Playa Blanca (Spanish for “White Beach”) is the southernmost town of the Spanish island of Lanzarote. It is the newest resort on the island, and is part of the municipality of Yaiza.
Approximately a 40-minute drive (45 km) from the airport, it has a state school, a private school and a notary. Also the bustling Rubicon Marina, church, harbor with ferries to Corralejo on the northern tip of Fuerteventura and an industrial area on the entrance to the town. A public library was opened in April 2012.
In early October 2008, Playa Blanca became the first town on the Island to have a dedicated local bus service[3], rather than through buses only. The route follows a continuous loop from Faro Park in the west of the town, to Las Coloradas in the east.
The coastline around Playa Blanca is essentially one large 9 kilometre wide bay which is then broken up into three smaller, bays. From East to west these are Playa Dorada, Playa Blanca and Playa Flamingo. This basic geography means that the beaches in and around Playa Blanca are sheltered and ideal for swimming and sunbathing.
Marina Rubicon is situated about a 15-minute promenade walk from the town itself. It has markets twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays (both in the morning). The goods sold range from handcrafted gifts to local wines. Two hundred meters to the east of Marina Rubicon, Castillo de las Coloradas stands on the headland of Punta del Aquila. This watchtower was built between 1741 and 1744. It offered good protection through its robust circular construction and through its drawbridge. Its bell was sounded to warn that pirates were approaching the coast.
The Atlantic Ocean is to the east, west and south. From the inland edge of the town to the interior, the landscape is level and volcanic. The main road route to Playa Blanca is the LZ2, heading north from the town then eastwards to the capital Arrecife. The second significant road route is the LZ 702 mountain road heading north-east from Playa Blanca via Maciot and Femes, connecting to the LZ72 at an interchange near Uga.
The residents are an eclectic mix of American, British, Canadian, Canarian, German, Irish, and Spanish.