The Costa del Sol has watersports of every kind, from kitesurfing to a quiet sail, at every level of experience. Kayaking below the Maro cliffs and surfing at Cabopino and Santa Amalia are both excellent. The best way to get up and down the coast is by hire car, including car hire at Málaga airport.
Watersports on the Costa del Sol
There is a wide range here, from the exciting to the restful, at every level.
What is on offer
- Kitesurfing
- Kayaking
- Surfing
- Paddleboarding
- Sailing
- Diving
Quiet and not so quiet
From a kitesurfing session to an afternoon under sail, there is something here whichever you are after.
At every level
Beginner or expert, there is something for you. The schools here teach both people starting out and people refining what they already do.
Kayaking below the Maro cliffs
A kayak route along the Nerja coast, between cliffs, hidden caves and waterfalls. It is exceptional country and there is no better way to see it.
The route
- See the Maro cliffs from the water, which is where they look best.
- The rock formations, and sea caves that can only be reached from the water.
- And the quiet of it.
The Nerja coast
- Cliffs and clear water, and a coastline that holds both.
- The marine and land life here is worth watching as you paddle.
- It is a calm place, and exactly right for anyone who likes both the outdoors and a bit of adventure.
Being outdoors
- Kayaking here puts you directly into it.
- The sea breeze, the waves against the cliffs, and the country around you.
- It is a remarkable stretch of coast, and easiest reached with a car hired from a company that specialises in car hire in Málaga.
Kitesurfing at Estepona, Marbella and Torremolinos
Kitesurfing here gives you speed over the water and the freedom of being pulled by a kite.
Speed over the water
- Kitesurfing here means moving across the waves under wind alone.
- The speed, and the skill it takes to control the kite, are what make it.
The freedom of it
- Every session puts you directly in contact with the sea and the wind.
- Moving across the water like that connects you to the place.
The right amount of adrenaline
- Kitesurfing here suits anyone who wants both the thrill and the setting.
- Speed, skill and the outdoors together make it fairly addictive.
Surfing and paddleboarding at Cabopino and Santa Amalia
The right beaches for it
Both are exactly right for it: clear water and waves that run from gentle to considerably less so.
Schools at every level
There are schools along this stretch of coast for every level, from someone learning the basics to an experienced surfer refining their technique.
Courses for beginners and experts
The courses run at both levels, with qualified instructors. It is a very good place to learn, or to get better.
Diving on the Costa del Sol
The marine life here is remarkable. Dive off Nerja, Mijas and Estepona and see what lives in this stretch of sea.
What is down there
From tropical fish to rays and octopus. The range of underwater ecosystems here surprises most divers.
Nerja, Mijas and Estepona
Known for their biodiversity. There are artificial coral reefs, posidonia meadows and rock formations holding a great deal of life. No two dives are the same.
For divers at every level
- Beginners get guided dives in calm, shallow water, where they learn the equipment and the technique.
- More experienced divers can go into underwater caves, wrecks and deep reefs.
- The dive schools here run courses from beginner to technical, so there is something matched to what each diver wants.
And the rest
Jet skis
Across the waves at speed, with this stretch of coast around you.
Spearfishing and whale watching
Spearfishing in clear water, among a good deal of marine life. And whale watching in their own habitat, which is something else entirely.
