El Charco Azul in La Palma

El Charco Azul is a must if you visit the island of La Palma. These volcanic natural pools sit on the coast of the municipality of San Andrés y Sauces, in the north-east of the island. We visited as a family and here's our experience.

El Charco Azul at a glance

• What it is: volcanic natural pools (a large one, a children's one and the Charco de las Damas, with a small waterfall)
• Where: San Andrés y Sauces, in the north-east of La Palma
• Price: free (showers cost 0.50 €)
• Facilities: car park, showers, changing rooms, parasols, a lifeguard (Red Cross) and the Bar Charco Azul
• Ideal for: families with children (there's a kids' pool)
• Worth knowing: these are volcanic-rock pools (bring water shoes) and they can close when the sea is rough

Getting there and parking

There's a parking area, though it's small. You can go down from the car park in a few ways. If you go down the right-hand side, there's a fairly steep tarmac road. We didn't take the pushchair down, but you easily could — we saw other families do it. On the left-hand side there are some steps.

Best time and tide

As they're natural pools, they depend on the state of the sea: with swell or a storm they can close for safety, so it's worth checking the forecast before you go. With kids, it's best to avoid the midday sun.

We visited El Charco Azul in the afternoon, after spending the day exploring the island's capital, Santa Cruz de la Palma. Our little one was just 7 weeks old, so we couldn't spend all day in the sun. We arrived around 17:00 and there were quite a few people, mostly locals.

The three pools

El Charco Azul is made up of three pools of different sizes: a large pool, a children's one and a medium one, known as Charco de Las Damas, which has a little jet inside, like a waterfall. And do you know the best part?… These pools are completely FREE!

At El Charco Azul there's no sunlounger service, and it has several stone platforms where you can lie down and sunbathe, though they're not very comfortable. We'd recommend bringing an inflatable mat to lie on.

I'll admit that, even though I was really keen for a swim, I didn't get in the water. The day was cloudy and the water was freezing, but the brave ones in this house did have a little dip.

Facilities and where to eat

If you want to eat in this wonderful spot, you can do so at the Bar Charco Azul, where you'll enjoy excellent dishes (especially fish), with fabulous sea views.

The recreation area also has showers (they cost 0,50 €), changing rooms, parasols and a Red Cross lifeguard on duty. Murphy's law: the lifeguard works until 18:00 and Lily grazed her elbow in the pool at 18:15, haha — luckily nothing serious. It's normal to pick up the odd scrape at these pools.

With kids and what to bring

If you go with kids, El Charco Azul will be a unique experience for them. A dip in these pools can also be the perfect finishing touch after a day's hiking on the island. If you liked El Charco Azul, in the north of the island there's another volcanic pool, La Fajana.

PS: Don't forget your water shoes or neoprene boots. I know, they're not the prettiest, but you'll avoid cuts on your feet. Remember these are volcanic pools.

Is it worth it?

Absolutely. It's a fantastic free day out, with volcanic charm and perfect for cooling off as a family after a day exploring the north of La Palma. Bring water shoes, an inflatable mat and something to eat (or book a table at the Bar Charco Azul) and your afternoon is sorted.