The Mar Menor

The lagoon is shallow and sheltered, so it warms early in the year and holds its heat into autumn. There is little swell and no meaningful current. If you have only swum in the Mediterranean, the difference is immediate: you can stand up a long way out.

The lagoon and the salt flats around it are protected, which matters for the birds and for the marine life in the shallows. Water quality in the Mar Menor has been the subject of public and scientific debate in recent years. We do not make claims about bathing-water quality on this site. The honest approach is to check the regional authority's current information and decide for yourself once you are here.

The flat water makes the lagoon one of the easier places in Spain to learn watersports. Sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking and paddleboarding are taught and hired in the towns around the shore, and the afternoon breeze gives beginners something to work with. Boat trips run from several of the ports.

The western shore, where Los Alcázares sits, is quieter and more residential. The eastern shore along La Manga is more developed, with hotels and marinas. Both are worth a day.

Take the afternoon breeze seriously, even when the morning is calm. If you swim with children, remember that the depth arrives gradually on the shallow shelf.