Gran Canaria Blue

Gran Canaria

Nautical tourism destination

Gran Canaria, a nautical tourism destination

In Gran Canaria you will find the perfect conditions to enjoy the sea around the island all 365 days of the year. Its 236 kilometres of coastline, perfect water temperature and quality and its excellent infrastructures and services will allow you to practice your favourite water sport or just have fun like never before.

Watch dolphins and whales, go on a boat excursion, take a trip to the bottom of the sea, go fishing, ride the waves, slide across the water on your surfboard, practise windsurfing, or bodyboarding. These are only some of the many activities which can be practised in the waters of the island by those looking to have a good time, relax or, why not, feel the adrenaline rush while riding on a jet ski that can lift you up in the air and propel you through the natural resistance of the water. The choice is yours, leave the rest to us.
Tourism in Gran Canaria

Sailing along the coast

Under the influence of the so-called “Canary Current”, which branches from the Gulf Stream, the archipelago enjoys a milder climate than could originally be expected from its geographical position. This current combined with the effect of the trade winds contributes to experience a selection of weather conditions in a short period of time: quiet leeward coastal areas in the south, a windward coastline with big waves in the north and exciting areas with extreme winds known as the Wind Acceleration Zones (WAZ). Gran Canaria is therefore an ideal place to practice and enjoy any kind of water sport.

When sailing along the coast of Gran Canaria, it is important to know and consider some of its main characteristics such as the almost circular shape of the island, in addition to the trade winds and the mountainous orography in the centre of the island, where the highest point of the island reaches a height of 1,950 meters above sea level (Pico de Las Nieves).

The island’s peculiar orography creates a wind acceleration effect (WAZ) in the Easternmost and Westernmost points, of between 10 and 20 knots which, added to the general circulation of the trade winds of 15 to 20 knots, creates gusts of wind that can reach up to 30 knots, and provides a fun and exciting opportunity to enjoy sailing. This phenomenon must be taken into account when sailing along the different coasts of Gran Canaria, in particular when reaching the area of Punta de Arinaga (on the Eastern side of the island) and Punta del Descojonado (on the Western side), where winds tend to be stronger.

Nautical infrastructure

Gran Canaria is an island that embraces the ocean as proven by its marinas. Because of the seafaring nature of its people and the importance of the tourism sector, Gran Canaria has developed a very complete harbour infrastructure, which includes marinas and fishing havens.

All infrastructures are equipped with basic long-term mooring services, and they make many water sports possible. The island has a great number of harbours among which Puerto de Mogan, Puerto Deportivo de Puerto Rico, Puerto Deportivo de Pasito Blanco and Muelle Deportivo Marina Anfi del Mar are best known.

However, there is no doubt that Puerto de Las Palmas, the harbour of the island’s capital city, is the leading reference in harbour infrastructures. It boasts fantastic sport facilities and a commercial centre and is considered as one of the most important nautical installations of the Atlantic, both for the quality of its services and for its strategic position between continents.

The island of Gran Canaria has a long tradition of being a port of call among sailors crossing the Atlantic and heading for the Caribbean. This tradition was born more than 500 years ago, when Christopher Columbus made it fashionable to anchor on the island before crossing the ocean. Nowadays, many ships find in Gran Canaria the best port to carry out repairs or the provisioning of ships before starting the journey across the Atlantic. The marinas of the island also attract many boats sailing to Gran Canaria to spend the winter months in the warm climate of the island.

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The most varied selection of water-related activities

Water activities and entertainment for all the family 365 days a year.

Feel the high speed aboard a jet ski, walk on the waves just with a boost of water on a jetovator, enjoy a unique trip on board the world’s biggest sailing catamaran, relax on a private yacht, discover the ocean’s treasures on a breath-taking submarine trip or fly above the sea attached to a parachute… those are only some of the many activities you can practise in Gran Canaria to fully enjoy the sea.

Gran Canaria Blue has been designed as a tourist space which, thanks to the excellent weather conditions of the island, offers under the same brand, a wide range of water activities all year round, complemented by a varied choice of accommodation options in the island. Thus, Gran Canaria Blue is the best option to enjoy the sea with the highest guarantee and quality offered by all partner companies. Sailing, boat excursions, dolphin & whale watching, windsurfing, surfing, kayaking, power boating, parasailing, recreational fishing and scuba diving are only some of the many activities offered by Gran Canaria Blue so you can feel the greatness of the sea 365 days of the year.

Riding the waves: surfing and windsurfing

Gran Canaria has some spots where waves are incredible and which is why the island has become the perfect destination for wave-related sports, especially windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, bodyboarding and paddle surfing. Along the coastline, there are up to 23 spots to go surfing and bodyboarding away from the crowds, some places are even in unspoilt nature. First-timers also have the possibility to learn by visiting one of the many prestigious surfing schools on the islands so that they can enjoy these activities in a safe environment.

Windsurfers will also find some amazing well-known spots on Gran Canaria to indulge in their favourite activity, a discipline for which Gran Canaria is considered to be the second mecca worldwide, just after Hawaii. There are more than 21 great spots to practice windsurfing, some of the most important ones are the beaches of Pozo Izquierdo and Playa de Vargas, which are the locations for two of the trials in the World PWA Windsurfing Championships, where the greatest windsurfers in the world come to compete. All of this has made Gran Canaria a truly international reference.

Dolphin and whale-watching

Come and live this unique and amazing experience. You will be able to see spectacular species such as the bottlenose dolphin, the striped dolphin, the Atlantic spotted dolphin, the short-finned pilot whale, the common rorqual or the cachalot, and many others, all of this while remaining in coastal waters.

Cetaceans have been around Gran Canaria from time immemorial; there are historical references dating back more than 2000 years mentioning the island’s fabulous marine diversity. Thanks to the geomorphological and oceanographic features of Gran Canaria, its waters are home to a great number of dolphins and whales, both warm and cold-water species. Of the 79 species of cetaceans known worldwide, a total of 29 have been seen in Gran Canaria, which represent 34% of the world’s diversity. This fact has turned Gran Canaria into an impressive and unique biodiversity hot spot like no other.

Recreational big-game fishing

The great biodiversity found in the waters of Gran Canaria makes the island one of the best destinations in the world to practise this sport. This has been proven on several occasions thanks to the different records achieved and recognised by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). An extensive variety of species are caught in these waters, which is why records have been obtained with species as different as the the blue marlin, needlefish, swordfish, big-eye tuna, Atlantic bonito, barracuda, or albacore, among others.

This sport can be practised all year round thanks to the biological richness of the ocean and the favourable weather conditions of the island. Nonetheless, the best season for needlefish and tuna is from May to December. Various big-game fishing competitions take place on the island throughout the year, starting from different marinas in the south of Gran Canaria. The main area for big-game fishing is between Punta de Maspalomas and Punta del Descojonado (San Nicolás de la Aldea), which is where the greatest variety of fish can be found.

Travel by sea

A different way of getting around while enjoying stunning views of the coast. Road transport is not the only way to travel in Gran Canaria. You can visit some great spots on the island by travelling by ferry and other similar type of vessels, a quick, cheap and safe option with an extra fun touch.

Thanks to the great port infrastructures, the big and modern fleet of vessels and the unbeatable weather conditions, Gran Canaria can offer regular sea transport service all year round between the main ports and harbours of the south of the island: Puerto de Mogan, Puerto Rico, Arguineguín and Anfi del Mar.
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Gran Canaria and Sailing

The fantastic wind conditions and the mild climate of the island have made sailing one of the more widespread activities both for islanders and visitors. The main spots to go sailing on the island are the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, mainly the bay of Alcaravaneras and Las Canteras, and on the south coast, Maspalomas and Mogan. Gran Canaria is particularly well-known in sailing competitions on an international scale, as the national Olympic team is composed of sailors from the island.

Lateen sailing also deserves a special paragraph all to itself; this local sport follows a great tradition on Gran Canaria and shows the strong link between islanders and the ocean. This particular type of sailing involves small boats which are characterised by their triangular-shaped sails which are disproportionately large compared to the boats themselves. It is a real show that should not be missed, and which takes place on the coastline of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria between the months of April and October, to take advantage of the trade winds.

Scuba Diving in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria ist das perfekte Reiseziel zum Tauchen. Dank ihres vulkanischen Ursprung wird, jeder, der sich entscheidet, in ihren Gewässern zu tauchen, überrascht – nicht nur wegen des biologischen und ökologischen Reichtums ihres Meeresbodens, sondern auch wegen der Vielfalt und Schönheit der Unterwasserlandschaften. Die interessanten Zonen verteilen sich über die gesamte Küste, darunter Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Mogán, der Strand von Cabrón, Pasito Blanco, Sardina del Norte und Caleta Baja, neben vielen anderen Orten.

Whether you are an expert or a beginner diver, Gran Canaria has the best places for you. There are many scuba diving clubs and schools which open all year-round and offer courses, organise dives and rent any piece of equipment you need, all with the best safety and quality guarantees. Gran Canaria also has two hyperbaric chambers strategically placed in the north and the south of the island, so you can live a unique experience with total peace of mind.

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