La Manga Holidays

Why go to La Manga

Famous for its long sandy beaches, championship golf courses and idyllic sailing conditions, La Manga bags a prize spot on Murcia's Mediterranean Coast. Aside from famous footballers, golf pros and celebrities, a La Manga holiday attracts a mix of families, couples and friends looking for an active getaway.

Officially called La Manga del Mar Menor (The Sandbar of the Minor Sea), this narrow sandbank stretches for 21km (13 miles) – from the peninsula of Cabo Palos all the way around to Las Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar – and separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor, the largest saltwater lagoon in Europe.

While sports fans will know La Manga for its top-class tennis clinics, golf courses and football-training facilities – England's football stars have been known to train here in the off-season – it also has stacks of natural appeal with wild beaches, salt flats and even flocks of flamingos.

And, as the Mar Menor lagoon contains high levels of magnesium, calcium and sodium, La Manga is popular with travellers big on wellbeing too. Bag yourself a free ‘spa treatment’ at Playa de la Puntica, where you’ll find similarly minded locals and visitors bathing in the lagoon's health-boosting clay.

Of course, a holiday to La Manga wouldn’t be complete without watersports. The shallow, protected waters of the Mar Menor lagoon makes it a great spot for learning windsurfing and canoeing, while the Mediterranean side has perfect conditions for jet-skiing, kitesurfing and sailing.

After dark, La Manga comes alive with friendly beach bars and waterfront restaurants that run along the main strip between Zoco and Plaza Bohemia. Party people, meanwhile, should head over to Cape Palos on the southern peninsula for clubs and late-night bars with open-air terraces and international DJs.

When to go to La Manga

Perched on southern Spain's Mediterranean Coast, La Manga benefits from a warm, temperate climate for much of the year and boasts 300 days of annual sunshine, too.

Naturally, Spain's summer months of June, July and August see the balmiest weather with average temperatures ranging between 25C and 33C, with very little rainfall. However, it's also the peak tourist season so hotel rates are at their highest and the beaches are busy.

For a cheap La Manga holiday, the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn are the best times to go, both in terms of value for money and weather. November to March is the low season, when temperatures drop to 13C and below. This is the best time to pick up the cheapest deals but while there will be plenty of blue skies and sunshine, not all attractions and facilities will be open.

What to do in La Manga

While regarded as one of Spain's best sport-friendly holiday destinations, there's more to La Manga than golf, sailing and football. Bookended by nature reserves, the peninsula is pure bliss for those who love spending time outdoors.

La Manga Club

Sports, sports and more sports! La Manga Club is one of Spain’s premier sports resorts, catering to wide range of interests (cricket, rugby, tennis and cycling to name but a few).

However, it’s best known for its three 18-hole golf courses, which have hosted top-level tournaments such as the Spanish Open. And if you don't know your bogeys from your birdies, there's also a pitch and putt course designed by former golf number one, Seve Ballesteros.

Estación Náutica Mar Menor

Prefer to be by the sea? La Manga is also a paradise for watersports fans. Known for its exceptionally clear and calm waters, as well as its favourable winds, it's the ideal place to learn how to sail and windsurf.

First-timers, try Estación Náutica Mar Menor in Cabo de Palos – it’s one of La Manga's top schools for paddle-boarding, jet-skiing, canoeing and kitesurfing.

Las Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar

Covering 856 hectares, this nature reserve famously welcomes flocks of pink flamingos each summer, as well as albatross, grebe and heron throughout the year.

Most of the park is only accessible by foot or on bike, so it's the perfect excuse to ditch the car and explore the salt flats, sand dunes and pine groves as nature intended. If you have time, stop for a peaceful picnic or quiet swim along the way.

Tomas Maestre Marina

If you fancy hobnobbing with the rich and famous, head to Tomas Maestre Marina – the heart of La Manga's yachting scene.

Located in the north of La Manga, Tomas Maestre Marina is home to hundreds of white yachts, as well as waterfront bars and restaurants, and a host of upmarket shops. You can also hop on a day cruise, book a diving trip, and head out on a fishing excursion from the marina.

Calblanque Regional Park

One of the last untouched stretches along the coast, the Calblanque Regional Park is the ideal place for some peace and tranquillity, and it’s less than 20 minutes’ drive away. Explore the park's salt flats and sand dunes on an afternoon walk, and pack your bathers for a swim in the azure waters.

Remember to bring a hamper of goodies and plenty of water; getting away from it all really means just that at the Calblanque Regional Park and you won’t find any facilities.