The beach of Playa Chica, also known as Pila de la Barrilla, is by far the most popular beach. It forms a small bay that seems to be sheltered by natural protrusions of lava, making this beach special in the stillness of its waters.

Playa Chica has become a must, not only to revel in its calm waters, but also because of the peculiarities hidden beneath the surface, on its ocean floor. This is where the treasure of Puerto del Carmen is kept: If you like an adventure, don’t miss the chance to see El Veril de la Tiñosa, a magnificent sea wall. Diving under the still, warm waters of this bay you will find some of Europe’s most spectacular sea beds, as asserted by many professionals from the diving world. Such is the singularity and biodiversity of the caves carved out of the sea wall in Puerto del Carmen that it has been declared a Special Area of Conservation within the European Natura 2000 Network. The popularity of Playa Chica is owed to the many secret corners it hides, such as the Cueva de las Gambas or Shrimp Cave, named in honour of the shoals of narval shrimps that populate it. Grouper fish prey on the shrimps as they hide in the darkness, and are quick to lurch out when they become visible in the light. This is also the home of one of Puerto del Carmen’s most famous residents and a good friend of the area’s divers: a grouper named Felix. With his astounding size and weighing in at around 50 kilos (110 pounds!), Felix has become the most sought after fish among divers. He is friendly with all his visitors and always puts on a smile for the cameras. The beach’s other name, Pila de la Barrilla, literally translates as ‘the prickly saltwort basin’, where the locals would use its sharp stones to crush the saltwort plant and make soap or extract lye in the mid 18th century. The beach can be accessed from the streets Calle Bajamar or Calle Harimaguada.

– Composition: fine grain sand
– Colour of sand: golden
– Swimming conditions: calm waters
– Length: 60 metres
– Average width: 5 metres
– Level of occupancy: high