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Fuerteventura beaches
Beach of Santa Inés valley
Jul
In Fuerteventura it is impossible to fall into monotony when it comes to beaches. The east coast with its extensive and infinite sandy beaches, and the wild and untamed west coast, make this island one of the favorite destinations for those seeking a vacation full of experiences.
Fuerteventura has several beaches classified among the best in the world.
One of the coves that is taking the most boom in social networks, is the beach of the Valley. This cove has become very popular, especially on Instagram, as there are spectacular natural pools here.
Playa del Valle and its natural pools.
The beach of Valle de Santa Inés or Playa del Valle, is also known as Aguas Verdes, due to the urbanization that rises behind it.
This beach belongs to the historic municipality of Betancuria. It is located on the west coast of Fuerteventura, in a fairly rugged area. Playa del Valle is bounded by the mouth of the La Galera and El Valle ravines. Its length barely reaches 200 meters, while its average width is around 30 meters. The ground is composed of rocks and pebbles.
The main attraction of this beach is its natural environment, full of rocky cliffs and vertically arranged dikes. Nature has wanted to sculpt here a surprising and whimsical landscape, forming small natural pools. They are actually large ponds or puddles, in which two or three people can fit, no more.
These pools are filled with high tide, allowing bathing at low tide, when the wind and waves do not hit hard.
Bathing in one of these pools is a great opportunity to discover a different universe, in which all kinds of organisms coexist, from bourgeois and limpets, to lively crabs, mysterious starfish and colorful fish.
Brief history of Playa del Valle
This part of our coastline was already used by the aborigines of Fuerteventura. The mahos came here to fish, also to feed their goats. In the vicinity of the beach of the Valley there are several springs of fresh water, where abundant grasses grew.
After the Franco-Norman conquest and the subsequent Castilian colonization, Playa del Valle de Santa Inés, became an important enclave for the collection of salt. This salt was extracted from the natural cookers that, today, we can see in the overlaps near the sea.
In the 70s of the 20th century, this entire area began to be urbanized. They wanted to turn it into a small Benidorm, with more than 76,000 tourist beds. Hence, we see so many abandoned houses, half built, as well as parceled land with pre-installation of electricity, water, etc.
Among the most notable historical milestones that occurred on the coast of Playa del Valle, is the sinking of a ship.
On December 21, 1984, the container ship “Júcar” ran aground at Playa del Valle de Santa Inés, while covering the route between Puerto de la Luz and the ports of Gijón and Santander. For several days the beating of the sea on the freighter caused the containers to come loose. Thousands of merchandise washed ashore, which people were eager to collect. There were toys, oil, fruits, blankets, coffee, French perfumes, bottles of gin and whiskey, and even cleaning products.
The remains of the Júcar ship were finished removing in 2004, even so, there are still some vestiges on the seabed of the nearby coves.
Frequently asked questions about the beach of Valle de Santa Inés
How to get to Playa del Valle?
Playa del Valle is located about 10 kilometers from Los Llanos de la Concepción. To access this part of the coast we must take the detour on the FV-30, at the entrance to the town of Los Llanos de la Concepción. There are two signposts there. The one on the left side of the road says “Playa del Valle 8” and the other one, on the right side, “Aguas Verdes”. However, we leave you here the link of the detour.
Is it advisable to swim on the beach of the Valley?
The currents and the force of the waves on this coast are very strong. Playa del Valle is not a beach where bathing is recommended, especially if you go with minors. Every year there are fatal drowning accidents on this beach.
If you are going to bathe, do so with great caution and only when the sea is calm.
Are there restaurants on the Valle beach or nearby?
No, currently there is no restaurant or beach bar. If you go to this beach, keep it in mind, bring enough water and food to spend your day on the beach.
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