Sandboarding in Maspalomas

The dunes of Maspalomas, at the southern tip of Gran Canaria, are a genuine slice of desert improbably set against the Atlantic: a rolling sea of golden sand, shifting in the wind, ending at the ocean and the old lighthouse.

Sliding down them on a board is a simple, sunlit thrill — the warm, forgiving cousin of snowboarding.

The island's year-round mild climate means it's an anytime activity, and the setting, with the sand meeting the sea, is genuinely striking. For beginners it is easy to pick up: point downhill on a soft, sun-warm slope and go.

One important caveat shapes everything here: the dunes are a protected Special Nature Reserve, and access is restricted to marked paths to preserve the fragile, moving ecosystem.

Free-riding across the reserve is not permitted, so this is a place to enjoy responsibly and within the rules, or on operator-run areas rather than the protected core.

Riding a board down soft, warm sand — the sandy, sun-baked equivalent of a gentle snowboarding session, without the cold or the lifts. It's easy to learn: on a suitable slope you point downhill and slide, walking back up between runs, which is the tiring part.

The setting is a striking desert-by-the-sea.

The crucial thing to expect is regulation: the Maspalomas dunes are a protected nature reserve where you must keep to marked routes and cannot ride freely across the sand, so plan to sandboard on permitted areas or through an operator, not on the protected dunes themselves.

Sun, heat and glare are constant — this is exposed, shadeless terrain.

Come any time of year — Gran Canaria's climate is mild throughout — and, crucially, respect the conservation rules: the Maspalomas dunes are a Special Nature Reserve, riding across the protected sand is restricted, and you should keep to marked paths.

Arrange boards and a suitable, permitted location through a local operator who works within the regulations rather than heading onto the reserve yourself. It's beginner-friendly and fine for older children.

Bring plenty of water, high-factor sun protection and sunglasses for the glare, and go early or late to avoid the midday heat. Wax the board's base for a faster slide, and expect a walk back up after every run.