Once a sleepy little fishing village, El Cotillo is definitely expanding and becoming more and more popular as a holiday resort. In great part this is due to the incredible coast line with hide-away coves and warm lagoons. This is still very much a typically Canarian village and there are only a dozen or so bars and restaurants, but all of which offer warmth and friendliness and excellent menus including fresh fish and shellfish caught locally that day.

As you enter El Cotillo you can either take a left turn toward an enormous expanse of golden beach of Playa del Costillo with breakers that on some days will challenge the toughest and most accomplished of surfers. Further south are the remote and wild beaches of Playa del Ajibe de la Cueva and Playa del Aguila, but access to these is off road and suitable only for 4 wheel drive and there are sharp descents walking to the beach itself. Alternatively, you can turn to the right, heading for the lighthouse and the lagoons, which have created a barrier by molten lava that protects swimmers.