Last updated: September 2026
Puerto Rico Gran Canaria holidays are consistently among the most popular Canary Islands choices for UK families, and it is easy to see why. This compact, purpose-built resort on the south-western coast of Gran Canaria combines a beautiful sheltered beach with calm, safe waters, excellent water sports facilities, a lively harbour, and a wide range of family-friendly accommodation — all under near-guaranteed year-round sunshine.
Puerto Rico sits in a natural amphitheatre in the cliffs above the sea, giving the resort a sheltered character that keeps the beach waters remarkably calm compared to more exposed parts of the south coast. The compact layout means that everything — beach, restaurants, shops, and activities — is within comfortable walking distance, making it a particularly practical resort for families with young children.
The main beach at Puerto Rico is the resort’s centrepiece — a long, sheltered strand of golden sand with calm, shallow water protected by a natural bay and a marina breakwater. The water conditions are ideal for families with young children, and the gentle gradient into the sea makes paddling and swimming comfortable even for non-swimmers. Sun loungers, parasols, and beach facilities are available throughout the season.
The beach is backed by the resort promenade and a row of beach bars, and water sports equipment is available for hire directly from the sand. The Puerto Rico beach is consistently clean and well maintained, and the sheltered bay ensures good swimming conditions even when conditions elsewhere on the coast are choppier.
There is also a smaller nudist beach (Playa del Amadores) a short walk east of the main resort, which has a particularly attractive sheltered bay with fine golden sand imported from the Sahara and crystal-clear calm water. Playa de Amadores is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches on Gran Canaria.
Puerto Rico is the water sports capital of Gran Canaria’s south coast. The marina and harbour are the departure point for a huge range of sea-based activities including deep-sea fishing charters, whale and dolphin watching trips, glass-bottomed boat excursions, parasailing, jet-ski hire, and sailing lessons. Several well-established dive schools operate in the area, and the underwater conditions along the rocky coastline west of Puerto Rico are among the best on the island.
The sheltered beach waters are excellent for beginner kayakers and paddleboarders, and banana boat rides are a perennial family favourite. Boat trips along the coast to secluded beaches — including the dramatic Playa de Güi Güi, only accessible by boat — run regularly from the harbour and are a highlight of any Puerto Rico holiday.
The Aqua Park (Aqualand) water park, approximately 5 km along the coastal road towards Maspalomas, provides a full day of entertainment for families with children and includes a wide range of slides, rides, and pools for all ages.
Puerto Rico has a compact but well-stocked dining scene, with restaurants and bars spread through the resort’s commercial centres — CC Puerto Rico and CC Cita — and along the harbour front. The range covers everything from British pub food and pizza to fresh grilled fish, tapas, and Chinese restaurants. The harbour-front bars and restaurants are particularly enjoyable in the evening, with views across the marina and Atlantic.
The nightlife in Puerto Rico is lively but considerably more family-friendly than Playa del Inglés. Most of the entertainment is centred around the commercial centres and includes live music, karaoke, and tribute acts rather than late-night clubs. The resort winds down earlier than its eastern neighbours, making it a better fit for families with younger children.
Puerto Rico’s central position on the south-western coast makes it an excellent base for day trips in both directions. Puerto de Mogán and its famous “Little Venice” marina are about 15 km to the west and easily reached by bus or water taxi. Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas are approximately 20 km east, accessible by regular bus services or taxi. The coastal water taxi service running from Puerto Rico to Puerto de Mogán is one of the most enjoyable ways to travel along the south-west coast.
Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) is approximately 40 km from Puerto Rico. Transfers take around 40–45 minutes by coach or taxi. Return transfers are included in most UK package holiday prices.
| Airport | Gran Canaria Airport (LPA): approx. 40 km |
|---|---|
| Beach | Sheltered golden sand bay, calm safe waters |
| Best for | Families, water sports, active holidays |
| Highlight | Playa de Amadores and water sports harbour |
| Climate | Sub-tropical, 20–27°C year-round |
| Flight time from London | Approx. 4 hours |
| Currency | Euro (€) |
| Language | Spanish |
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Puerto Rico’s main beach — Playa de Puerto Rico — is a compact, sheltered arc of imported golden sand at the base of the horseshoe bay. The beach is never very large but the intense blue of the water, the surrounding white apartment terraces climbing the hillsides and the reliable calm conditions make it one of the most popular beaches in Gran Canaria’s south. Sun loungers fill early in July and August; the smaller Playa de los Amadores beach, 1 kilometre east, offers an overflow option with similarly calm conditions.
Amadores beach is technically a separate resort but functions as Puerto Rico’s secondary beach. The water here is crystalline — a turquoise that photographs remarkably well — and the beach is managed to a high standard with regular cleaning and quality sun lounger facilities. The restaurants on the Amadores promenade are generally well-regarded, with several good fish restaurants facing the sea.
Puerto Rico marina is the water sports capital of Gran Canaria. Fishing charters targeting bluefish, tuna, marlin and wahoo depart daily from the marina, with the waters off the southwest coast of the island particularly productive for big-game fishing from July to October. The marina’s Game Fishing Club runs the annual Gran Canaria Open, one of the most established blue-water fishing tournaments in the Atlantic.
Whale and dolphin watching excursions from Puerto Rico marina consistently deliver the highest sighting rates in Gran Canaria. The resident population of short-finned pilot whales in the waters southwest of the island are regularly encountered on 3-hour catamaran excursions from the marina. Bottlenose dolphins ride the bow wave of the larger catamarans — a reliable and exhilarating experience for all ages.
Puerto Rico’s compact, hilly layout and the calm beach conditions make it one of the most family-friendly resorts in Gran Canaria’s south. The resort has a good range of family-oriented hotels and apartment complexes on the hillsides above the marina. The holiday village format — most guests are within 15 minutes’ walk of the beach — suits families with young children who prefer short distances between accommodation and the sea.
Puerto Rico’s marina is one of the busiest and most commercially diverse in the Canary Islands. In addition to fishing and dolphin-watching charters, the marina accommodates a fleet of sailing catamarans, glass-bottom boats and private charter yachts. The promenade around the marina is well-supplied with restaurants — the fish restaurants at the marina end are generally the best value, where the daily catch comes off the boats and directly into the kitchen. The Terrace Amadores restaurant above the marina is a popular choice for sunset views over the bay.
Puerto Rico’s harbour also serves as the base for the inter-island catamaran service connecting Gran Canaria to Fuerteventura. The crossing takes approximately 2 hours and departs once or twice daily, making a day trip to Fuerteventura’s Corralejo or Morro Jable beaches technically possible for those staying in Puerto Rico on a holiday of 10 nights or more.
Puerto Rico’s restaurant scene covers an unusually broad range for a resort of its size. The combination of Canarian fish restaurants, British-style pubs, Italian trattorias and international fast-food outlets reflects the diverse European clientele. The Sunday market at the marina car park is a good source of local produce, handicrafts and the ubiquitous Canarian food products — papas arrugadas kits, mojo sauce, local honey and aloe vera-based preparations. The commercial centre above the marina has a pharmacy, supermarket and several banks with ATMs.
Puerto Rico’s dramatic topography — apartments built into steep terraced hillsides descending to a flat marina and beach — is both its most distinctive feature and the aspect that most surprises first-time visitors. The walking distances between accommodation and the beach are short in linear terms but often involve significant staircases or steep paths. Many apartment complexes provide their own lift access to the hillside terraces. The resort’s hills are also responsible for the deeply sheltered bay conditions — the encircling ridges block the prevailing north and northeast trade winds almost completely, making Puerto Rico one of the calmest and most reliably sunny spots on the island.
Puerto Rico is widely regarded as Gran Canaria’s best family resort. The beach has calm, sheltered waters with a gentle gradient ideal for young children, the resort layout is compact and walkable, and there is an excellent range of family-friendly activities including water sports, boat trips, and the nearby Aqualand water park. The nightlife is lively but not overwhelming, making the resort comfortable for families in the evenings.
The resort’s commercial centres have good supermarkets, pharmacies, and a range of restaurants that cater to children’s tastes. The compact, hill-backed layout means the beach and main facilities are always within a short walk, reducing the logistical effort of a family beach holiday.
Puerto Rico is the water sports hub of Gran Canaria’s south-west coast. From the marina and harbour you can organise deep-sea fishing, whale and dolphin watching, glass-bottomed boat trips, sailing, diving, snorkelling, parasailing, and jet-ski hire. The beach offers banana boats, paddleboard hire, and kayak rental. Boat trips to secluded coastal beaches only reachable by sea are a particular highlight.
Several professional dive schools operate in Puerto Rico and the surrounding area, with sites ranging from beginner-friendly shallow reefs to more challenging wreck dives. The warm, clear Atlantic water maintains good visibility throughout the year, making Puerto Rico a year-round diving destination.
Playa de Amadores is a beautiful golden sand beach a short walk east of Puerto Rico, widely regarded as one of the finest beaches on Gran Canaria. The sand is fine and golden (imported from the Sahara desert to improve the beach), and the bay is very well sheltered, producing exceptionally calm, clear turquoise water. It is slightly quieter than the main Puerto Rico beach and has a more upscale feel.
Sun lounger and parasol hire are available on Amadores, and the surrounding hotel and apartment complexes include some of the best-appointed properties in the Puerto Rico area. The beach has good facilities including restaurants and beach bars directly on the sand, and the snorkelling along the rocky edges of the bay is excellent.
Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) is approximately 40 km from Puerto Rico, and transfers take around 40–45 minutes by taxi or pre-booked coach along the GC-1 motorway and the coastal road. Most UK tour operators include return airport transfers in their Puerto Rico package holiday prices.
The resort is also served by regular local buses running along the south coast, connecting it to Puerto de Mogán, Playa del Inglés, and Maspalomas. A water taxi service running along the coast to Puerto de Mogán is a scenic and enjoyable alternative to the road for day trips.
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