Salemera Beach

Salermera from the road above: the beach is in the inlet at the right.

La Palma has lots of little beaches tucked away here and there, like Salemera. You take the main road from the airport to Fuencaliente, and just south of Mazo, follow the marked turning off. After four twisty kilometres, you wind up at the little village. It's easy to park.

The beach itself is tiny, but very sheltered. You don't have to worry that a big wave will come along and knock your toddlers off their feet. The lighthouse (built in 1992) is called "White sands lighthouse" (Faro de arenas blancas), but in this case, white is relative. To me, it looks like the same black, volcanic sand you get everywhere on the island, with perhaps 5% smashed shells.



I don't think many people live their permanently. Most of the houses look like beach huts, but there is a small café, with a kids' slide, open from Wednesdays to Mondays, noon to half-past ten (ten on Sundays).

Bookmark with:

Del.icio.us

Digg

Reddit

Facebook

Furl It

Newsvine

StumbleUpon

Rural Houses

There's an alternative kind of accommodation aside from the obvious hotels and pensions on La Palma, and that's casas rurales - country houses. As the name suggests, these are houses for rent in the countryside. It's self-catering accommodation, which is, of course, very flexible, and tends to suit walkers. The local government has a registration scheme, and they have a reputation for being demanding, which is good news for tourists. They're mostly very comfortable, and some have swimming pools. Since they're in the countryside, they're usually in very peaceful surroundings. The downside of that is that you probably need a hire car to go anywhere else. (Although some walking tours come complete with transport).



The photos are of the cheapest casa rural I know of, Casa Maria Cruz, in Puntallana. It was built as a family home in the beginning of the 19th century and has just been renovated to include 21st century comforts.



Prices vary from 50€ a day for two people to 70€ a day for four (babies free), minimum stay three days. This includes cleaning before and after your stay. More information at: http://es.geocities.com/casamariacruz/index.htm

The owners only speak Spanish. If you want to book in English, email me:

There's information on other country houses at: http://www.islabonita.es/

Bookmark with:

Del.icio.us

Digg

Reddit

Facebook

Furl It

Newsvine

StumbleUpon