Benidorm
has the finest beaches of whole Spain. All their beaches are awarded
with the Blue Flag for its pristine sand, the quality of the water
and the amount of services provided for the tourists.
Sometimes
you see photo's of Benidorm in august; It looks like a sea of people
and parasols... This may be true on some busy weekends for the
Levante Beach, but anyone who walks a little further to Poniente,
will find room enough, even on the most crowded weeks. With more then
7 kilometers of beach, there is more than enough choice:
Levante
 |
| View on the Levante Beach |
This
beach is the most popular beach of Benidorm. People call it "the
English beach" because the Spanish people usually go to the Poniente
Beach. It is the most crowded beach, full of tourist bathing in the
sun, swimming and walking through the shallow water. The beach is
backed by a promenade filled with bars, restaurants and shops. It is
the most lively beach. You can lay in the shadow of palm trees and
enjoy the vibrant atmosphere around Levante Beach. A place to see and
to be seen! This beach has a cable ski and a floating play-platform
in the summer. There are two big beach huts which have trained staff
and facilities for people with disabilities. In the middle of the
beach, there is a 'Biblioplaya', a library on the beach! You can rent
out books, sit in the shade and read a newspaper. Because the beach
is huge, children could get lost. There made poles with funny items
on, like a locomotive, or a fish... these symbols are made so a child
can orientate itself. Do not let your child get in the water alone,
please. There are some rocks in the water that are very slippery and
have sharp edges.
Mal
Pas
 |
| Mal pas beach |
Squeezed
between Levante and Poniente Beach you can find the the small beach
of Mal Pas. I believe Mal Pas is the most beautiful beach of
Benidorm. On the left and the back of the beach are the cliffs on
which old Benidorm is situated and on the right you will find the
small harbor. Normally this beach isn't so crowded as the Levante
beach, but its small size can make you search for a free spot on
summer days. This beach is also a good choice for families; you're
child will not get lost on this small beach and there is only one
small exit. There is a life guard who only has to watch over a small
bit of beach, so I have a feeling this is the safest beach. Because
of the pier, the waves are very modest and there are no rocks on the
bottom, so you couldn't get hurt! This is also a good spot for some
snorkeling. You will not find beautiful corals as in the red sea, but
there are interesting fish in various shapes who hide around the
stones near the edges.
Poniente
 |
| Poniente Beach |
They
tend to call this beach the Spanish beach because most Spanish people
go here instead of Levante Beach. Most hotels are at the Levante
beach, so this beach has less visitors. It is worth going to Poniente
beach if you care for space and silence. The beach is backed by a new
promenade and in the East by a park with white doves and hundreds of
palm trees. On this beach, one can find the same facilities for
disabled persons, nets for sport (beach volleybal) and plenty of room
for playing other sports. The more you follow the beach away from the
center, the lesser the crowds are. There are no rocks in the sea, so
it is a good choice for families.
La
Cala de Finestrat
This
beach is on the south side, behind the Mont Benidorm (at the end of
the Poniente beach). It is not a beach of Benidorm itself, but from
Finestrat, the small – but antique – town inland. This beach is
mostly used by the people who stay in one off the hotels of La Cala
de Finestrat. It is a fine and small beach with all the facilities
required. People who stay around the center of Benidorm will not
likely make use of this beach, because it would take to long to get
there. Nothing wrong with this beach though, for the holidaymakers
who happen to stay in this area. There are some bars and restaurants
in the vicinity. Just keep in mind to not let a young child wander
off: there is a road just behind the beach...
Other
beaches in the vicinity of Benidorm
There
are some beaches, more like coves. For instance, in the neighborhood
of Rincon de Loix, you can find the beach Ti Ximo. It
is a more 'natural' beach. Ideal for people who don't like crowds. It
is also a good beach for snorkeling. I hear some rumors that some
(mostly men) think this is a nudist beach and walk around nude. Just
a warning that maybe this beach is not that suitable for families
with young children... Raco de Conill is for anyone who wants
a real nudist beach. You can get there by bus/car/bycicle. It is just
behind the hills of La Cala de Finestrat. On the road to Villajoyosa,
turn left at the casino. There is a parking spot nearby the beach. On
foot, one can follow different paths from La Cala de Finestrat. But
you have to climb over some hills to get there. It is a small beach
and the nudists are predominantly male (Benidorm is a popular city
for gays). The place is very serene and surrounded by beautiful
nature. It has crystal clear, calm water and sometimes (probably only
during high season) there is a beach cabin where you can buy drinks
and food.
Practical
information
 |
| EHBO cabins |
All
the beaches of Benidorm (exept the coves Ti Ximo and Raco de Conill)
have the finest golden sand and are thoroughly cleaned every day. On
the popular beaches, there are EHBO posts (the brightly collored
beach huts), lifeguards, facilities for showering feet and wheelchair
access. There are toilet facilities (e.g. in the harbor and in the
dove-park) but these can get crowdy (and therefor dirty) on busy
times. If you use the toilets of bars or restaurants, be sure to have
a Tshirt on and shoes, and be decent enough to ask and a EURO is
always appreciated for making use of their facility.
-
Real beachguru's, who like to spend there holiday sunbathing, should
consider booking a hotel close to their preferred beach. Walking
around in hot temperatures with all your beach attributes can be an
ordeal.
-
Sun beds and parasols can be rented for 4 EURO each. You can make
use of them for the whole day. Make sure to keep the ticket with
you. The rental man could get confused and ask to pay for the sun
bed, while you already paid... This is understandable, because there
will always be those who take a bed without paying... (I never
rented a sun bed. I prefer lying on my towel in the soft sand...)
-
Always bring a bottle of water! It can get hot and on the beach,
people get dehydrated fast.
-
Never forget to use sunscreen. Never!
- If
you are sunbathing on the Levante beach, there is a supermarket on
the boulevard (somewhere in the middle). This is perfect to get
something to drink. They don't want you walking in with bathing
suit, so put on your clothes and shoes before entering. Spanish
people are very prickly about this.
-
Don't buy 'sangria' or other 'cocktails' on the beach. There are
people selling these. What they are doing is illegal, the drinks are
not that cheap and it is just some sangria out of a cheap
supermarket.
- It
is forbidden to drink alcohol on the beach. They will not arrest you
for drinking one little beer out of a can, but don't do a drunk
party on the beach. Also, don't be asocial, leave your radio at home
or use a headphone.
-
Stay of the beaches at night. It is forbidden.
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