The municipality of Yaiza in Lanzarote has plenty to offer; by taking the LZ-703 coast road, you can visit the Charco de los Clicos (Green Lagoon) in El Golfo and the Salinas de Janubio. They are only a few kilometres apart, with Los Hervideros in between.
You can explore these stunning landscapes on a half-day getaway or a tour of this southwest coast of the island.
Where is El Golfo, and how do the stops connect?
El Golfo is a small fishing village in the municipality of Yaiza, on the south-west coast of Lanzarote. It lies just outside Timanfaya National Park, on its western side.
To get to Yaiza, take the LZ-702 and then the LZ-703 towards the coast. From Playa Blanca, the journey takes about 20 minutes, depending on traffic and stops along the way.
A typical route through this part of the island includes the Salinas de Janubio, Los Hervideros and the Green Lagoon.
It is well worth including in a trip around the south-west of Lanzarote, with several stops along the way. There you can take in the volcanic landscape and photograph unique spots.
Charco de los Clicos: Lanzarote’s Green Lagoon
Charco de los Clicos, also known as the Green Lagoon (Laguna Verde in Spanish) or Charco Verde, is a small lagoon with an intense green colour. It is in the village of El Golfo, in the municipality of Yaiza, on the south-west coast of Lanzarote. You can get there by taking the LZ-703 after the Salinas de Janubio and Los Hervideros.
This lagoon is a nature reserve within the Los Volcanes Natural Park, the protected area that surrounds Timanfaya National Park. It is actually a crater open to the sea, so the water comes from the ocean. It gets its green colour from the high concentration of plant organisms in suspension (phytoplankton).
On one side of the Green Lagoon there is a black-sand beach that separates the lagoon from the sea, but you cannot swim at that beach or in Charco Verde.
The contrast between the green of the lagoon and the black of the surroundings makes this place so spectacular to see and photograph.
It is free to visit, and you can get there by car or on a tour. There is a car park just 50 metres from the lagoon. There is a viewpoint next to the car park; walking along the path can give you an amazing view of the beach and Charco Verde.
El Golfo village: seafood by the sea
One of the must-see stops when visiting El Golfo is the Charco de los Clicos, also known as the Green Lagoon. But you also have black-sand beaches, volcanic craters and the fishing village with its peaceful atmosphere, where you can eat fried fish by the Atlantic.
Los Hervideros: a quick stop on the way
As we mentioned, Los Hervideros is also in the municipality of Yaiza, between the Salinas de Janubio and the Green Lagoon. You can make a quick stop to take in the views of this natural attraction.
Salinas de Janubio
From the Green Lagoon you can get to the Salinas de Janubio, located on Camino de los Hervideros s/n, 35570 Yaiza. It is just 10–15 minutes from El Golfo. The Salinas de Janubio is a landscape of geometric ponds built beside the ocean, between the Black volcanic coast and the Janubio lagoon.
The salt pans are still producing sea salt. In the past, Janubio was a bay; the Timanfaya eruptions altered the coastline, created the lagoon and shaped the land where the salt pans were built, which date from the late 19th century.
The ponds come in different colours: you can see white tones when the salt crystallises and dries, grey or silvery tones in the early stages of evaporation, and blue, turquoise or green depending on the depth, the light and the salt concentration. There are also pink, reddish or orange tones, caused by the presence of microorganisms and algae.
You can visit the salt pans on guided tours of around 90 minutes to learn about the production process. You can also take home some sea salt from the shop as a souvenir.
Janubio Beach is very close by, but swimming is not recommended because it is an open sea with very strong waves. What you can do is watch the sunset: as the sun goes down, you will see the light reflected in the ponds, bringing out their colours.
How to get to El Golfo without a car
It is not possible to do the south-west route by public transport, as there is no public bus service (guaguas) that drops you directly in the village. You could combine buses with a taxi or go straight there by taxi.
The most comfortable and hassle-free option is to take a coach tour or a day excursion, such as the Ruta de los Volcanes.
At Last Minute Transfer, we have tours that include El Golfo, such as the Grand Tour, which lets you see attractions across the whole island.
The South tour also takes you there, as well as to the Salinas and Los Herederos.
Best time to visit
Since one of the best attractions of this outing is the sunsets, we recommend doing your tour in the afternoon. You could start at around 16:00, beginning with the Salinas and making El Golfo your last stop.
FAQs
Can you swim in the Charco de los Clicos?
No. It is a protected nature reserve, and swimming is also banned at the nearby beach.
Is it free to visit the Green Lagoon?
Yes, access to the viewpoint is free, and the car park near the village entrance is free too.
How long do you need at El Golfo?
For a quick visit, you will need 30–45 minutes: walk from the main car park up the short, paved trail to the viewing balcony overlooking the Charco de los Clicos (Green Lagoon), take photos, and walk down to the black-sand beach.
For a longer visit, you can spend one and a half to two and a half hours enjoying fresh fish at the chiringuitos.
Visit the southwest of Lanzarote.
Visiting El Golfo in Lanzarote, the Green Lagoon and the Janubio Salt Flats will make you appreciate the wonders of nature. The colour contrasts you will see there are worth plenty of photographs, and watching the sunset there is an experience you won’t forget.
References
- https://www3.gobiernodecanarias.org/medusa/wiki/index.php?title=El_Golfo
- https://www.salinasdejanubio.com/visitas/
- https://turismolanzarote.com/que-ver-en-lanzarote-en-4-dias/
Specialist in the tourism sector of the Canary Islands with a proven track record in experience management in Lanzarote. My work has always focused on promoting iconic destinations and optimizing transfer and excursion services on the volcanic island.
