Photo: Handelsgeselschaft · CC BY-SA 4.0
What it is, and what it is not
The kiosks on Maspalomas beach are numbered seasonal bars with public toilets, spread along the almost three kilometres of sand between the lighthouse and Punta de Maspalomas. Number 7 is the one the community has made its own: LGBTQ+ people from half of Europe gather around it, above all during Pride week. It is not a private venue or a festival site: it is a stretch of public beach, open to everyone, where nudism is the norm rather than the exception. Towels go on the sand between the kiosk and the water; the dunes at your back are a nature reserve and are not part of the beach.
House rules
The sand belongs to everyone, so the usual beach manners apply: ask before you photograph anyone, respect the space of the towels next to you and take home what you bring, because the wind carries litter straight into the reserve. The Cabildo's good-practice leaflet is explicit: sunbathing, resting and nudism belong on the beach, not inside the dunes, where staying put, camping and having sex are all forbidden.
When to go
Mornings are quiet and the sea is usually calmer; in the afternoon the mood lifts, people drift down from the hotels and the light on the dunes is the best of the day. In May the sun is strong even when the trade wind blows: sunscreen, water and some shade. If you stay for sunset, bring plenty of water.
Tips
- Wear trainers or sandals for the walk: midday sand burns.
- Nudity yes, photos no: ask before you take out your phone.
- Do not cut across the dunes to save time: it is the most fragile part of the reserve and it is forbidden.
- The kiosks have public toilets; showers and sunbed and parasol hire are mostly on the lighthouse side.
