Top tips for a perfect day at the beach in Malaga

Malaga gets hot. Really hot. In July and August the beaches fill up fast and the midday sun is not to be underestimated. The good news is the beaches here are genuinely good — clean, well-served and varied enough that you can find a quiet spot even in high summer, if you know where to look. A bit of planning goes a long way. Here’s the practical stuff.

Looking for a guide to all the beaches? Look no further – our Malaga beach guide lists every single one.

Getting to Malaga beaches

The good news is that several good Malaga beaches are within walking distance of the old town and the rest are a short bus or bike ride away.

• La Malagueta beach is the nearest – allow about 15 minutes’ walk to get here from Calle Larios. If you’re based near Plaza de la Merced, use the tunnel underneath the Alcazaba as a short cut to La Malagueta and the beach.
• La Caleta beach is around 5-10 minutes further east, an easy and pleasant walk along the seafront. You could also get the bus (Nos 3 and 11 go past).
• The beaches in Pedregalejo and El Palo are a good walk away (at least an hour), so get the bus (Nos 3 or 11) to these.
• The western beaches – San Andrés and Misericordia – are also walkable (give yourself 30-60 minutes, depending on how far along the western seafront you go.

*SPF advice: the UV index in July and August is categorised as extreme to very high — SPF 50+ is essential, not optional. Reapply every 90 minutes, and stay in shade between noon and 5pm. Sand and water reflect UV rays and increase exposure even in the shade.

**Jellyfish risk – unpredictable from June to September, when Levante (easterly) winds can push swarms toward shore. Check the free Infomedusa app (available for Android and Apple from this link) for real-time beach-by-beach alerts before you swim.

Keeping cool – getting some shade on the beach in Malaga

The summer sun beats down hard in Malaga especially in July and August so you’ll need some sort of shade protection while you’re on the beach. Choose from:

Natural shade

Set up your spot in one of the palm tree oases along the seafront in Malaga. The trees provide lots of shade and the grass is cooler to lie on than the sand.

Hire your shade

Grab a sun lounger and sun shade at one of the beach bars in Malaga. Daily hire starts at €8 (for a lounger and sunshade). If you want a frontline position, book your lounger spot the day before, even earlier if it’s the weekend.

Take your own shade

The Spanish are beach umbrella specialists and you’ll see sunshades of all shapes, sizes and colours on the beach. If you’d like to buy your own, you can pick one up at kiosks or general stores along the seafront or in one of the Chinese bazaar-shops in Malaga. But as with everything in life, you get what you pay for.

Read about when is the best time of year to go to Malaga.

Keeping fed – eating on the beach in Malaga

Whether you’re hitting the beach for the whole day or just the morning or afternoon, you’ll probably want something to eat.

At a table

There are dozens of chiringuitos (beach bars and restaurants) in Malaga, and most of them are good. You’ll need to book a table for lunch at weekends and any day during July and August.

Try the fried fish and grilled sardines washed down with a glass of chilled gazpacho soup for a perfect (and healthy) lunch at the beach.

Top tips for eating out at a chiringuito

Know when to eat – many beach restaurants have two lunch sittings in the summer – the first at 1.30pm and the second at 3 or 3.30pm. If you have a table for the first sitting, you may be expected to leave by the time the second starts. We prefer the first sitting in the summer because it’s usually slightly quieter, the waiters are still fresh and it isn’t quite so hot.

Dress appropriately and cover up. Most chiringuitos won’t let you sit down for a meal without a t-shirt and footwear on.

Be prepared for noise and chaos – locals flock to chiringuitos in the summer and you’ll often see tables seating 8 or more people. Children run everyway, waiters rush and it’s hot. If you’re looking for a romantic meal for two, head elsewhere!

Know what to pay for that fish – some fresh fish is priced by weight (e.g. €5 per 100g). To avoid a shock when you get the bill, ask the waiter to weigh the fish for you and tell you the final price before you order it. We’ve seen bills for €50 for what looked like a small fish.

Know how much to order – beware of portion distortion. Fried fish is rich and filling, so order a discreet number of dishes. We prefer to order a few sharing plates and then order extra later on if we’re hungry.

Know your squid – not all squid is fresh and many chiringuitos serve calamares fritos from frozen. Double-check if you want the real maccoy.

Know about the extras – be prepared for a service charge of at least €2 per person. The charge might be noted as ‘pan y aceitunas’ (bread and olives) on the bill. (If the service charge is higher than €2.50, we don’t leave a tip!)

On your towel

Take your own meal, but don’t limit yourself to sandwiches. Do as the Spanish do and make an occasion of it. Before you go to the beach, visit one of the markets in Malaga and stock up on picnic food – olives, cheese, cold cuts, Spanish omelet, anchovies…

Top tip – we’ve seen Uber Eat and Glovo delivering to people at the beach, a good option if you don’t mind eating your meal with your fingers and get your location right for the delivery driver!

Keeping quiet – finding a peaceful spot on the beach in Malaga

Almost a mission impossible on the Costa del Sol beaches in the summer, but there are some ways of finding some peace and quiet.

The map below shows the location of all the beaches, with colour-coded icons for crowd levels in high season (July to mid-September):

Red – these are the most crowded of all.

Orange – crowded.

Yellow – not too crowded.

Light-yellow – hardly any crowds.

Guadalhorce Beach

This beach between Sacaba Beach and the Guadalhorce River mouth is generally quiet all year round. You have to walk (or bike) there from Malaga – note that you can’t take your bike into the natural park, but there are bike racks outside the entrance.

Note too that this beach has no facilities or lifeguards, so take plenty of water.

Guadalmar Beach

The section around the Parador de Golf is one of the least busy beaches in Malaga in terms of people, but it’s under the flight path to Malaga Airport so it can be noisy especially if the planes are coming in over the sea.

If you like to go au naturel, the western section of this beach is nudist. The stretch is clearly marked with large signs.

Early morning

Almost without exception Malaga beaches are quiet first thing in the morning. Pop down for an early morning dip and then spread out as much as you like until the first crowds start to arrive from 11 onwards.

Keeping safe – having a safe day out on the beach in Malaga

Swimming

Lifeguards operate on the beaches in Malaga at weekends between Easter and the end of September and daily from mid-June to early September. Follow their instructions at all times and if there’s a red flag flying stay out of the water (a green flag means swimming conditions are safe, a yellow flag means be careful).

Note that the Mediterranean can be dangerous, particularly when the sea is rough and riptides are created. Don’t underestimate the power of the undercurrent – several people drown every year.

Sunscreen

Apply liberally and frequently, and stay in the shade as much as possible between noon and 5pm when the sun is at its hottest.

Jellyfish

These unwelcome visitors occasionally appear on the beach in Malaga and although their stings are painful they’re usually mild. For treatment of jellyfish stings read this or ask a lifeguard for advice and help.

Sea urchins

They live among the rocks on the more stony beaches in Malaga such as Sacaba Beach and Guadalhorce Beach. To avoid getting the painful spines in your feet wear foot protection at all times. To treat a sea urchin puncture read this.

Keeping fit – playing on the beach in Malaga

If you want to combine a day at the beach with a bit of exercise, try these:

Keep-fit stations – positioned at different spots along the Malaga seafront.

Volleyball – you’ll see nets up and people playing on the beach. Ask to join in – in our experience most players are more than happy for you to play too.

Football – there are beach pitches at the west end of La Misericordia Beach and in El Palo.

Children’s playparks – some of the best playparks in Malaga are along the beach and there are plenty of them.

Keeping entertained – watching a film on the beach in Malaga

If you’re at the beach in Malaga in the evening and fancy a bit of cinema, grab a seat at the Festival de Malaga’s Open Cinema programme. Films are showing throughout the summer at three Malaga beaches: La Malagueta, La Misericordia and El Dedo (in El Palo).

Most are in Spanish and aimed at children but some in original version and hey, what can beat watching a film under the stars with the sea lapping the shore in the background? Full details are in our July and August what’s on posts.

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