Is Arguineguín safe? Crime, scams, sea, sun and health

By Terje Moy, editor · Published 25 October 2026

Yes, for most visitors: serious violence is rare and petty theft is the main crime risk. The things that actually hurt holidaymakers are the sea, the sun and unattended bags.

For most visitors Arguineguín is a safe, quiet place. The main crime risk is petty theft: bags left on the sand, phones on café tables, a wallet lifted in a crowd. Violent crime is rare. The risks that hurt more people, though, are not crime at all: the sea (currents and swell, especially where there is no lifeguard) and the sun (the UV index in the Canaries is among the highest in Spain). Both are easy to manage once you know what to look for.

This page gives the official figures and the British government's advice, and then the specific habits that matter in this town. It is general information, not a guarantee, and it is not medical or legal advice. Call 112 in an emergency; the emergency numbers guide explains what happens next.

What the crime figures say

The Interior Ministry's crime balance for 2025 covers the whole municipality of Mogán, which includes Arguineguín, Puerto Rico, Puerto de Mogán and the other resorts and their large tourist population. It records 2,062 offences in 2025, up 15.3 per cent on 2024 (the figures are provisional). Of those:

• 884 were thefts (pickpocketing and similar, up from 679), roughly 47 per cent of the conventional crime recorded;
• 14 were robberies with violence or intimidation (20 the year before);
• 53 were break-ins at homes and businesses;
• there were no completed homicides.

Read these as a pattern, not as a rate. The figures are for the whole municipality, and they count offences, not the chance that one will happen to you; with a tourist population this size, no per-person rate can be calculated from them honestly. The pattern is clear: theft is the crime you are likely to meet, and violence is the exception.

Theft: where it happens and how to prevent it

The FCDO's Spain advice warns about street crime and distraction theft, where thieves often work in teams. It singles out airports and luggage collection, and the moment you collect a hire car. Sensible habits:

• Do not leave a bag, phone or wallet unattended on the beach while you swim. Take turns, or take only what you need.
• Keep valuables in more than one place. Do not carry everything in one bag.
• Do not leave anything visible in a parked car.
• Keep a copy of your passport photo page somewhere separate, as the FCDO suggests.
• Save your accommodation's address in your phone's maps app.

Markets and crowded buses are where a quick hand finds a pocket. At the Tuesday market carry your bag in front of you. If you are robbed, report it to the police and ask for a copy of the report, which your insurer will want; see travel insurance, GHIC and EHIC.

Scams to know

The FCDO describes several that apply in Spain generally:

• Fake police. Thieves posing as police officers may ask to see your wallet. Real officers ask for ID, not for your wallet or purse, and all of them, including plain-clothes officers, carry official ID.
• "Highway pirates". They target foreign-registered and hire cars, flagging you down and saying there is something wrong with your car. If you stop, do it somewhere public and lit, such as a service station.
• Timeshare and holiday clubs. The FCDO tells visitors to be cautious about buying or selling a timeshare, because some companies use false incentives. Arguineguín and Anfi del Mar are timeshare country, so expect to be approached; your rights before you sign are set out separately, and the background to the resort is in the Anfi del Mar guide.
• Currency choices at card machines. Not a crime, but an easy way to overpay; see money, cards and cash machines.

The sea is the bigger risk

The FCDO says people drown in the sea and in swimming pools in Spain every year, that some island beaches have strong undercurrents, and that a red flag means you must not enter the water. It also advises taking extra care where there are no lifeguards, flags or signs. In Spain as a whole, press reports of the national lifesaving federation's count put drowning deaths at 472 in 2025, 89 per cent of them where there was no lifeguard.

What that means on this coast:

• Mogán's own beach listings show a lifeguard at Las Marañuelas, Patalavaca, Anfi and Taurito, and none listed at Arguineguín's Perchel beach or at Playa del Cura. Hours and seasons are not published, so check the flag and look for the lifeguard post on the day.
• Arguineguín's town beach and Patalavaca have calm water, but "calm" is not "no risk". Playa de Taurito is described as having moderate waves and currents, and the Mogán listing calls for extreme caution in swell.
• Do not dive into unknown water, and do not swim where a ravine runs into the sea.
• Keep small children within arm's reach in the sea and around pools.

The long version, with flags, currents and jellyfish, is on the beach safety page, and the nearest beach to the town is described in the Patalavaca beach guide.

Jellyfish and sea stings. The NHS advice is to rinse the sting with seawater (not fresh water), remove any spines or tentacles carefully with tweezers or the edge of a bank card, and soak the area in water as hot as you can bear for at least 30 minutes. Do not use ice, and do not urinate on it. Get medical help from the lifeguard, or call 112, if there is trouble breathing, chest pain or severe swelling.

Sun, heat and air

The Canary Islands' health authority said in July 2026 that the Canaries have the highest UV radiation in Spain all year, and forecast "extremely high" levels in most Gran Canaria municipalities for a spell in late July. The NHS advises at least SPF 30 with 4-star UVA protection, shade from 11am to 3pm and extra care for children. Full detail, including heat illness and children, is in sun, heat and UV on Gran Canaria.

Saharan dust, calima, is most frequent in winter (December to March). The health authority advises limiting time outdoors and avoiding hard exercise outside during an episode, and people with asthma or COPD should have medication to hand. See calima: when the Sahara dust arrives.

Health: where to go if something happens

There is a health centre in Arguineguín on Calle Damasco, with an emergency service when it was opened in 2006; current out-of-hours arrangements are not confirmed, so call 112 if it is urgent. There is no public hospital in the south of the island: the public hospitals are in Las Palmas, and the private hospitals in the south are Hospiten Roca in San Agustín and Hospital San Roque Maspalomas in Meloneras. A GHIC or EHIC is accepted at state facilities only, not at private hospitals, so you need travel insurance as well. Pharmacies, clinics and what each costs are covered in the health and medical services guide.

Tap water. There is no current official statement that the tap water in Mogán is drinkable, so do not assume it is. Most visitors drink bottled water, and the water supplied is treated desalinated water. Ask your accommodation what they recommend.

Other rules that catch visitors out

• You must show photo ID if a police officer asks, including local police and Guardia Civil. Carry a copy of your passport.
• Drinking alcohol in the street is illegal in some areas of Spain and can bring an on-the-spot fine; the FCDO notes strict controls on drinking and sexual activity in public places, including beaches.
• Illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties, even in small quantities.
• Balconies: the FCDO warns of serious accidents, some fatal, involving British visitors falling from height, and that insurers may refuse claims if you had been drinking.
• Driving: the police give on-the-spot fines, which are cut by 50 per cent if you accept and pay within 20 days, and drink-driving law is strict.

Is it safe for women, families and older visitors?

Women travelling alone and groups of friends follow the same advice as anywhere in Spain: keep an eye on drinks, share your location with someone, and save your accommodation address. Families should watch the water and the sun first. Older visitors and wheelchair users will find ramps, beach mats, toilets and transport described in the accessibility guide. Walkers heading inland should check the weather and carry water; the FCDO says temperatures can change quickly.

Arguineguín's harbour has also been a landing point for migrant boats in recent years. What that has meant for the town and its visitors is covered in its own article, not here.