Active holiday in Spain
Sports and adventure in Mojácar – by land, by sea and in the air
An active holiday in Spain
the dream of all sports enthusiasts!
Just imagine pursuing your hobby under a bright blue sky, not a cloud to be seen as far as your eye can reach (you can take my word for that), the sun competing with your radiant smile 24/7, pleasant temperatures, and incredible views of the mountains and the sea. Active holidays in Spain, at the seaside in an unspoiled landscape, and far away from mass tourism, are just so much better. Don’t you think?
We’ve dedicated separate articles to those sports that most of the tourists come to the Costa de Almería for. There is so much information on them that it would go beyond the constraints of this overview.
By land, by sea, and in the air:
there are countless possibilities to enjoy an active holiday in Spain
But there’s a whole string of different activities in our region that are also so much more fun to do here in particular. There are, obviously, mini-golf courses and tennis courts in abundance. You can play paddle tennis, which is extremely popular in Spain, on one of the many paddle-tennis courts.
And there are also a few activities typical for Andalusia. Here’s a selection for you to choose while enjoying an active holiday in Spain:
Camel riding at the camel farm Camellos de Almería
The camel farm “Camellos de Almería” is situated a little outside Almería in Pechina.
Your stay at the farm starts with getting to know the camels. You can pet, feed and brush the dear creatures. The animals are perfectly adapted to dry areas like Almería and are the ideal travelling companion in desert-like regions.
Your 35-minute camel ride starts at the previously set time. The ride takes you along the farm’s surroundings in the desert landscape of Almería. Back at the farm, you’ll have the opportunity to take pictures of the animals, enjoy a little picnic and have a drink.
The “Camels of Almería”, as they are also fondly called, often appear as extras in film shootings. In midsummer some of the camels live in Mojácar. Then you can start your camel tour right there and enjoy our beautiful area from a whole new perspective.
Experiences like this make active holidays at the seaside so very special.
Horse riding at the Costa de Almería
There’s no question that excursions on horseback are anything other than beautiful, of course. Riding has a long tradition in Andalusia. Jerez de la Frontera clearly is still a hotspot for Andalusian horsemanship even today. But horse riding is still also part of everyday life for many Andalusians.
The unspoilt nature and fascinating landscapes of Almería along the limitless paths let every equestrian heart skip a beat. The perpetually changing landscape from the coast to the mountains never fails to amaze. Whether you’re riding peacefully along a secluded beach, enjoying a liberating evening canter through the desert canyons, exploring the mountain paths and views, or trotting through the open valleys brimming with orange groves and almond blossoms – it’s a truly unforgettable experience.
The charm of the countless nature parks is simply too enticing. From the north of the province with its pine forests in the Sierra Maria to the volcanic hills of Cabo de Gata on the Mediterranean – the views, especially on horseback, are simply unparalleled.
There are numerous riding stables and equestrian centres in the province of Almería that cater to all needs and levels – for beginners and advanced riders alike, just for a short ride or for riding holidays, showjumping or dressage, or whatever you fancy.
If you let us know what your heart beats for before your arrival, we’ll look something up for you and your holiday can start at a gallop.
After all these activities by land, we’ll look for adventures under and in the water. Because we’ve got a lot to offer in terms of activity holidays at the seaside.
Water sports at the Costa de Almería
Having the most beautiful Mediterranean beaches in abundance, far away from any mass tourism, Almería offers unrivalled opportunities for many water sports, especially diving, sailing, wind- and kitesurfing.
The Costa de Almería is divided into three different geographic regions: the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, the Levantine Coast going north and the Poniente Coast moving south. As it’s a slightly longer drive to the Poniente Coast, we’ll focus on the possibilities for water sports in
and the
Water sports in Cabo de Gata
Kayaking, wind- as well as kitesurfing, boat trips, snorkelling and diving rank among the most important water sports in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park.
The entire Natural Park boasts a myriad of providers. And there’s a very good provider for boat trips in Carboneras as well. Since almost every provider solely speaks Spanish, we are happy to book your trips for you and to provide you with detailed directions. We’ll also make sure that there’s an English-speaking person with you on the tour. This ensures that you’ll always have a contact person who can tell you all about the unique natural phenomena that you’ll get to see. And there’s bound to be a lot …
Kayaking and canoeing in Cabo de Gata
Kayaking trips combine relaxation, adventure and exploration. The tours offered along the Natural Park’s dramatic coastline are also suitable for beginners. There are also a few trips for advanced kayakers. We’ll be happy to give you a hand with that, too.
A textbook example and a very popular tour among kayakers are the La Fabriquilla – Arrecife de las Sirenas. Your starting point is La Fabriquilla Beach on the south coast, just before the Cabo. The route takes you along the Cabo de Gata headland to the Los Sirenas Reef, a region with breathtaking rock formations, both above and below sea level.
Boat trips in Cabo de Gata
Discover this stunning coastline with its volcanic origins, unique geology and colourful sea bed on a boat trip.
The timetables of the different providers cover most of the eastern coastline of Cabo de Gata and are a pleasant way to explore the park’s secluded coves. You’ll be able to take a swim on various stops in the coves. Or you might as well savour both a drink and the magnificent view of the sea …
Diving in and around Cabo de Gata
The crystal clear water, the untouched sea beds, the tiny rock islands and the coral reefs harbour an incredible abundance of marine life. This makes Cabo de Gata one of Spain’s most popular diving destinations.
The eastern coast, from the Los Sirenas Reef in the south up to Carboneras on the northern border, offers a wide range of dives suitable for all levels, from beginners to aspiring “pros”.
The numerous diving schools provide all information on the various dives, as well as equipment rental and qualified diving instructors. There are courses for beginners, refresher courses for those “It’s-been-a-while” candidates as well as dives for experienced divers who will be blown away by the colourful underwater world. Night dives are also possible.
The waters of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park are home to incredibly varied marine life. You can marvel at many different kinds of seabass, morays, sea bream, red mullets, scorpionfish and the exquisite – and very expensive in Northern Europe – razorfish, amongst others. But there’s actually a whole lot more fish species to see.
Posidonia seagrass, or Neptune grass, contributes to the underwater ecosystem, protects the seabed and gives various marine animals, crustaceans, molluscs, algae, etc. a home. Underwater caves and rocks, lined with colourful sponges, provide a backdrop for stunning underwater photography.
Of particular interest to experienced divers is the dive to the shipwreck “El Vapor” at a depth of 27/42 m The wreck is located about one nautical mile south of the Cabo de Gata Lighthouse. The open port side of the vessel allows access to the cellars of the hundred-metre vessel. The dive site offers the opportunity to watch eagle rays, barracudas, morays, conger eels, red snapper, white breams and sunfish.
El Cueva del Frances, a cave formation between San Jose and Los Escullos in the marine reserve, offers biodiversity at depths between 6 and 18m. As the name already suggests, there are caves where you can watch squids, morays, mullets and shrimps.
In the waters of Isleta del Moro, the Piedra de Los Meros offers the possibility of seeing some larger specimens of sea dwellers such as barracudas and large conger eels at a depth of 27/33m.
You’ll find detailed information about the dives available in Cabo de Gata as well as information about the diving courses on the websites of the respective diving centre. We’ll be happy to help!
Water sports at the Levante Almeriense
Let’s stick to diving a little longer:
To the north of Mojácar, you’ll find the Sierra de Villaricos, an underwater mountain range. To the south, just before the entrance to the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, is the Isla de San Andrés. An island off the coast near Carboneras. These are the two leading diving destinations along this part of the coast.
The diving schools in Mojácar offer programmes for these two spots and of course trips to the dive sites in Cabo de Gata.
Diving in the Sierra de Villaricos
The small fishing village of Villaricos is home to an underwater mountain range that offers a very special geological environment. The marine life and landscape know how to impress even the most experienced divers.
The “Cathedral”, a hollow mountain located about three kilometres off the coast at a depth of up to 32m, is considered one of the most beautiful spots in the region. The inside of the dome-shaped cave has several exit passages, all of which offer spectacular colour variations of the deep blue sea from the inside. The cave is home to lobsters, crabs and little red scorpionfish. Outside the cave, you can spot sea breams, morays and giant eels in their natural habitat.
Not far from the cathedral and at a depth of 35m is the unforgettable “Hermitage dive”, another cave of the Villaricos underwater mountain range. Here you can watch zebrafish and gilthead, tuna, groupers and eels.
Losa del Payo, which is far out on the open sea, offers diving depths up to 33m. It’s an excellent spot to watch pelagic fish such as barracuda, squid, sunfish and rays.
Diving at the Isla de San Andrés
San Andrés, a tiny island with volcanic origin just off the coast of Carboneras, is a protected area of particular ecological importance. The island provides shelter and nesting sites for many seabirds such as cormorants, shearwaters and yellow-legged gulls.
The seabed around the island is covered with craters and hollows. This terrain combined with the Posidonia Seagrass provides a perfect home for an ample range of marine life, such as squid, groupers and crabs. Due to the abundant Neptune grass, some dives are only permitted for experienced divers.
The north side of the island offers shallow dives between 3m and 20m, that are suitable for divers of all levels. The area known as the “Aquarium” owes its name to the exceptional diversity and clarity of the water. Of particular interest is the occurrence of the sadly endangered Neptune grass, also known as Posidonia Oceanica.
There are some attractions around the western part of the island that offer depths from 5m to 31m for experienced divers, such as El Crator, Arco de San Andrés and El Motor.
An exciting dive: the large natural stone arch of San Andrés extends the drop to 31m and offers divers a great variety of marine life. The particularly attractive eponym of the El Motor dive is actually an engine at a depth of 27m. The engine comes from a World War II bomber.
It’s probably completely unnecessary, but I’ll mention it all the same. Those who have never dived before and are afraid of diving can opt for snorkelling. The reward is a mesmerizing underwater world that you don’t want to miss. Some fish species can obviously only be observed from certain depths, but even when your just snorkelling, especially on beaches with a few rocks, you gain a whole new view of, or rather into, our sea.
Active holiday on Spain’s coast of a completely different nature can also be found in Villaricos, namely in the
Lunar Cable Park
The park was opened in 2012 at the Cuevas del Almanzora reservoir and is fast becoming a hotspot for all active holidaymakers. The main activities are wakeboarding and waterskiing, but canoeing and standup paddleboarding are also possible activities. There’s also a Ninja Park and many other activities. The main focus, however, remains on wakeboarding. If you’re interested, feel free to take a look at their Facebook page and be sure to turn on the sound for the video on the cover picture 🤣
By the way, you can also hover over the sea on a flyboard or rent a jet ski in Garrucha.
From the water to dizzy heights …
Reading this, you’ve probably realised that our region stands out due to its particularly beautiful nature and landscape. We are far away from mass tourism and this isn’t likely to change in the foreseeable future.
So we can continue to relish this uniqueness. Can you think of a better way of doing it than enjoying it from the very top, from the air?
Paragliding in Cabo de Gata
We’ve teamed up with our partner to show you the Cabo de Gata Natural Park from above. Of course, fully licensed and insured. If you’re a proud owner of your own license, you can go on joint trips in small groups. If you don’t have a license, you’re obviously not allowed to fly on your own. However, a tandem flight is in no way less special and memorable. An absolute highlight!
On a paramotor flight in Mojácar, you can also watch how the Mediterranean waves roll ashore to the mountain range of the Sierra Cabrera. I can assure you: that, too, is quite an unforgettable experience.
For those who’d rather have it a little less exciting – you can’t go wrong with a good old pedal boat 🙂 and it definitely also qualifies as an active holiday in Spain!
If your favourite sport isn’t listed here, just send us a quick note, and we’ll see if this is an activity you can actually do here. We’ll let you know if and where it’s possible and will also add it to this page.