★ Premium

Shapers Europe Premium

The best of the site for people who surf a lot.

€1 a month €9 a year save €3

Sign in with Google and pay securely. Cancel any time.

Already Premium? Sign in

Playa de las Américas (Tenerife) · Canary Islands

La Izquierda (Spanish Left)

The Playa de las Américas left: fast, short and intense over volcanic rock.

ReefExpert

La Izquierda, known as Spanish Left, is a fast, short and intense left in the Playa de las Américas tourist area. It works with north-west swell wrapping around the island and an easterly wind.

The paddle out is easy, but in front of the break there's a big volcanic rock ledge: kick out before the wave runs out of water.

Spot facts

Wave typeReef
DirectionLeft
LevelExpert
Best swellNW, W
Best wind (offshore)E, NE, SE
TideAll tides
Size1–3 m
Best seasonOctober to March
CrowdHeavy
LocalismHigh

Surf forecast

Loading the forecast…

Hour-by-hour forecast for 14 days, with stars for your board and level, and the whole site without ads.

Model forecast for open water a few kilometres offshore: it can't see sandbanks or the shelter of headlands and jetties. The rating (0–5) is worked out from this spot's ideal swell and wind. Use it as a guide and check the sea before paddling out. Data: Open-Meteo (DWD, ECMWF; CC BY 4.0)

Which board to bring

Shortboard

A performance shortboard. Booties. How many litres? Work out your volume with the volume calculator.

What to bring to surf La Izquierda (Spanish Left)

The water is around 18 °C in winter and 22 °C in late summer. This is what we'd bring for this spot's water, level and boards.

3/2 wetsuit

For water from 17 °C.

View on Amazon
Long-sleeve UPF50 rash guard

For summer days without a wetsuit, and against the sun.

View on Amazon
Leash

Keeps your board from drifting off or hitting someone.

View on Amazon
FCS II thruster fins

The three-fin set for a shortboard.

View on Amazon
Thin reef booties

Rock or urchins on the bottom: protect your feet going in and out.

View on Amazon
Warm-water wax

Harder, so it doesn't melt in the heat.

View on Amazon

Amazon affiliate links: if you buy through them, Shapers Europe earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Localism and vibe

There's localism at a very small, crowded peak. Respect priority and don't sit on the inside.

Surfing style

Fast reef left.

Hazards

Sharp volcanic rocks at the entry and exit.

Map

Shapers near La Izquierda (Spanish Left)

Order a board designed for these waves from a local shaper.

Other spots nearby

Granadilla de Abona (Tenerife)

ReefAll levels

Tenerife's windsurf capital, with easy waves in its southern bays.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Anaga)

ReefIntermediate

A black-sand beach in the Anaga massif, with waves over rock and sand.

Gáldar (Gran Canaria)

ReefExpert

One of the heaviest waves in the Canaries, a world bodyboarding mecca.

San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Gran Canaria)

Beach breakBeginner

Southern Gran Canaria's big tourist beach, with soft waves in summer.

All spots in the Canary Islands →

Indicative information gathered from surf guides and surfers' experience. Conditions change with the sandbanks: check the forecast and ask at the beach.