Rodas, White sand beach in Cies Islands, Spain.

Rodas is a white sand beach in the Cies Islands off Vigo that stretches roughly 1,300 meters. A natural sand formation connects two islands, and the water on each side has different characteristics.

The Cíes Islands were declared a natural park in 1980 by the Xunta de Galicia, and in 2002 they joined the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park. Their sand dunes and seabird colonies had drawn scientific attention since the early 20th century, when biologists began studying the islands' ecosystems. The protected status ended centuries of grazing and small-scale farming on the archipelago.

The name Rodas comes from the rías, the tidal inlets of Galicia. Since 1980 the Cíes Islands have formed part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, and the beach is reached by ferry from Vigo. Visitors today share the sand with colonies of yellow-legged gulls that nest on the dunes behind it.

Boats leave from Vigo harbour for the Cies Islands, and the crossing takes about 40 minutes. Arrivals are capped daily by the national park, so tickets are tied to a set sailing and should be booked ahead in summer. The beach faces west and has no shade, and the sand is hot at midday.

The beach owes its character to a natural sand formation that shifts between the two islands depending on tides and currents. Visitors sometimes find it possible to walk from one island to the other on foot.