In may 2020, the city council of the town of San Bartolomé de Tirajana has announced that the dunes of Maspalomas will no longer be accessible to the public, that it would no longer be possible to cross them freely and even less to settle there to spend time or sunbathe.
The after Covid 19 world come with some big changes... Or maybe it's due to a late ecological awareness... or simply to a vulgar electoral measure with the aim of pleasing the most conservative and moralistic voters...
In a press conference jointly organized on May 20, 2020 by the President of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, and the Mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Conchi Narváez, exceptional measures were announced : the dunes of Maspalomas will no longer be accessible to the public, that it would no longer be possible to cross them freely and even less to settle there to spend time or sunbathe.
Further still, they announced that a surveillance brigade has been set up, comprising a total of no less than 13 agents who will act every day of the week, even on weekends, from evening to morning. This brigade is made up of 4 employees of the environment department of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, 2 agents of the local police of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and 7 people specially employed to protect and maintain the dunes. It was even specified that more agents from other municipalities could be called in as reinforcements if necessary to guarantee order and respect for the new measures.
What is allowed, what is prohibited and what are the penalties ?
According to the new mesures, here is what is allowed and what is prohibited :
Users must move around using only the marked trails indicated by wooden posts planted in the ground
It is forbidden to circulate inside the dunes in all directions without using the marked trails
It is forbidden to use surfboards to launch into the dunes and slide on the sand
It is forbidden to create small stone walls to protect against the wind and lie behind
It is forbidden to take sand from the dunes, even in small quantities
It is forbidden to engage in interpersonal contact in any area of the dunes
It is forbidden to urinate in the recesses
It is forbidden to deposit and discard any kind of waste
...and also any other type of natural damage or destruction
In the event of an infraction, the fines provided range from 150 € to 600 € for the lower and up to 600.000 € (!!!) for the bigger, in the event of a serious attack or recurrence.
Remember that the dunes of Maspalomas extend over more than 400 hectares of sand and are classified as a protected natural space since many years with limited and regulated access. They are also the best-known natural attraction in Maspalomas (and perhaps in the whole island of Gran Canaria) and an extraordinary playground for thousands of fans of nature, nudism and outdoor sex, whether gay or straight, who choose to come to Maspalomas precisely to enjoy the feeling of freedom offered by the dunes. The dunes of Maspalomas and the sexual freedom associated with them have made Maspalomas famous throughout the world for decades already.
Now you can be fined for straying from the paths throught the dunes. The gouverment has decided to preserve this amazing place, but doing it, lot of gays are lossing their "open sauna" and sex space... What do you think ? Happy, sad or mad ? If you want let us a commentary about this info, just join our group "Gay Men Maspalomas" in Facebook, it's free and private.
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Av. de Tirajana | Big terrace balcony | One bedroom | All equiped and furnished | Nice views | 5 min. Yumbo - 15 min. Maspalomas dunes | Quite and secure area