Gran Canaria is an idyllic island in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of West Africa. This location gives it a Goldilocks quality when it comes to the weather: year-round sunshine that’s never too hot nor cold, making it the perfect adventure holiday destination.
Because it’s an island surrounded by gloriously blue, warm water, it’s also perfectly suited to water-based activities, whether you’re after an adrenaline fix or want some relaxing, family-friendly fun.
Even if you don’t fancy getting in the water, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy being by the sea, soaking up the sunshine and moving to the rhythm of island life.
So, with help from Gran Canaria Blue, we’re taking a look at the best ways to enjoy the sea on the island as inspiration for your next trip.
Water Sports
For the thrill-seekers, Gran Canaria has everything you could want. Often called the ‘European Hawaii’, it’s an excellent surf destination, with reliable conditions for beginners and experts, and world-class surf schools like BD Surf School and South Coast Surf School that can help you start catching waves in no time.
If you’re after something a little more chilled, you can explore the coast in a sea kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard with Watersports Luis Molina. However, if you want to take in the opposite direction, you can take to the skies by parasailing with Canary Watersports.
Whatever your style of water-based activity, you’re bound to find it on Gran Canaria.
Family-friendly activities
Gran Canaria is a wonderful place to visit if you’ve got kids, with plenty of opportunities for fun and adventure that are perfectly suited for families.
If you’ve got older kids, then there are loads of water sports like the ones above that they’ll love. For kids of all ages, a trip aboard the Spirit of the Sea to go dolphin and whale spotting is a wonderful way to spend the day, with the chance to see everything from 30-metre whales to sea turtles and flying fish.
You can even explore underwater with Submarine Adventure, whose tours aboard the Golden Shark submarine let you get up close and observe fascinating marine life in its natural habitat.
Explore the island by boat
If you want to explore the island of Gran Canaria, one of the best ways to get around is by boat. Ferries like Líneas Salmón and Líneas Blue Bird offer efficient and easy trips to destinations around the island, so you can hop off and on between interesting towns and villages while seeing the beautiful coastline along the way.
With seabirds circling in the blue skies overhead and dolphins jumping out of the water alongside, travelling by boat is one of the joys of being on the island.
Discover the marinas
For those who enjoy sailing, Gran Canaria boasts a number of top-class marinas featuring everything you could ever want. Puerto Deportivo Pasito Blanco in the south of the island and Puerto de Mogán in the southwest both cater for sailors with fully-serviced marinas. Nevertheless, even if you don’t have your own boat, they offer boat rentals, excursions, and numerous leisure facilities like restaurants and shops, so they’re well worth checking out if you love the sea.
Sport fishing
Fishing in Gran Canaria happens year-round, with plentiful catch and exciting opportunities for sport fishing. In fact, the waters surrounding Gran Canaria are among the most bountiful that you can easily access from Europe, and it’s a world-class destination for marlin and tuna fishing.
If you’re interested in trying your hand at reeling in a prize catch, Fish On! offers charted affordable fishing trips that will give you a fantastic chance at landing a big one.
Where to stay in Gran Canaria to be near the sea
If a water-based holiday is what you’re after, then you’ll want great accommodation that’s near the sea, so you can really make the most of your time there.
Whether you want a quiet apartment with beach access, a luxury hotel for a couple’s getaway, or a fully-catered family-friendly hotel, we’ve picked a selection of the best accommodation in Gran Canaria that will also give you great access to the stunning ocean that surrounds the island.
Check out our picks for accommodation in the slideshow above or find out more here.
Find out more about water-based adventures in Gran Canaria
With affordable, regular flights from around the UK and a wealth of adventurous activities to do, we reckon Gran Canaria is a top choice of destination for anyone looking to make a splash and enjoy the best that the ocean has to offer.
You can find out more and start planning your adventure by checking out the Gran Canaria Blue website here.