Closed
4.5 (5)•Closed black sand beach•La Orotava, North Tenerife
Playa de Los Patos is one of the north coast's most striking beaches: roughly 900 metres of black sand below the cliffs of La Orotava, without a breakwater or beach services. It is also not a beach to improvise.
The official La Orotava tourism page currently marks public access as closed for improvement works and lists the approach as under reconstruction. Do not climb fences or follow unofficial shortcuts. Check the municipal page again before travelling; until it explicitly confirms reopening, plan El Bollullo or another accessible north-coast beach instead.
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Blog context
Useful planning notes connected to this place: weather, transport, routes, and nearby decisions.
Traveler photos
Guest review summary
Commonly mentioned by visitors.
Older visitor accounts explain the fascination: a long wild black-sand beach, cliffs, solitude and a strong north-coast feel.
Surfers, bodyboarders and naturist beachgoers have historically valued the beach for its scale and raw setting.
Its identity is closer to remote La Orotava coast than to serviced resort beaches.
Public access is the core issue; do not rely on old directions without checking the current route.
There are no services or parking, and older access advice often describes unsafe or unofficial routes.
Open Atlantic waves and no breakwater make swimming highly conditional even if access reopens.
Recommended reviews
Mikk Mihkel Vaabel
Source: Google Maps
2 years ago
True 💎, absolute highlight of the trip. We went there two times after discovering it by following a dry riverbed. Free parking at the top of the riverbed track made it even more convenient, turning each visit into a delightful escape into nature's secluded haven.
Yosef Dayani
Source: Google Maps
4 years ago
Beautiful beach going there is a bit tricky so read carefully: Don't go by the Google location, park the car on the sides of San Diego streat and walk about 15 minutes to the iron gate in the picture, descend down until you see the yellow fence in the picture and crawl under it, then descend carefully in the cliff. There are some ropes that people put there so you can use but don't trust them too much. Check when the sun is above the cliff before you come, it should be in the afternoon. Enjoy!
Paul-Adam Fehr
Source: Google Maps
4 years ago
A secluded place that is probably one of the best beaches I have ever been to. Not a lot of people, clothing optional and around 700 meters of black sand make this beach truly special. Don‘t get distracted by the fences that tell you it is closed. It is not. Just wear proper shoes!
Juancho F
Source: Google Maps
2 years ago
Don’t come here!!! Go to the other entrance, the stairs more to the west. Google Maps and Waze will guide you on the worse road possible, and you’ll have to go through private roads and unsafe walkways.
Lovely beach and scenery. Go to the other pin
Sym Puskaric (Symism)
Source: Google Maps
6 years ago
Fantastic Beach!!!! A little hard to get to, there are two ways down. Google will direct you to the north end, but the way is steep and you have to park a fair way away. There’s a path that goes down right up from where the beach is from the road. The way is very steep and not suitable for mobility impaired persons. The old stairwell is dangerous and not passable, however if you continue past, you can find the path down. It’s quite steep and rocky, but passable. Once down, the beach is incredible! Not too many people and lovely black sand. Amazing beach and worth the 30 minute trek.
Old recommendations are stale here
Los Patos is still attractive on paper, but access status matters more than scenery. Until the municipal closure note changes, this is a closed-access beach in our catalogue.
KnowTenerife
No. The official La Orotava tourism page currently marks public access as closed for improvement works. Check it again before travelling, because this status can change.
Because it is a large, wild black-sand beach with cliffs and a secluded feel. Access status is the modern problem.
No. Treat it as an isolated wild beach without toilets, showers, lifeguards or beach bars.
El Bollullo is the more practical La Orotava black-sand beach when it is open and sea conditions are sensible.
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