El Bollullo Beach, Tenerife: access, parking and tips

Playa de El Bollullo is a cove of fine black sand, about 200 metres long, tucked below a cliff in El Rincón, La Orotava's protected area of banana plantations between Puerto de la Cruz and the valley. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in the north of Tenerife and also one of the most awkward to reach: since December 2025 La Orotava City Council only lets residents and workers through by car and has closed the private car parks at the end of the track, so you have to leave your car roughly a kilometre and a half earlier and walk down, or arrive on foot from Puerto de la Cruz in about 45 minutes. The sea is powerful all year round and there are no lifeguards: it is a beach for looking, walking, sunbathing and surfing if you are experienced, not for swimming with children.

Fact sheet

Area and municipality: El Rincón, on the coast of La Orotava, east of Puerto de la Cruz.
Sand: fine black volcanic sand, with rocks in the water.
Approximate length: about 200 metres long and about 40 wide, according to Turismo de Tenerife.
Waves and safety: strong all year round, with currents; swimming only when the sea is calm.
Lifeguards: no.
Facilities: a restaurant at the top of the cliff, drinks and food for sale, and sun lounger and parasol hire in season; no showers.
Blue Flag 2026: no.
Accessibility: no; the final descent is a path with steps.
Parking: since December 2025, only on the access road roughly a kilometre and a half before the beach; the private car parks at the end are closed.
TITSA bus (guagua): no line reaches the beach; the practical way to get there without a car is to walk from Puerto de la Cruz.
Best for: scenery and photography, experienced surfers, hikers, a beach day without buildings.
Drawbacks: the walk in, the traffic restriction, the rough sea and the lack of lifeguards.

What has changed about access

For years you drove down a track between banana plantations to the restaurant's car parks, next to the cliff, and from there reached the sand in a few minutes along a stepped path. In December 2025 La Orotava City Council ordered those private car parks to be closed and fenced off, based on technical and legal reports stating that their use breaches the 1992 law protecting El Rincón; since then only residents and workers can drive through. The Council announced that it was studying alternatives, such as minibuses, widening the road or creating passing places, but as of autumn 2026 none had been put in place. In practice, you have to park far away and walk along a road with no pavements and with residents' traffic: wear comfortable shoes, bring water and, in summer, avoid the middle of the day.

How to get there

On foot from Puerto de la Cruz. This is the most pleasant option if you are staying in the town: from the centre it takes about 45 minutes along the coastal path heading east, between banana plantations and with views of the cliff.

By car. From the northern motorway (TF-5), head for the El Rincón area on the coast of La Orotava. Respect the fences and signs: the last stretch is reserved for residents and workers. Park on the authorised edges of the road, without blocking the carriageway or farm entrances, and continue on foot for roughly a kilometre and a half. At the end, a path with steps leads down from the restaurant to the sand; the climb back is harder than the descent.

By bus. No line goes down to the beach. If you are using public transport, go to Puerto de la Cruz and walk from there. The guide to getting around Tenerife summarises the lines in the north.

The sea and safety

El Bollullo faces north, with no breakwaters or jetties to hold back the Atlantic. The waves are strong most of the year, rip currents are frequent and the waves break close to the shore, so swimming only makes sense when the sea is calm, without going far out and with company. There are no lifeguards: if the sea is rough, the beach is for looking at. Experienced surfers make the most of it when a good swell comes in; if you are still learning, go to a beach with a surf school.

The cliff around the beach is part of its appeal and also a risk: do not sit right below the rock walls and respect any cordons. At high tide the strip of sand shrinks.

What's nearby

Los Patos: one kilometre to the east, the classic naturist beach of the north remains closed because of rockfalls, with no reopening date as of autumn 2026. Do not go down the closed staircase.
Puerto de la Cruz: Lago Martiánez, the harbour, the Paseo de San Telmo and Playa Jardín, the town's urban beach with breakwaters and facilities.
La Orotava: the historic centre of old mansions and balconies is a few minutes away by car. You will find it, along with the rest of the valley, in the guide to what to see in the north of Tenerife.
Natural pools: if the sea is too rough for swimming, the natural pools of Tenerife offer alternatives in the north.

Best time to go

Time of day. Go in the morning: the walk is cooler and in summer the trade winds usually bring clouds to the valley coast from mid-afternoon. The black sand gets very hot in the middle of the day; wear shoes to cross it.

Time of year. From May to September there are more days with a calm sea; from October to March the northern ground swell turns the beach into a show of waves, superb for photography and not at all advisable for swimming. On weekdays and outside August you will find very few people.

Frequently asked questions

Can you drive to El Bollullo?

Only up to a point. Since December 2025 the last stretch has been reserved for residents and workers and the private car parks at the end are closed, so you have to park roughly a kilometre and a half before and walk.

How long does it take to walk from Puerto de la Cruz?

About 45 minutes from the centre along the coastal path heading east, according to Turismo de Tenerife. At the end there is a stepped descent to the sand.

Is it safe for swimming?

Only when the sea is calm and with caution: the waves are strong all year round, there are currents and there are no lifeguards. With children, choose Las Teresitas or a natural pool.

Is there a restaurant or facilities?

There is a restaurant at the top of the cliff and, in season, drinks for sale and sun lounger and parasol hire. There are no lifeguards and no adapted access.

Is Los Patos beach open?

No. Los Patos, the neighbouring beach, remains closed because of the risk of rockfalls from the cliff and as of autumn 2026 had no reopening date.

Keep planning

The best beaches in the north of Tenerife: the rest of the north coast, with closures and access.
What to see in the north of Tenerife: La Orotava, Puerto de la Cruz and Garachico.
The best hikes in Tenerife: coastal and mountain walks in the north.
The best beaches in Tenerife: the island's selection by type of plan.