Monday, 28 January 2019 12:21

Gran Canaria Has Its Own Popcorn Beach

El Confital: Gran Canaria's popcorn beach El Confital: Gran Canaria's popcorn beach photosgrancanaria.com

Popcorn beach in north Fuerteventura has become an Instagram thing in the last few months but Gran Canaria has an equivalent spot on its north coast. 

El Confital beach, famous for its barrelling surf wave, peaceful boardwalk and views of Las Palmas city, even gets its name from the little white rocks that cover its shore.

Confite is an old Spanish word for a type of little white sweets made with sugar and cornflour that look just like popcorn and the Insta-famous little white beach stones. El Confital literally means 'the field of Confite'.

Actually, they aren't rocks or coral as some people have reported but rhodoliths: The remains of a type of red algae that grows in deep water in the Canary Islands. As this algae develops it grows a hard centre and when it dies these hard centres wash up on the shore.

There used to be a lot more confite at El Confital but much of it was collected and turned into lime to paint the nearby houses in La Isleta and Las Coloradas. 

However, if you head to El Confital at low tide and walk about halfway along the boardwalk you should find enough confite for a decent picture. Even if the tide has washed it away when you go there is plenty more to see and do at El Confital beach. 

There are aboriginal caves on the cliff face behind you and great views of Las Palmas city from the cross high above the beach. Or you can carry on past the end of the boardwalk and explore the rugged coast all the way up to the military fence. 

 

Published in Tip of the day

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Tip of the day

  • Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros
    Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros

    Save money and avoid rip-off bank charges while in Gran Canaria by paying in euros when using your credit or debit card.

    Many bars and restaurants in Gran Canaria, and in almost all European holiday destinations, give you the option of paying in euros or in your home currency. Opting for your own currency, while it may seem like the safer option, can add as much as 5% to the bill as it triggers dynamic currency conversion. 

    DCC basically means that the exchange rate is calculated at point of sale rather than by your bank. It allows you to see the total cost of the transaction in your own currency but adds up to 5% to the total because it uses a terrible exchange rate. 

    Since the extra money is shared between your bank and the merchant, some places will automatically bill you in your own currency and hope you don't notice. You have the legal right to refuse and void the transaction should this happen. 

    ATMs too

    The same applies when taking money out of ATM machines in Gran Canaria (and anywhere in Europe); Always choose the local currency option to avoid losing money to poor exchange rates.

    If you opt for the local currency option, using bank ATMs is often the cheapest and safest way of getting euros in Gran Canaria. It's far safer than having a big pile of euros hidden in your room or tucked into your shorts.

    More details in this Daily Telegraph article.

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