Kayak to Papagayo beach and snorkel in the coves

The tour starts at Kayak Lanzarote's base on Calle Las Palmas, in Las Coloradas on the eastern edge of Playa Blanca; the entrance is at the back of the complex, down the street beside the hotel reception. After a safety briefing and a lesson in paddling technique, the group launches from Las Coloradas beach in sit-on-top kayaks and heads east along the coast of the Los Ajaches Natural Monument, past small beaches and under the cliffs, with a paddle into a sea cave on the way. There are stops to rest and take pictures, and the guide talks through the eruptions, the Castilian conquest, the pirate raids and the wildlife of the coast as you go.

At Papagayo beach the kayaks come ashore for a picnic, which the operator lists as fruit, chocolate bars and water. Then it is time to swim and snorkel: masks and snorkels are included, and the operator says it shows first-timers how to use them. After a last break on the sand, the group paddles back to Las Coloradas. The guide takes photographs, and video on some trips, which are included in the price.

Arriving from the sea is the point. Papagayo and the coves beside it sit inside Los Ajaches, a protected natural monument under Canary Islands law, and by land they are reached on a dirt track where Yaiza council charges non-resident cars 3 euros, a figure La Voz de Lanzarote reported in August 2025. From a kayak you see the cliffs from below, reach the coves without the track, and snorkel over the rocky seabed at the foot of them.

GetYourGuide lists the tour at 3.5 hours; the operator's own page gives 3 hours, so allow the longer figure. Kayak Lanzarote is the trading name of Ecotur Lanzarote SL, an active tourism company registered with the Canary Islands government (number TA-3-0006620). Its base, the operator says, has parking, showers, lockers and a shop, and the L30 bus stops at San Marcial, 400 metres away.

Of the kayak trips to Papagayo we found on GetYourGuide, this one has by far the most reviews: it was rated 4.8 from about 520 reviews on 26 October 2026, with the guides scored 4.9 out of 5. At 45 euros it was also the cheapest of them. The closest rival, a small-group kayak tour through Los Ajaches to the same beach, was 75 euros, rated 5.0 from only 7 reviews. A paddleboard and snorkel session from Flamingo beach in Playa Blanca was 49 euros for 2 hours, rated 4.4 from 43 reviews. Booking direct is not cheaper: the operator's own page lists adults at 50 euros and children aged 8 to 12 at 42, with 30% paid when you book.

If you would rather see Papagayo without paddling, the 1.5 to 3 hour mini cruise from Playa Blanca with a swim stop was 35 euros, rated 4.7 from about 440 reviews. For a longer, easier day, our Papagayo, under sail page covers Catlanza's catamaran from Puerto Calero, with lunch, drinks and hotel pickup from much of the island, at 85 euros. For a look further below the surface, see our first scuba dive.