The Spanish ‘popcorn beach’, a delightful discovery
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed over the number of beaches that you can find both in the Spanish peninsula and its islands. Luckily, each beach has a distinguishing feature which stands out even when they are extremely crowded. Spain offers beaches to suit every visitor’s preferences: long beaches, small coves, fine-sand beaches, wild beaches, beaches where magical sunsets can be enjoyed… and singular beaches as well, one of them being the ‘popcorn beach’ that waits for you in Fuerteventura. A ‘popcorn beach’? Well, kind of. But we love it.
‘Popcorn’ beach. | Shutterstock
More than 150 beaches are displayed over Fuerteventura, so obviously some of them stand out from the others. And there you have it, the ‘popcorn beach’, between the localities of Majanicho and Corralejo in the north of the island. This beach is actually called Playa del Bajo de la Burra or Playa Caleta del Barco. It became known as the ‘popcorn beach’ over the last few years.
Social media has taken an important role in the discovery of the ‘popcorn beach’. A tourist tagged the beach with the hashtag #popcornbeach in 2015. And that brought many visitors who were looking for the ‘popcorn’ to this beach. The truth is that it can interfere with typical beach activities like sunbathing and walking along the shore. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a real life marine paradise, you will find it here.
The so-called ‘popcorn’. | Shutterstock
You must walk in order to get to the shore. Reaching the beach is not an easy task, but the unique atmosphere offered by this beach is stronger than any obstacle. Bajo de la Burra is the perfect beach to practise any water sports, in especial, surfing, or to simply let your mind wander.
Let’s get to the point. Why is this beach full of popcorn? Obviously, they aren’t real popcorn, but they seem to be, at least until you get to touch them with your own hands. Then you will find out that they aren’t as soft (and tasty) as real popcorn. Actually, they are algae dragged to the shore by the waves to die there. And then, the process of erosion which can last centuries begins. We would like to highlight how long this process takes. And you also need to know that keeping one of these ‘popcorn’ as a souvenir is illegal.
The town of Majanicho seen from the ‘popcorn beach’. | Shutterstock
Now that you know why this beach is full of ‘popcorn’, we need to tell you the legend surrounding Bajo de la Burra beach. The legend refers to Cueva del Dinero (‘Money Cave’), which is close to Playa de Majanicho . The main character of this legend is the prisoner of some pirates, who convinced them of the existence of a treasure chest that awaited in a beach nearby the ‘popcorn beach’. His real intention was to head the boat to this shore, where it would ground due to its nature.
What happened to the ship and the prisoner remains a mystery, but the story of Cueva del Dinero is still popular. In fact, the cave was not found at this ‘popcorn beach’, but at Majanicho. Treasure hunters have searched the cave and many successful excavations have taken place. Although the treasure wasn’t made of gold – bone remains, fossil molluscs and indigenous ceramics were found.
Sunken ships were found as well in the surroundings, a fact that has led to a great number of pirate and treasure legends. The truth is that the remains found underwater belong to a ship from the Anglo-Spanish war of the 18th century. It is not important if these stories are real or not because no matter what, they bring us the fascinating experience of exploring the north of Fuerteventura. And it never disappoints.
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in La Oliva. | Shutterstock
The ‘popcorn beach’ may be the perfect setting for shooting great pictures and a memorable and fun visit for the youngest tourists. However, you should explore its surroundings as well. In the end, it is one of the most fascinating places of the Canary Islands and discovering every corner is indispensable. The locality of Corralejo offers the liveliest environment of this island. In this place, you will find everything you need to spend a marvellous holiday, whether you like to party until down or prefer to visit the Dunas de Corralejo natural park.
Majanicho is for you if you are in need of a relaxing time. Walk and watch its tiny white houses, its small bay and its beach – it’s perfect for those who need to run away for a while. La Oliva sits in the heart of an astonishing volcanic landscape, not far away from these localities. Cultural tourism is very popular since La Oliva was the capital of Fuerteventura for quite some time in the 19th century. And if that is not enough, Tindaya is waiting for you. This sacred mountain delights every esoterism, astronomy and astrology lover.
