes it easy to turn a swim into a boat trip.

For the calmest, flattest water in the area, many families head on to Amadores, which is walkable along the coast. The island-wide rules on flags and stings are in beach safety on the south coast. In an emergency call 112.

Water sports and boat trips

The council lists water sports and nautical rental at the beach. A water-sports operator, Gran Canaria Water Sport, has its base on Calle Puerto Base in Puerto Rico and offers jet ski, parasailing and flyboard. The operator's own site gives no current price; check on the day. The wider picture is in jet ski, parasailing and other water sports.

Dolphin and whale trips leave from the Puerto Rico marina. Operators cannot guarantee sightings, and under Spanish rules for whale-watching boats must keep at least 60 metres from the animals and nobody may swim with them. Read dolphin and whale watching from Arguineguín before you book, and treat any "guaranteed sighting" pitch with caution.

The scheduled coastal boat is a different thing: Líneas Salmón runs between Puerto Rico, Anfi, Arguineguín and Puerto de Mogán. Its published adult fares from Puerto Rico are €8 single and €14 return to Arguineguín or to Puerto de Mogán, and €5 and €8 to Anfi (checked October 2026). See boats from Arguineguín.

Getting to Puerto Rico beach from Arguineguín

By bus. Global's lines 91, 33 and 39 all call at Puerto Rico from Arguineguín. The airport fare to Puerto Rico on line 91 is €5.45, according to AENA, against €4.95 to Arguineguín. Timetables, including the Saturday-only picture for line 33, are in buses in and from Arguineguín.

By boat. The Salmón service above takes you into the marina beside the beach.

By car. Puerto Rico is about 7 km from Arguineguín (roughly 11 minutes without traffic). Turismo de Canarias says the beach has a car park, but no tariff or capacity is published. The resort is built on steep slopes, so expect hills and steps if you are staying above the beach. For more, see parking in Arguineguín and taxis.

Children, buggies and wheelchairs

The beach is among the easier ones for families: calm water, sand, showers and toilets together. Mogán lists step-free access and the accessible icon, but which mats or amphibious chairs are out on a given day is not published; ask the lifeguard. Wider advice is in accessible Arguineguín. The resort also has the Angry Birds Activity Park, a play park for ages 3 to 13 on Avenida de la Cornisa, for a day off the sand; the Cabildo's tourism pages list it. More ideas in family-friendly beaches around Arguineguín.

The Sunday market and eating by the sea

Puerto Rico has a farmers' and craft market in the Parque Urbano every second Sunday from 08:30 to 14:30, with live music; the council publishes the dates for the year on its market page. It makes a good start to a beach day. The beach and the marina have restaurants and bars; individual places are not named or rated because opening hours change, so look at the menu board before you sit.

Sun and shade

The Canary Islands health authority treats UV as high all year in the islands. Bring a hat, a shirt and a high-factor sun cream, and use the shade of the hire parasols if you want a break at midday. There is more in sun, heat and UV on Gran Canaria.