Pozo Izquierdo: Gran Canaria's Wind & Waves Capital

Pozo Izquierdo is Gran Canaria's windsurfing capital Pozo Izquierdo is Gran Canaria's windsurfing capital

Home to the annual Wind & Waves festival and a stage of the World Windsurfing Tour, Pozo Izquierdo (known as Pozo) is Gran Canaria's windiest town and the centre of its world-class windsurfing and kitesurfing scene.

As you may have gathered, the wind is very much the star of the show at Pozo.

Pozo Izquierdo town guide

pozo 2The town itself, surrounded by gleaming white windmills and tomato farms, is small and unassuming; nothing more than a few strips of colourful houses facing the sea. 

Pozo has a long pebble beach, a small, sheltered black sand beach (called El Ribanzo), a few cafes serving up big portions, and lots of windsurfing schools and centres.

There is a little more to Pozo Izquierdo that boardsports; just south of town you'll find the Salinas de Tenefé which are Gran Canaria's largest and most attractive saltpans. Access is via a track and the pale pink flor de sal (fine, mineral-rich salt scoped off the surface of the pans) is well worth picking up. 

Windsurfing at Pozo Izquierdo

Pozo Izquierdo windsurfingThe action at Pozo happens just offshore thanks to its consistent onshore wind from the northeast and long right-breaking waves.

The pros head to Pozo during the summer when the wind roars thanks to Gran Canaria's east coast wind acceleration zone, but conditions are ideal all year round for beginners.

When the PWA World Tour arrives in town, Pozo throws a party; the Wind and Waves Festival. Sailing action, live music and, of course, plenty of beer make the town the coolest spot in Gran Canaria.

Windsurfing schools at Pozo Izquierdo

If you want to learn to windsurf in Gran Canaria, then head to a windsurfing school in Pozo. The island's experts all live in town and the conditions here are the most consistent anywhere on the island.

Even in summer when the pros are bashing the big waves there are sheltered spots close by that are perfect for beginners.

The town has a whole ecosystem dedicated to windsurfing and kitesurfing with windsurfing schools, windsurfing shops and excellent windsurfing rentals if you haven't brought your own board to Gran Canaria.  

  

Additional Info

  • Lat/Long: 27.827621, -15.424081

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The Pozo Izquierdo Wind & Waves Festival happens every summer Gran Canaria
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  • 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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