21 unique spots and hidden gems in La Palma island

Here are 21 hidden gems and unique spots in La Palma! Everyone usually knows about the popular places, but it is those hidden gems that make our trips truly unforgettable!

In this blog post, you will find all the places with photos, descriptions, how to get there, and exact locations where they can be found on Google Maps. Happy exploring!

Read more » 17 best Instagram spots for amazing photos of La Palma

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1. Barranco de Las Angustias arch and waterfall

Barranco de Las Angustias was one of my favorite hiking routes and favorite adventures in La Palma. The hike is quite popular however there is a hidden gem along the way – a beautiful stone arch that you should definitely visit while walking the trail.

Normally people would walk above it because the path leads around it and there is a difficult-to-cross stone wall. However, we managed to cross it by helping each other out.

The most important attraction on the trail, of course, is the end of the trail with the Cascada de Colores waterfall. The hike is 12 kilometers long (round trip) and it took us about 3.5 hours to complete.

Location: Cascada de Colores · Stone arch · Parking lot

2. Mirador del Espigón del Roque

Everybody knows and visits the highest peak in La Palma – Roque de los Muchachos. There is a parking lot at the top of the mountain and a viewpoint where you can see the Caldera de Taburiente crater.

However, there is a unique spot a short walk from the mountaintop called Mirador del Espigón del Roque. This viewpoint is one of the coolest places in La Palma and it is definitely a beautiful hidden gem.

I have to say that this is an even better spot to see the Caldera de Taburiente crater as you can see also the ‘tail’ part of the crater – a riverbed that leads out into the ocean.

Location: Roque de los Muchachos · Parking places · Mirador del Espigón del Roque

3. Porís de Candelaria village and Cueva Bonita cave

Can you imagine a tiny, tiny fishermen’s village inside a huge 50-meter coastal cave where sometimes rocks are falling down from the ceiling? Well, it is a reality for a couple of people who live in Porís de Candelaria village.

It is not really a hidden gem, but absolutely this could be the most unique place in La Palma! Getting there is a challenging drive down a coastal cliff and then a short hike till you reach the village.

Not far from Porís de Candelaria village is another secret hidden gem in La Palma – Cueva Bonita sea cave. It is only accessible from the sea, so you need to book a kayaking tour to access it.

There is a kayaking tour that starts right from the Porís de Candelaria village and explores both caves from the ocean! Definitely one of the most unique experiences in La Palma!

You can get to Porís de Candelaria village and Cueva Bonita sea cave also by boat. If you join this boat tour from Puerto de Tazarcorte, then you will not only see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat but also get to see Porís de Candelaria village and the beautiful Cueva Bonita sea cave from the boat!

This tour will also take you to see the lava delta in the ocean that was formed by the volcanic eruption in 2021. How cool!?

Location: Porís de Candelaria · Parking places · Cueva Bonita cave · Kayaking tour to Cueva Bonita · Cueva Bonita cave · Boat tour from Puerto de Tazacorte

4. Mirador Cueva del Canga

Mirador Cueva del Canga is actually my favorite viewpoint in La Palma. It is located in the North part of La Palma. This spot overlooks two spectacular and gigantic gorges.

At first, it doesn’t even look like La Palma but rather Thailand or Indonesia!! You simply have to see it to believe it! One of my absolute favorite hidden gems in La Palma!

Finding parking nearby was not easy. I have indicated where we parked our car below, but you have to see for yourself if it is possible to park there. Streets are narrow and parking spots are often occupied.

Location: Mirador Cueva del Canga · Parking places

5. Puerto de Tazacorte and a trip to see whales and lava in the ocean

Puerto de Tazacorte is a beautiful example of unique architecture. There is a long and beautiful path of arches where you can get one of the most unique photos in La Palma.

The archway bends as it goes further so it looks like it has no end. You can park your car anywhere in the port – there are parking spots along the road.

Another totally unique experience from Puerto de Tazacorte is a fun boat trip in the ocean to see not only whales and dolphins in their natural habitat but also a lava delta in the ocean that was formed during the 2021 eruption.

Plus you will also visit the Cueva Bonita sea cave and the famous Porís de Candelaria village that I wrote about earlier. How cool and unique is that?!

Location: Puerto de Tazacorte · Parking places · Photo location · Boat trip from Puerto de Tazacorte

6. Pico Birigoyo at sunset or sunrise

Pico Birigoyo is one of my favorite hidden gems in La Palma! Even if you are not a hiker, this is a hike I would recommend to anyone. This is one of the most accessible volcano peaks in La Palma where you can observe the island to all sides.

You can easily see over the island from the East Coast to the West Coast. You can see the relief of the island and the mountain range that goes like a spine in the middle of the island. From here you can see the best possible sunset or sunrise in La Palma.

This place is a true gem! It is only a 1.7-kilometer hike from the parking lot at El Pilar. Those vertical meters you will have to climb are totally worth it! You can read about getting there in this blog post about the best hiking trails in La Palma!

Location: Pico Birigoyo · Parking places

7. Cubo de La Galga gorge

Cubo de La Galga is a must-do in La Palma. You will be wondering – what such a popular hike is going among the hidden gems in La Palma? Actually, the hike is not THE gem!

The hike is truly one of the most known and popular hikes here. But what people usually don’t actually visit is the deep gorge where everybody is walking past during the hike. It is very narrow and unique and definitely worth a visit!

In order to get inside the gorge, you have to walk off the trail HERE. There will be a wooden pole with an X on it indicating that the trail doesn’t go there. But if you want to enter the gorge, you have to go exactly there. It will be a small and easy path down inside the gorge.

Then you can follow the gorge to explore it. The photo was taken HERE inside it. Read more about different versions of this hike in this blog post or join this guided trekking tour to Cubo de La Galga for a hassle-free experience!

8. Playa de Nogales

Playa de Nogales – a beautiful black sand beach – is the most impressive beach in La Palma! It is one of those hidden gems you have to see for yourself to believe.

The beach is surrounded by spectacular coastal cliffs and you can observe everything perfectly from above. This is not a good place for swimming because of the strong waves and currents.

If you ever go to the beach, do it only during low tide! When we went, it was closed however the viewpoint is available and the views from there are truly jaw-dropping.

Location: Playa de Nogales · Viewpoint of the beach

9. El Duraznero in Ruta de los Volcanes

El Duraznero is a distinctive volcano that you can find on a popular hiking route – Ruta de los Volcanes or the Volcano Route. It is a dramatic-looking black volcano with lava fields and multiple craters around it.

It is amongst my favorite hidden gems in La Palma! We happened to be there during the sunset which made it look even more impressive and other-worldly.

You can get to this volcano only by hiking. The best way to get there is by starting the hike at the El Pilar recreational area and walking along the official ‘Ruta de los Volcanes’ hiking trail.

You can see the Volcano Route hiking trail here. El Duraznero volcano is at the 6-kilometer mark from the starting point at El Pilar recreational area which means it is a 12-kilometer round-trip hike to this impressive, apocalyptic place!

Location: El Duraznero – El Pilar recreational area

10. Puerto de Puntagorda

If I had to choose one swimming spot in La Palma to go to, I would definitely choose Puerto de Puntagorda! It is an absolutely charming village on the cliffside on the West coast of La Palma.

There is a beautiful stairway going downhill through the village along the tiny houses and flower gardens until you reach the ocean.

There you have multiple rock swimming pools to relax in or you can enjoy water activities in the bay. The water is crystal clear and very inviting. This is amongst the best places to watch the sunset in La Palma as well!

Location: Puerto de Puntagorda – Parking places

11. See the new volcano from Mirador del Time or access it up close

One of the most famous tourist attractions in La Palma is, of course, the new volcano Tajogaite which was created during the 4-month eruption in 2021.

If you are looking for absolutely the best spot to see the volcano from above and all the destruction that it has caused, then Mirador del Time is the best place to go.

It is a viewpoint on top of a cliff overlooking the West side of La Palma, including the volcano, its lava river, and all the villages nearby.

Although this is a great spot to enjoy some coffee, buy some souvenirs, and see the volcano from afar, there is another option to see the volcano up close.

Normally it is not possible to access the volcano up close, but you can join this guided tour to enter the volcano exclusion zone, learn about it, and see it much closer! Once in a lifetime activity, isn’t it?

Location: Mirador del Time – Guided tour to access the volcano exclusion zone

12. Dragos Gemelos and Mirador de Los Dragos

La Palma has some famous and beautiful dragon trees. Some of my favorites were definitely Dragos Gemelos or the Twin Dragon Trees. They are absolutely gigantic and have grown together, so they look inseparable.

The other unique spot of a beautiful dragon tree is at Mirador de Los Dragos. There are actually two separate dragon trees and both of them are somewhat crooked.

I guess the wind of the West Coast has bent them almost to the ground but they are still fighting and standing. Definitely some of my favorite hidden gems in La Palma!

Location: Dragos Gemelos · Mirador de Los Dragos

13. Playa de la Veta tunnel

Playa de la Veta is a beautiful and wild black sand beach on the West coast of La Palma. Wild because there is a narrow and steep road leading to the parking lot and then a decent hike along the coast and through a tunnel to the beach.

However, even if you are not looking for a swim, walking the tunnel along the path to the beach is an adventure in itself! There are stunning views of the rugged coastline of La Palma that you can see from the tunnel. This is a beautiful secret spot in La Palma for sure!

Location: Playa de la Veta · Tunnel to the beach · Parking lot

14. Pico de la Cruz and hike along the crater

If you want to get some of the best views of the whole Caldera de Taburiente crater, then this hidden gem of La Palma is the place to go! Pico de la Cruz is one of many peaks next to the Caldera de Taburiente crater.

It offers beautiful views of the crater, as well as the highest point in La Palma – Roque de los Muchachos.

You can also join this guided trekking tour to Roque de los Muchachos and along the Caldera de Taburiente crater to experience hiking with unforgettable views (including Pico de la Cruz)!

Location: Pico de la Cruz · Parking place · Hiking tour along Caldera de Taburiente crater

15. Túneles de Las Mimbreras

Tunnels of Las Mimbreras are narrow tunnels along the road LP-109 – a scenic mountain road with little traffic that goes through the green laurel forests of La Palma. One of my favorite hidden gems here for sure!

There are multiple tunnels one right after another and I really recommend checking them all. There are a couple of parking places next to the road right before or after the tunnels. This was a really cool and spooky experience – not only the tunnels but also the scenic mountain road!

Location: Túneles de Las Mimbreras · Parking palces · Photo location

16. Puertito de Santo Domingo

Puertito de Santo Domingo is one of my favorite hidden gems and secret spots in La Palma! It is a bit wild area with a rocky coast of natural volcanic rocks.

There are small huts where people live on the cliffside of the ocean. Plus there is a stairway down the cliff to a picnic area with a table, benches, and amazing views.

If you walk further down, you will see a beautiful natural swimming pool next to some very impressive rock formations in the ocean – Roque de Santo Domingo. One of the best places to watch the sunset in La Palma!

Location: Puertito de Santo Domingo – Swimming pool – Parking places

17. Playa de la Zamora

Playa de la Zamora is a special beach on the West coast of La Palma and an opportunity to explore some hidden gems in La Palma – a stone arch and a sea cave. But you must come here during low tide or those spots will be inaccessible!

There are more rock formations in the water not far from the coast and this was one of my favorite sunset-watching places on the island.

After you park your car uphill next to the banana plantations, there is a path that leads down the cliff – it is well-made and easy to walk. The sea cave and the arch are located on the left side (or the South side) of the beach if you look at the ocean.

Location: Playa de la Zamora – Parking places – Arch and cave

18. Horno de la Cal

If you are looking for an unusual spot for a photo combined with a relaxing walk along the promenade while watching the ocean, then this spot is the place to go. Horno de la Cal is basically a kiln or a type of lime oven where you can walk inside.

I don’t know if it was ever used or if it is just an ornament of the promenade, but it looks really cool. There is a beautiful promenade along the ocean next to it with spots for relaxing, bathing, and swimming! It goes as far as the famous Charco Azul.

Location: Horno de la Cal – Parking places

19. Charco de Puntallana

Charco de Puntallana is a beautiful (and quite big!) natural volcanic pool on the East coast of La Palma, in the municipality of Puntallana. This is one of those hidden gems in La Palma that only locals know about.

There are no signs leading to the volcanic pool and it doesn’t even appear on Google Maps (at least when I found it!), but it is a wonderful spot, to be honest, and one of my favorite volcanic pools here.

Remember to come during low tide! Read more about getting to this spot in this blog post about 7 unique swimming spots in La Palma!

Location: Charco de Puntallana – Parking places

20. Plaza La Glorieta and an underground volcanic lava tube

Plaza La Glorieta is a little oasis in the municipality of Los Llanos. It is a little reflection of Park Güell in Barcelona, in my opinion. With colorful mosaics, columns, and green plants, this little corner is a nice place to have a seat and relax a little.

In case you are looking for a picnic spot or just taking a unique picture of La Palma, then definitely check out this place!

However, there is another absolutely unique spot nearby. Less than 1 kilometer from this square there is a unique sight – a huge river or lava from previous eruptions that took place in this area.

You can join a special underground tour to explore a 3-meter-wide lava tunnel under the lava river and learn more about the process of a volcanic eruption. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for sure!

Location: Plaza La Glorieta – Underground lava tube tour

21. Charcos de Echentive

Charcos de Echentive are two beautiful hidden gems in La Palma located on the South coast of the island next to Playa de Echentive. It is a little corner of paradise for swimmers with two natural swimming pools filled with crystal-clear turquoise water!

One of the biggest pros is that they are located more inland from the beach and are not affected by the tides of the ocean.

Another plus is that the water always stays warm as it doesn’t mix with the chilly seawater. I really recommend visiting these swimming pools if you are in the area!

These volcanic pools are easy to get to. Just drive to the parking lot of Playa de Echentive and then follow the stairways down to the beach. The volcanic pools are located on your right when you get down to the beach.

By the way, you will see the first volcanic pool right away, but there is a small path through the lava fields that will lead you to another absolutely beautiful volcanic pool.

Location: Charcos de Echentive · Parking lot