Playa Canoa, located on the wilder north shore, attracts surfers, adventurers, photographers, and thrill-seekers with its rugged setting, large waves, volcanic outcrops, and massive wind turbines. A long and rough dirt road leads to the more or less abandoned fishing village.

Some days there are good sized surf waves, some days none, and then there are days when the waves are hammering the shoreline with massive cinematic sprays of water. There is a boat dock that is well-maintained but rarely used. Do be careful of the undertow and rogue waves; don’t swim, dive, or surf here unless you are a pro: there are no lifeguards present. As a caution, we would say this surf beach is for very experienced surfers only. The break leads up to a very unforgiving rock outcrop so make sure you bail out early, even if you are having an amazing ride.

There is a very small section of beautiful natural sand beach protected by the volcanic rock that provides a calm oasis for swimming (safe enough for families to enjoy). For pure wave energy and exploring, this is one of our favorite beaches.