Jameos del Agua. This place might actually be one of the best places in the world to meditate in. Well, that is if it is not crowded. Make sure to be here as soon as they open because soon there are busloads of tourists that arrive. All of them are here to enjoy and explore this beautiful place.   

Jameos del Agua – Where nature and humankind come together

Before we came here, we were not really sure what to expect. We knew that we would see a pool and some sort of crabs here but that was it – the information we got. No wait… we also knew that this was the first center of art, culture and tourism that Cesar Manrique created. And after visiting this place we can inform you all that this is a place that you really want to visit while in Lanzarote. Tranquility and spirituality at its best.

Since this is a very popular place, it quickly gets crowded and when hoards of tourists enter this area, the peacefulness will get a bit lost. A tip is to be here as soon as they open and to take your time. If you come here when the place is already crowded, sit down and wait – wait for the hoards of people to pass. The busloads don’t come all the time so you can still have a great experience here.

Jameos del Agua – home of the blind crab

Once you enter and pass through a restaurant, you will find yourself in the best place (according to us) in Jameos del Agua. It is a pool with still and super clear water. In the water, you can see the white, blind crabs all over. At a first glance, it looks like there are white paint stains on the rocks. When you take a closer look, you can see that the white dots are crabs.

The crabs seem to be a bit lazy and they don’t move around much. At first, I was sure that the crabs that were upon the rocks where I sat down have climbed up here to die. It turned out that they were not dead, just chilling above water for a while. Some of them were totally albino and some of them had a more yellowish color.

Birds chirping and soothing music at Jameos del Agua

This was by far our favorite place of Jameos del Agua. We spent a good hour here, listening to the soothing and calming music that came out of the loudspeakers. We could also hear birds chirping even if we didn’t see them anywhere. At times there would come a busload of people that walked by and took photographs. But most of the hoards of people would pass pretty quickly and then it was just us and the lady crabs again.

If I could change one thing, I would have soundproofed the kitchen in the restaurant. At times you could hear the mixer start and there were slamming sounds coming from there. In a place like this, I could feel the urge to be quiet and not talk loud if I wanted to say something to Mini. And the fact that you don’t have any cell service here makes it even more perfect! Allow yourself to be as still and lazy as the crabs in the water.

Jameos del Agua is made from a real volcanic tube

After you have visited the blind albino crabs, you make your way up the stairs and there a new world opens up. Here you can see, what looks like a regular swimming pool. We got the information that the water in the pool is saltwater. My first thought was “how did they get the water so clean?” And my next thought was that it was a shame that no one was swimming in the pool because if they were, I would have joined them for sure!

And then there is the auditorium where they arrange concerts and theaters each month and where you can enjoy the Jameos del Agua after dark. I think that it is a wonderful place but at the same time, there is no need for concerts. This place is magical either way and arranging concerts doesn’t make it more beautiful. But since this place also is a cultural center, I understand why they built the auditorium.

Information about Jameos del Agua

Address: Carretera Orzola, 35520 Punta Mujeres, Lanzarote.
Opening hours: Daily 10:00 – 18:30. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays they are open until 00:30.
Entrance fee: 9,50 euros per adult. 20 percent discount if you visit after 15.00 o’clock. There are several combination tickets that you can buy. Read more about that down below.

Jameos del Agua – A part of CACT Lanzarote

CACT Lanzarote is a center that has combined all the main highlights on the island into one and that they are taking care of. If you visit one of the places that are represented by CACT Lanzarote, you know that it will be a good experience. They are also selling combo tickets if you want to visit more places than just Jameos del Agua.

Except for Jameos del Agua, CACT Lanzarote also have the following places that you can visit during your stay in Lanzarote:

• Cueva de Los Verdes – the result of a vulcan eruption that happened around 25 000 years ago. Here you get a guided tour that teaches you a lot about this place.
• Monumento al Campesino – a culture center where you can buy arts and crafts that are all locally produced.
• Montanas del Fuego – A part of the Timanfaya National Park and the place that still has a volcano that gives heat from earth.
• Mirador del Rio – A magnificent viewpoint where you can see the island of La Graciosa.
• Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporaneo, MIAC – Housed inside the Castillo de San José, this art exhibition will probably impress you.
• Jardin de Cactus – A place where cacti from all over the world are planted and grow side by side.
• La Casa Amarilla – A small museum that works as a great complement to Jardin de Cactus. Here you will learn more about the plant.
• Museo Atlantico – This underwater museum is best seen while scuba diving. If you are a diver this is truly a must!

Get discounts for visiting more places by CACT Lanzarote

Even though Lanzarote is a quite small island, there is very much to explore here. We got the feeling that CACT Lanzarote works as some sort of quality stamp. If you visit any of their places, you won’t be disappointed. However, I do want to point out that there are several more places that are privately owned that are not to be missed. If you visit more than one place from CACT, you get discounts on your ticket.

• 21 euros gives you entrance to Jameos del Agua, Cueva de Los Verdes and Mirador del Rio. You save 4,30 euros on this deal.
• 28 euros gives you the choice of visiting 4 different places. The places you have to choose from are Jameos del Agua, Cueva de Los Verdes, Jardin de Cactus, Montanas del Fuego and Mirador del Rio. You save 6,80 euros on this deal.
• 33 euros gives you access to 6 different places. Jameos del Agua, Cueva de Los Verdes, Jardin de Cactus, Montanas del Fuego, Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporaneo – MIAC  and Mirador del Rio. This deal will save you 10,55 euros.

The tickets are valid for 14 days so you don’t need to visit them all in a hurry, which is great.

Download the CACT Lanzarote app while visiting these places

There is an app for both iPhone and Android that you can download for free and use during your visit to the different places that are provided by CACT Lanzarote. I am most often disappointed in apps that I download but this app is really great and I recommend you all to download it before or during your visit. It is free of charge and you get great information about the places. There are videos and texts and also an audioguide.

The only downside with this app is the audioguide. It has nothing to do with the quality of information or the sound. No, the problem is the voice that gives you the information is robotic and it gets pretty difficult to listen to. But the great thing is that you have all the information in writing so you can read interesting information about the different places. This is a perfect thing that gives your visit more value!