Chilling Out In Javea: Arenal Beach

One of the main attractions of Javea, Arenal beach is the perfect place to chill out and take in the sun and enjoy the splendid Mediterranean. It’s a crescent shaped playground with soft golden sand that gently slopes down to the calm and crystal clear waters. Playa de Arenal is cited by the World Health Organization as "near perfect" for its cleanliness, and is rated as a blue flag beach.

Arenal's northernmost point starts at the highly regarded Parador de Javea hotel, which provides excellent views of the beach, the sea and the surrounding areas. The Parador is said to be built atop the ruins of a Roman commander's villa, whose columns still remain standing in the hotel's garden. The beach then follows a gentle curve southward that ends at the very popular Scallops restaurant. The restaurant itself can't ever be called "classy," but it's almost always full and patrons keep coming back for the great food and drinks, the excellent service and the incredibly low prices. Scallops is a great value for groups and families.

In between is a wide promenade that cuts across the beach, lined by numerous bars and restaurants. Lined up neatly along the beach are dozens of sunbeds and wide parasols, with beach showers set up in a few places. There are volleyball courts all around, and these usually draw groups of players and spectators in the afternoon. The summer months are the liveliest for Javea's Arenal. Aspiring sculptors make their presence known as they create masterpieces in the sand. During the summer there is a mini train that transports people all day until late at night from Arenal to the other sections of Javea - the old town and the port area. An open air cinema is set up right on the beach during summer nights.

Water sports abound in Arenal. Besides swimming or wading around in the crystal clear waters near the shore, numerous dive shops offer dive lessons and dive tours. The waters of nearby San Antonio is a marine reserve, and will surely provide an exciting underwater experience. Snorkeling, surfing and fishing are also possible, as is water skiing. A recent addition is a dive platform built some distance from the shore. Boat charter services can take the more serious fishing aficionados out to the open sea for a more challenging catch. For those who prefer to stay dry, and those with the need for speed, a go-kart course, Laguna Javea, is just nearby. This go-kart facility is truly remarkable; the karts are very well maintained, and most shine and shimmer like new. Golf is also popular, and there are a number of world class golf courses in the surrounding countryside.

A few kilometers south of the beach is the Cabo de la Nao, a rocky cliff that offers stunning views of Javea's Arenal, the old town, the port area and the surrounding countryside. On a clear day one can even see the party island, Ibiza, out in the distance.