Amongst all of the Volcanic spectacles in Lanzarote, the green lagoon located beside the village of El Golfo is perhaps the strangest-looking and most other-worldly. The Charco or Laguna de los Clicos, to give its correct title, is also known as Lago Verde, but many simply call it ‘El Golfo’.
The green lagoon is located inside the semi-circular remains of a volcanic cone, that has been eroded on one side by the sea. Its strange green colour is caused by a type of algal phytoplankton that thrives in the filtered seawater. The name ‘Charco de los Clicos’ refers to a type of Shellfish that was once common in the lagoon. Apparently the Clicos were wiped-out when someone decided to release two tortoises into the water.
The green lagoon featured in the 1966 Movie, One Million Years BC, where a scantily-clad Raquel Welch can be seen splashing about, before being tormented by over-sized animals (presumably not the same tortoises that ate the Clicos).
El Golfo Village
The seaside village is home to many rustic fish restaurants, which although not particularly cheap, are still worth a visit if you fancy some authentic local seafood. Do bear in mind that these restaurants are particularly popular with locals, especially at weekends, so you may have to wait for a table.
Getting to El Golfo
Since there is no public bus, you will have no alternative but to drive or visit as part of a coach tour. We recommend hiring a car and visiting El Golfo while exploring the South-west of the island. You could visit Timanfaya National Park in the morning, followed by a stop at the Green Lagoon, before enjoying lunch at El Golfo. After lunch, you could also visit the nearby Los Hervideros and Las Salinas de Janubio (the largest working salt pans in the Canary Islands), before driving back to your resort. If you don’t fancy driving, then both the Lanzarote South Tour and the Grand Tour of Lanzarote coach tours visit El Golfo a part of their route.
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