10 Best Activities in Lanzarote: kayak, snorkel, diving experiences

In the Canary archipelago lies an island of volcanic origin surrounded by one of the marine biospheres protected by Unesco. The combination of wind, sea and warm temperatures make water activities one of the best things to do in Lanzarote.

The alternatives depend on your creativity, adventurous spirit and love and respect for the sea, but in this post I'll tell you about my favourite experiences for diving, surfing, sailing or kayaking in this natural paradise.

Lanzarote's marine life will capture even the most sceptical of those "allergic to the sea". Once you arrive on the island your curiosity will be aroused to discover the secrets hidden beneath its turquoise waters. For all those who are eager to get started in the art of scuba diving, here is your special experience.

The first step is to receive a briefing from a PADI instructor, from whom you will learn the basic diving techniques for a safe and fun dive in shallow water. The instruction lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Then you and the small group of participants will head to the beach selected by the operator. Often the first dive is at Playa Chica in Puerto del Carmen, where you can see napoleon wrasse, parrot fish and much more.

This dive experience takes you to a depth of 5 metres. This is standard and you have the opportunity to increase the number of dives, which in turn allows you to access the depths of the sea to 12 metres or more, depending on the package you choose and your commitment to adventure.

This small group diving experience in Lanzarote can be done as a family, as children from 10 years old are welcome. Include this experience among the things to do in Lanzarote with children and get ready to discover the world from the depths of the sea.

Details of interest

• Price: From 70 €.
• Duration: 120 to 150 min.
• Time: morning.
• What the experience may include: Introduction to the basics of scuba diving. Professional SSI instructor. Use of diving equipment. A photo package as a souvenir. Round trip transportation from your hotel.

Did you know that Lanzarote is one of the largest marine reserves in Europe? How can you resist a respectful dive along its coasts? That's just what I propose you with this fun experience.

There is nothing better than leaving the crowds of tourists behind and diving into the underwater world of Lanzarote in a small group. With this activity you will be able to discover the secret life of the sea with a guided snorkelling excursion in Playa Chica.

It is ideal for beginners and all the necessary equipment is provided including wetsuit, snorkel, fins and mask. Plus, a friendly guide will help you get into the rhythm and make sure you have fun.

Details of interest

• Price: From 50 €.
• Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Timetable: morning.
• What the experience may include: Full snorkelling equipment. Instruction and guidance by a PADI certified diver. A small snack. Round trip transfers.

This is undoubtedly one of the best experiences you can have on Papagayo Beach. The adventure starts at your operator's facilities in the south of Lanzarote, near Playa Papagayo, where you will receive basic kayaking instructions and the necessary equipment to launch you into the sea.

Once you have received the basic notions, the group begins its tour accompanied by one or more instructors (depending on the number of participants).

While you navigate in your kayak, the monitors share anecdotes about pirates, the history of the island, the curious volcanic forms and the marine fauna present on the route to Playa Papagayo, where you can adjust your mask and go snorkelling.

This 3 hour activity is perfect to share with friends, family or as a couple, as up to 20 people are welcome. The experience is great and makes for a fun and enjoyable outing suitable for beginners and experts alike.

Details of interest

• Price: From €47.
• Duration: 3 hours.
• Timetable: morning.
• What the experience may include: snorkelling equipment and kayak boards. Expert guide service. Picnic.

Visits to museums are a regular part of travellers' itineraries. In Lanzarote you can't miss the opportunity to go to the south coast of the volcanic island to visit the Museo Atlántico de Lanzarote.

This is a kind of interactive visit, not because of the presence of large screens but because of the surrounding marine fauna. As you admire a selection of works by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor turned into artificial reefs, sardines, sea sponges, octopus, sea urchins, even shoals of barracuda swim around you.

This is a fascinating experience as it is the first underwater museum in Europe and is available for non-certified divers. The programme for this dive starts with an instruction by PADI certified divers who include an overview of the sculptures you will find in the museum.

The first step is preparation. In a pool you will learn basic diving skills. Then you head to Playa Blanca with your instructor to practice your first dive up to 6 metres in the sea.

After induction and practice, after a short break, it's time to head to Playa Blanca, where a boat will take you to the dive site.

There you will descend to 12 metres to begin your visit to the museum, where 10 groups of works such as the Hybrid Garden, the Human Whirlpool, the Immortal Pyre and Decontrol await you.

Details of interest

• Price: From 146 €.
• Duration: 5 hours.
• Timetable: morning.
• What the experience may include: Transfer to and from your hotel. Diving equipment. Introduction and dive guide. 2 dives (one try dive to 6 metres and one to the museum at 12 metres). Boat to the underwater museum.

Lanzarote has water and marine life in its DNA and offers its best experiences to lovers of marine fauna, as in this case.

At Lanzarote Aquarium you can swim with sharks and, unlike other aquariums in Spain, you don't need a diving certificate.

As you read it, at Lanzarote Aquarium the team of marine biologists and certified divers have the right experience for you. The options available are:

• Diving with sharks for beginners. No professional diver certification is required. Training is conducted on site and the experience lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Shark dive for certified divers. No training is required, only the presentation of the certificate and the desire to dive in the water surrounded by sharks. The experience lasts 2 hours.
• Hybrid shark dive. Apart from diving with sharks in the aquarium pools, a dive on the beach is also included for a complete training. The experience lasts 3 hours.

If you are between 12 and 17 years old you only need to make your reservation and be accompanied by your representative to the aquarium located in the Centro Comercial El Trébol in Costa Teguise. For those over 18 years old, a reservationwill be enough to live this adventure.

Details of interest

• Price: From 200 €.
• Duration: From 2 hours onwards.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 09:00 hours to 15:00 hours.
• What the experience may include: The visit to the aquarium. Diving equipment. Insurance. Free admission for one accompanying person.

With this activity you will be able to take the thrill of diving and snorkelling to another level by learning to freedive in the Canary archipelago.

Lanzarote is an ideal place to go freediving thanks to its warm ocean and crystal clear water, and if it's in small groups, all the better, as this experience offers. Although freediving can be practised almost everywhere in the south of the island, it is often the beaches of Puerto del Carmen that are chosen for this activity.

Always under the supervision of a certified diver, you will use buoys, guides and cables to dive in the water surrounded by sea turtles and rays.

Freediving is a natural way to dive into the underwater world and in Lanzarote the space is ideal to the point of being the venue for the Outdoor Open Freediving Championship.

The experience is enjoyable and the experienced instructors guarantee a safe and fun experience.

Details of interest

• Price: From 35 €.
• Duration: 3 hours.
• Timetable: morning and afternoon.
• What the experience may include: use of diving equipment. Continuous assistance from certified divers.

If you want to make the most of your diving experience in Lanzarote, this expert guided diving experience is perfect for you. This activity offers you the opportunity to go out with a PADI diving instructor on some of Lanzarote's best beaches in Puerto del Carmen.

If you're up for it, you'll get to see beautiful reefs, spectacular scenery and abundant underwater life. The guide makes sure to adapt the excursion to your individual needs according to your experience and weather conditions, so the excursion is done in small groups.

Just present your scuba diving certificate to join this exhilarating experience and dive into the depths of a different island, it's worth it.

Details of interest

• Price: From 45 €.
• Duration: 3 hours.
• Timetable: morning and afternoon.
• What the experience may include: Instruction and guidance by a certified PADI diver. From 1 to 10 dives, depending on the plan you choose with your operator. Snack between dives.

This tour stands out among the best day trips and excursions from Lanzarote thanks to its destination, Playa Papagayo, a beach that seduces with its vibrant colours and calm waters.

This experience begins with pick-up from your hotel. The excursion bus will take you through the main hotel areas of Lanzarote to take you directly to Puerto del Carmen. Once there, the ferry takes you to Puerto Calero while you enjoy the breathtaking views of the Canarian coastline and the open bar on the boat.

From Puerto Calero, a catamaran takes you to Papagayo Bay, where you can jump into the water with goggles and snorkel, kayak, swim or sunbathe in front of the sea.

At the end of the trip you will be taken back to your point of origin after a fun day in Lanzarote.

Details of interest

• Price: From 64 €.
• Duration: 4 - 6 hours.
• Timetable: morning.
• What the experience may include: all transfers by bus, catamaran and ferry round trip. Professional guide service. Open bar with beer, wine and soft drinks. Kayak and snorkelling equipment. Insurance. Lunch. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let your operator know, often this type of tour offers alternatives for vegans and vegetarians.

Excursions to La Graciosa from Lanzarote usually include some activities in addition to the sailing itself and the opportunity to get to know this small island.

This experience is a party on Lanzarote, or at least the lively atmosphere, the good food, the beach and the activities on the tour awaken that feeling. Lanzarote deserves to be celebrated, but in a different style, just like the island itself.

This boat tour in Lanzarote usually starts with a bus pick-up to take you to the fast ferry to the island of La Graciosa, at the northern tip of Lanzarote.

Areas included in the tour

They often include a shuttle service and pass through Lanzarote's main hotel areas. If your hotel is located around Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen, Arrecife, Costa Teguise or Puerto Calero, it will probably be on the route.

After the boat docks in the harbour of Caleta de Sebo, the capital of La Graciosa, you can wander around for 30 - 45 minutes at your leisure to have a look at this interesting place.

After the leisure time, a catamaran will take you to Playa Francesa, a beach with pristine and calm waters, perfect for snorkelling to see the marine fauna, or to take a kayak and appreciate the island.

Along the way a guide will share valuable information about the area while you and a group of up to 90 people discover the impossible shapes of this volcanic island, enjoy an open bar, snacks and a delicious lunch that is often prepared on deck for everyone's delight. After the 5-hour tour, you return to your point of departure.

Details of interest

• Price: From 68 €.
• Duration: 5 hours.
• Timetable: morning.
• What the experience may include: Bus transfers to and from the port. Snorkelling equipment. Luxury catamaran cruise. Lunch on board the boat. Open bar with beers, local vintage wines and soft drinks. Champagne toast. Trips to different beaches of the Chinijo archipelago.

This experience takes you to the oldest island in the Canary archipelago, Fuerteventura. A catamaran will be waiting for your group next to the harbour master's office in the Marina Rubicon in Playa Blanca, from where you will flank Lanzarote until you reach Isla de Lobos.

This tour is ideal for families and groups of friends who prefer to enjoy nature in privacy or perhaps celebrate a special event. It is one of the best experiences to get to know Fuerteventura from Lanzarote and for an affordable price between 2 and 12 people can join this adventure.

The combination of wind and waves is perfect for relaxing swimming or discovering the marine life by snorkelling.

Details of interest

• Price: From 480 € per group of up to 12 people.
• Duration: 4 hours.
• Timetable: afternoon
• What the tour may include: Transfer service to and from Lobos Island by catamaran. Professional guide service. Snorkelling equipment.