Making the Spanish island all the more unique is its array of beautiful beaches, particularly those with dramatic volcanic black sand – a real sight to behold. This type of sand is formed by fine lava particles broken down over the course of years, offering a striking alternative to the typical golden sands.
The go-to beaches for many tourists are Puerto Naos Beach and Playa De Los Cancajos, which both have these incredible features. They also happen to be the most accessible sun spots on the island and so are easy to reach from family-friendly resorts.
A recent traveller commented on their time at Los Cancajos: "Los Cancajos is an amazing place, very quiet, with a very pleasant walk and a beach for me, exotic being volcanic and highly recommended for snorkelling.
"You see many species; if you go well prepared, you are a good swimmer, do not be afraid, and you can see cucumberfish, stars and hopefully an anemone in the rocks and some octopus."
What makes this island even better is that it's yet to really take off with tourists the way that the other Canary Islands have and so still has that very much 'untouched' feel to it.
Even better, you can fly to La Palma from the UK's major airports, London Gatwick, London Stansted, and Manchester, for as little as £29, with prices varying depending on the airport.
For a lot of Brits, Costa Rica sits high up on their bucket lists as an ultimate travel destination, but what if you knew that a touch of the tropical country was a lot closer than you think?
It's the South American nations' volcanoes and vast national parks that sit high up on people's lists, but there's an alternative destination that halves your travel time and saves your wallet.
Just a four-hour flight away from the UK is La Palma, one of the most untouched Spanish Canary Islands, steeped in natural beauty. It is known to reach high temperatures of around 28 degrees, similar to those of Costa Rica, and more importantly, beers can come as cheap as €1.30.
Meaning, holidaymakers can hike through dramatic landscapes, take on the lush national parks and sunbathe in the warmest of weather, without the 11-12 hour flight time.
Far less touristy than its neighbouring islands, La Palma offers a real sense of tranquillity in an environment that is very much owned by Mother Nature. Not to mention, it's an experience where you get bang for your buck, with TUI pricing 7-night All-inclusive holidays from just £567 per person. Flights from Manchester to La Palma are currently on offer for £93 in June.
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Costa Rica has quite a reputation for having a high concentration of volcanoes, with over 200 in the country and three that are active. Similarly, La Palma is known for its volcanoes and has a number of adventurous hiking trails that take you along them.
In 2021 there was a famous eruption of a volcano on the island, the first of its kind in 500 years, creating a new volcanic crater. Visitors can hike the newly christened area and witness incredible views of flowing lava down to the Aridane Valley.
Ruta de Los Volcanes is another popular spot for hiking, which runs through the centre of the island. One adventurer wrote about their experience on TripAdvisor, saying: "We did the route with mountain bikes; the views are fantastic and the landscape is amazing. If the weather is good, you can even see Tenerife!"
Others opt to explore Volcan de San Antonio, where you can "walk along the volcano's rim" and offers "beautiful views".
La Palma is home to a number of world-class hiking trails, some of which take you through the incredible Caldera Taburiente National Park. It's an 8 km-wide erosion crater with landslides and erosion that has formed over 4 million years and remains the premier hiking destination on the entire island.
Here you can expect to see dense Canarian pine forest, a gloriously coloured waterfall and panoramic views of the high peaks of La Palma. The mountains surrounding it can reach up to 2,000 metres high and allow for visitors to feel immersed in nature, with special sightings of the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory.
One walker shared: "Very nice nature park! This is really the most beautiful thing I have seen in La Palma. Very impressive all of them. This is the largest crater on the entire island. You can do several walks there; we had done the walk to Mirador de Las Chozas. It is a climb, which was not always nice with that heat, but it is definitely worth it! The view is fantastic!"
