Cove of the Cañuelo

Negative experience: When we have visited it was not great. Sea was very wavy and dirty with algae. It was impossible to get in the sea to take a bath. Cannot recommend.

Fantastic experience: Nice beach, water is cristal clear. But can be too cold.

Fantastic experience: Lovely beach, very quiet. Long walk down from the car park but a bus is available for 2 euro from 10am till 9pm. We hired sun loungers for €6 each and spent most of the day here. The sea was shallow enough for our 3 year to paddle and very clear for snorkeling. We walked down which was hard work with a toddler and I wouldn't advise the walk in sandals, We saw goats along the footpath tho which made it worth it.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful and Calm Beach! Less crowd

Fantastic experience: Brave the long walk down through the woods to this secluded beach - way more fun! Very photogenic and a nice eatery at the bottom. Good hike down and back up.

Fantastic experience: I’ve been to many beaches all over the world, but this one has to be the best one ever. Such a beautiful beach with nice water.

Fantastic experience: Smakl beach, but beautiful views on the way down. Was windy today. There is a nice restaurant at the bottom with tables looking at the sea. You can get a taxi/bus to take you back up the hill.

Negative experience: Terrible... we could never get there.

Fantastic experience: Unmatched

Fantastic experience: The 2 km long walk to the cove is worth it. The beach bar is very good, and the beach is not overcrowded. If you eat at the beach bar, the staff will drive you back to the parking lot for free.

Positive experience: Superb beach, with pebbles

Fantastic experience: Wonderful place

Negative experience: We have spent many happy days on this beach as a family in the past 20 years. Second day on the beach today, shocking to say the least!! There are streaks and streaks of brown effluent washing ashore again today, worse than yesterday. Loo paper, plastic bags, shoes, it looks like a mix of vomit, diarrhea, oily scum and it's just floating there in lines. We have never ever seen it this bad. THIS IS NOT SEAWEED!! .. there is an amount of seaweed present but this is definitely effluent and it's just hanging around the shallows atm ALL the way along the beach and more waiting to wash up behind that. No one seems to be swimming. It's disgusting, it's hazardous and it should in this day and age be stopped, the offenders heavily fined and archaic waste outlets replaced.

Fantastic experience: Place with clear waters, ideal for snorkeling. You have to leave the car up and go down with a bus.

Positive experience: You cannot go down to the beach with your own car; it is prohibited. There is a parking space above, and you have to walk down (about 20 minutes). In summer, they provide a bus service. At the end of May, when that bus service was not running yet, I parked in that place; there were some cars, but there was free space. I walked down, spent the day at the beach, and when I came back in the afternoon, my window had been broken, and someone had entered the car. They didn’t steal anything because I hadn’t left anything of value. There were 2 or 3 other cars with broken windows. The beach is super quiet at that time! At other times it seems it is not. Surveillance camera!

Fantastic experience: Spectacular beach for snorkeling

Fantastic experience: One of the best beaches I have been to, I enjoyed it a lot

Fantastic experience: A spectacular place

Fantastic experience: The beach is very good and the food is great at the beach bar.

Positive experience: The beach is spectacular and very nice, but you need beach shoes because there are many small stones. To get to the beach, the public transportation units do not provide the appropriate service, as there is no air conditioning or ventilation. They charge €2.50.

Fantastic experience: It is a cove with crystal clear waters, perfect for snorkeling.

Fantastic experience: I love this beach. The water is a wonder, very clean and clear. The beach bar has quality dishes and is so well prepared that even if it's hot, it feels super fresh due to the amount of plants it has. If I had to make a drawback, it's advisable to wear water shoes because the sand has quite a few stones.

Fantastic experience: One of the best coves in Andalusia, family-friendly, respectful, clean, natural. You can eat at the beach bar Las Piedras where your experience will be even better! Unmatched price, quality, and service compared to others. Don’t hesitate for a second.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful beach with stones all around. The sea is deep, very deep just a moment from the shore. A bus runs from the parking lot, charging 2.50 euros per trip per person. You can jump into the water from the rocks.

Fantastic experience: Nude beach and clear waters for diving

Positive experience: 2.25 return tickets on bus or you just walk 20min. (Not so hard hiking track)

Fantastic experience: A well-preserved natural setting where you can relax and disconnect from the world. When you arrive at the place, you have to park the car and wait for a van that acts as a bus to take you down to the location, as walking could take a long half hour. The price is €2.4 round trip if you keep the ticket they give you. The cove is beautiful and quite spacious, plus there is a beach bar. The shame is that we picked a bad day for waves and couldn’t swim or go snorkeling.

Fantastic experience: Great minibus service down to beach, really nice restaurant friendly service.

Negative experience: The aggressive and rude kayak man says one hour, you return at that time and he is renting it to other people, after saying that it is not necessary to reserve it, he has no word and bad manners, shouting in front of the children. He thinks that because he has the monopoly on kayaks on this beach, he can talk to people however he wants; when we kindly told him that we were waiting for the next one... 0 recommended, better not to approach the man, he gets aggressive, smells bad, and thinks he is superior to anyone.

Negative experience: There are countless cars and people, there's nowhere to park, and you have to walk more than a kilometer. We chose another beach.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful beach, small pebbles on the dry part of the beach, and sand at the water line. There is a restaurant nearby, the food is average. There are sun loungers, but not many, at €6 each. Buses run to the beach.

Negative experience: Too many people in a very small area, the beach is acceptable but I haven't seen it as spectacular as it's portrayed in many places.

Negative experience: Not bad, but I find it to be a very overrated beach, with too many people. And above all, I think it's an abomination to allow motorboats to be stranded in front of the beach; there were at least 5 plus several jet skis going around the area...

Fantastic experience: Huge beach, crystal clear waters, little wave action, ideal for snorkeling and kayaking. Buses running back and forth from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Although the parking is very small, you can park along the road.

Fantastic experience: Bardzo ładna zatoka. Plaża kamienista ale bez butów da się wytrzymać. Na początku czerwca niezatłoczona nawet w weekend. Na miejscu restauracja godna polecenia. Warto zdecydować się na 15 minutowy spacer z parkingu - ładne widoki. Pod górę ciężko. Jeśli nie masz dobrej kondycji lepiej skorzystaj z busa.

Negative experience: Sconsiglio assolutamente di andare in questo posto, specialmente se siete con la macchina. Nonostante avessimo parcheggiato in una zona ben visibile e con la navetta del bus a pochi metri, ci hanno aperto il bagagliaio e rubato tutte le valigie che avevamo dentro. Inoltre, il mare era molto ondoso e i lettini erano davvero vetusti. Un'esperienza deludente sotto ogni aspetto.

Fantastic experience: Maravilla de playa. Entorno y tranquilidad

Negative experience: de vergüenza ayuntamiento y todo el que habeis ido tirando esta basura aquí, os tenía que dar vergüenza, pero lamentablemente no y eso es triste, RESPETAR VUESTRA TIERRA,PLAYAS Y MAR!!!

Negative experience: Aquí dejo esta reseña negativa para expresar la impotencia ante la pasividad de las autoridades para preservar un paraje natural de tanta belleza. Después de bajar con el autobús de la Junta e instalarnos junto a la orilla, comenzaron a llegar todo tipo de embarcaciones a motor: lanchas pequeñas, otras más grandes, motos de agua... todas muy cerca de la costa, perturbando la fauna y flora, dejando una capa de aceite y haciendo un ruido tremendo con sus potentes motores: panda de horteras y salvajes. Al preguntar si aquello era normal a la patrulla de la Guardia Civil que un -breve- momento hizo aparición, nos comentaron que "no tenían medios", que estaban centrados en otros menesteres. Una pena, tanta política del clima climático y cuando se trata de proteger el patrimonio natural más cercano, no somos capaces.

Fantastic experience: Best place to snorkel in Nerja. We go here often to snorkel, its a nice hike back and forth with stunning views. It takes about 30min to walk down to the beach and close to an hour back up (with a toddler walking) so probably less with only adults. You can take the bus that goes frequently for 6€ pr person. But if you do you will miss the sunset and the quiet this beach has to offer. Be awere this is not a sand beach though, it’s pebbels. Bring bathing shoes. I recomend going here on a weekday.

Fantastic experience: La playa es espectacular. Está limpia, hay mucha vida bajo el agua, MUY recomendado llevar escarpines, tienes servicio de tumbonas/hamacas con sombrilla por 6€/p y un par de restaurantes, de los cuales yo recomiendo "Las Piedras". Bajan dos buses desde las 10:00 hasta las 20:30-21:00. Cuesta 2'25€/p, importante guardar el ticket para no volver a pagar a la subida. Si quieres bajar en el primer trayecto recomiendo estar ahí a las 09:45 como tarde. Hablo de mi experiencia en la primera quincena de JULIO entre semana (un Martes). El parking a las 09:45 con sitio de sobra y sin gorrillas. Más tarde imagino que se llenará de coches. Creo que tambien alquilan kayaks y paddles.

Fantastic experience: Ya no es tranquila como antes. Ahora es difícil aparcar y siempre abarrotada de gente. Mejor ir con zapatillas hay mucha piedra... El agua es cristalina algunos días porque con tanta gente cada vez menos. Hay un bus que te baja y te sube por poco más de 2 euros ida y vuelta . Porque ir hasta abajo a la playa es bajar una carretera y se tarda un buen rato.. Además no dejan bajar los coches abajo para mirar por el medio ambiente y me parece muy bien. Mucha gente. Hay restaurante abajo un poco caro eso sí. En las fotos se ve que poca agua cristalina.

Fantastic experience: Nice and relaxed beach, sunbeds for rent. You can snorkel here very nicely! Very nice beach bar Chiringuito Las Piedras, the customer is king there. Definitely a recommendation if you are at this beach to eat or drink something there!

Fantastic experience: It's a spectacular place for night photography.

Fantastic experience: Crystal clear water with an almost unreal turquoise color, comparable to the Caribbean. Pleasant 20-minute walk from the parking, relaxed atmosphere, and few people. A little hidden paradise.

Positive experience: Cañuelo Beach, in Nerja, is the last beach of the Malaga municipality, at the provincial boundary between Granada and Malaga. It is located in the natural setting of Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs, characterized by the steep and incredible cliffs it presents. It is an isolated and rustic beach surrounded by a natural environment of great beauty. With not too easy access, it adds even more charm, as it seems like a secret beach endowed with an unbeatable climate and low occupancy. Cañuelo is a cove of sand and gravel, its completely crystal-clear waters will allow you to snorkel or dive without any problem, so don't forget your diving goggles to discover the wonderful marine fauna of this area. You can find orange coral, a species classified as Vulnerable to Extinction. A beach to relax on a sunny day, considered one of the quietest places on the Malaga coast. Even in winter, it is one of the chosen spots to disconnect...

Fantastic experience: Best beach we've visited in the Nerja area! Crystal clear water, nice snorkeling right by the shore. Fish and nice stones to look at, fun for the kids aged 6 and 9. Beach with small fine and pleasant stones to walk on, sandy bottom well in the water. Larger stones further up. Nice restaurant (left side facing the sea), the food is what you can expect at a beach in that location. We got a free ride up to the parking lot after having lunch and ice cream at the restaurant but would easily have paid for the service. Steep, long climb. The walk down exceeded expectations, about 15 minutes. Parking is no problem in October and early in the day.

Fantastic experience: I was at this cove towards the end of September and I imagine it was also due to the time of year that the beach was quiet and truly not crowded at all. The driving directions lead to a dirt road where parking is possible. The descent to the beach is about 1.6 km and it is possible to take a small public shuttle costing €2.25 round trip (keep the ticket because it will be necessary to show it on the way back). Generally, the service is active until late afternoon (8:00 PM) with a two-hour lunch break (around 2-4 PM). I recommend checking the schedule for the season if you're interested. I can tell you that it’s very doable to go down/up on foot if you're in good physical condition. The beach is mainly pebbly, with little sand. Fantastic and crystal clear water. Dogs are not allowed, but there are not many controls. As for services, there are two beach bars, one on each side of the cove. Possibility of snacks, lunch, and rental of umbrellas and sunbeds.

Fantastic experience: The cove is spectacular, a bus takes you down and brings you back up for 2.25. In July and especially in August, it is super crowded, but now in September it's great. The beach is rocky and the water is crystal clear.

Fantastic experience: Very beautiful beach, great for snorkeling. Many species of fish. Be careful of jellyfish with strong waves!!!

Fantastic experience: Amazing small beach with mixture of small rocks and sand. The shore is sandy and very secluded, so great to stay with the kids. We were in September and it was very quiet and not crowded. You need to take a shuttle bus (only during the high season and the price is 2 eur per person for a return ticket) or walk a pretty long distance to reach this beach.

Fantastic experience: At the roundabout access to the parking lot. Guides are available, parking is free. The guides appreciate 2 Euros. If the parking lot is full, then park at the roundabout. We arrived around 11 am, it was still relatively empty. Then you take the minibus down to the Cale. It costs 2.25 per person for a round trip. You can walk too, but at 32 degrees and with many beach items, it’s not so great.... In the Cale, there are 2 restaurants, a small one and a truly large one, but very nice. We had a good coffee there. The restaurant was very busy. There were almost only Spaniards there. The Cale itself is spacious, with a pebble beach. There are also small private areas where you can have some peace. The water is clear, first there are stones, then sand. But with waves, it can also be a bit weedy. Great for snorkeling and swimming. Overall, fantastic for a day or half-day trip.

Fantastic experience: The crystal-clear sea makes this beach one of the most beautiful among those visited between Cadiz and Nerja. You park the car up and take a shuttle that takes you down for 2.50 euros per person. It's tough to walk down. Beach with pebbles and not very crowded on August 30th. There is a restaurant and a rental for umbrellas and sunbeds. Recommended.

Fantastic experience: Delightful cove just past Nerja. The water is crystal clear, fine pebble beach. It's never overly crowded. You can enjoy delicious food in the shade at the beach bar. The parking is quite far away, but there are shuttles going back and forth. We walked the road, it was super hot, but the effort was more than worth it.

Fantastic experience: The beach is very beautiful

Fantastic experience: ideal for going to the beach in a natural environment

Fantastic experience: A beautiful beach!!! We have to take care of it or they will end up closing the access.

Positive experience: The beach is beautiful but we were treated very poorly by the bus gentlemen [except for a super lovely gray-haired man]. It's unfortunate how the others treat those of us who pay for the service.

Fantastic experience: Very beautiful beach. Well-maintained natural area. Crystal clear waters with fish.

Positive experience: Clean water and good atmosphere. There is no sand, only stones. You can rent hammocks and kayaks. There are also two restaurants. The food is average. The beautiful part is the water of the beach and the tranquility.

Positive experience: Increasingly crowded. No showers or bathrooms. Immense queues to catch the bus and also getting more expensive every year. Very limited parking area and if you want to park in front of the biker bar, the owner requires you to make a purchase under the excuse that it is private, which by the way, it is not.

Positive experience: A beautiful cove. I recommend bringing water shoes and an umbrella. You park up and take the minibus back and forth. There are no showers or public restrooms.

Fantastic experience: Very good beach, calm water for diving, small pebble sand that doesn't stain. Difficult access on foot, that's why there are shuttles that take you there and bring you back for 1.5 euros.

Fantastic experience: The water is very clear. Great for snorkeling. It's rocky but it's very nice. You park in an upper parking lot and then take buses that go every ten minutes down.

Fantastic experience: A beach with a singular charm and a lot of tranquility; on weekdays, there are not many people and you can only hear birds and the sound of the sea, with many rocky areas where you can see fish and marine life. I recommend bringing water shoes to walk and be in the water. A must-see is the sunset there. You park your car up top and can take the bus to go down and come back up, it costs 2.25 for a round trip. Don't leave trash there, you can get on the bus and throw it in the containers at the parking lot. This beach is not nudist, that is the one next door, so people who do so here should be fined by the civil guard that comes down from time to time.

Fantastic experience: Amazing beach with clear and clean water. We loved it. It’s a pebble beach and there are 2 chiringuitos. Secluded and far from everything (there’s nothing around and you can only get there with own transport), so you’re truly in the middle of nature. The beach was pretty full (end August) but it was still very calm and had a relaxing atmosphere. There were a few shuttle busses on the way down and 4 around 8:30-9:30PM when we were waiting in line to take it. It’s €2.25 per person round trip. Beware of jellyfishes at times. We also saw wild piggies :) Overall I don’t understand the complains. It was a great experience except when we waited 45 minutes for the shuttle bus, so if you don’t want to wait then make sure to leave earlier before 8PM.

Positive experience: A simple and natural place. Arrive early because you have to queue to get down on a bus. The cove is very nice, the water is clear, there are many fish so it's good to bring snorkeling gear. There are few services because it's a place with practically nothing, very natural. There are a couple of beach bars. Very pleasant for spending the whole day. The returning buses stop at 9 PM.

Fantastic experience: What a beautiful beach, warm crystal clear water. No access by car, you park on the top of the cliff, there are 2 shuttle buses take you down to the beach, at low price(cash). The road is narrow with lots of turns seems like you are in safari trip , we loved the hole experience. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Lovely beach with a restaurant. Parking at the top is free although the attendant told us we could tip anything we wanted! 2 euros each bus down. Really good system

Fantastic experience: Peaceful secluded pebble beach with plenty to see under the sea. Walk down or take a minibus.

Fantastic experience: Parking at the top for approximately 40 vehicles, with 2 disability parking places. Then, the bus down to the beach or a gentle walk downhill of approximately 10 minutes. The bus service starts in May (only weekends) and then is available daily until the end of September. Lovely beach bars serving great fish.

Fantastic experience: Really nice clean pebble beach with clear water. Although the car park was full there were plenty of other placed to park just off road at the top. There was a minibus which will take you down and return for a small fee. We walked which took us 18mins at a slow pace. Coming back took us exactly 30mins. We were carrying small tent and beach stuff. We ate at the far side restaurant which was good. There are no public facilities such as showers or toilets. All in all a nice quiet day.

Fantastic experience: Lovely beach between Nerja and Almunecar. Long walk down (and up after a nice day on the beach) from the parking, but in the summer there’s a small van that brings you and your beach gear down and up again for only € 2,00. Crystal clear water, two nice beach restaurants, mix of small stones and sand, easy to walk on barefoot.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful beach but today is full of jellyfish.

Positive experience: We walked down to the beach, it is easy to find the trail, it is a clean beach with crystal clear water, you can see plenty of fish in the water, a good advice is to arrive early, maybe before 10.00 were the bus to the beach start

Fantastic experience: Great beach in the nature park. The walk down is lovely, around 20 to 30 minutes all easy downhill. Shuttle buses can take you up again for Euro 2 per person. They go whenever you are ready. Beautiful waters and nice restaurant for lunch or drinks.

Positive experience: Nice beach with cozy restaurant. You take a shuttle bus to the beach from the parking. Or 20 minute walk.

Positive experience: We winter visitors are more interested in nature hiking. The area behind the beach is interesting, especially the east side cliff. A good view too of what may be the port and lighthouse at Melilla on the south shore of the Alboran Sea. The beach itself is not very interesting

Fantastic experience: This is a great beach of the beaten track. You have to walk down a big hill to get here but it's totally worth it. We had a wonderful time on the beach and had drinks at the little bar.

Fantastic experience: Best beach in Málaga province. 2 euro return ticket from the car park down to the beach. One small restaurant on the beach. Busy on weekends but quieter during the week.

Fantastic experience: Bring your snorkel and mask, great array of fish to see. I see new species every time I visit. Toilets available in beach restaurants. Bus available at the weekend only, from mid September. Restaurants provide a service in the early days of the week for customers.

Positive experience: Lovely beach, losses a star for being slightly grubby but way cleaner then further down the coast at Nerja. Get the shuttle bus down the hill is exhilarating in itself and once down there are beds and wicker umbrellas. The beds are surprisingly comfy. Amazing restaurant, portions are huge so I suggest sharing mains if you’re not wanting to be a beached whale!

Fantastic experience: Lovely and beautiful beach. There is a good restaurant with reasonable prices and good service, but you need make an appointment as soon as you came. Very recommended!!!

Fantastic experience: Stunning beach with so much to offer! We visited in mid September and there were barely any people. Water is full of fish and the cliffs are a must for snorkelling enthusiasts. The beach is pebbly and comfortable. Coming down can be an issue for people with mobility restrictions and lazy f.cks

Positive experience: The beach is very nice with a clear water for swimming but the guy packs away the sun loungers and chucks you off at around 6.30pm. As we only arrived in late afternoon, we were obviously not happy. Shuttle bus gets very busy after 7pm so we walked back up, which was actually nice - good views of the beach!

Fantastic experience: Beautiful place! A couple of minutes to go from the parking lot but absolutely worth.

Fantastic experience: I walked down a steep hill to this underpopulated cove. Reminded me of Big Sur but without the crowds. It's winter, and I have no idea what it's like in the summer, but I enjoyed it.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful secluded beach! Note that the shuttle down only available during high session. Outside those dates you will have to go down by foot, a 30 minutes of a steep and beautiful path between the cliffs, totally worth it though!

Fantastic experience: Nice beach, with minibus service and restaurant on the beach.

Positive experience: The Beach is between beautiful cliffs unfortunately the water was not clean.

Fantastic experience: Amazing beach, with beautiful views. Perfect for snorkeling with clear water and lots of big fish.

Fantastic experience: Really pretty beach, quite secluded and well worth the walk from the parking :) can't imagine staying all day in Nerja after visiting it!

Fantastic experience: Total paradise if you want to get away from it all. Great food and service from the restaurant. Perfect place to stay. Good exercise walking up the hill.

Fantastic experience: Amazing snorkeling on the left side of the beach as you look at the sea. Best I've seen near Nerja. Get the shuttle bus down for 2 euros each return (small children free sitting on your lap). Parking can be a problem at busy times, but worth the effort. There are no facilities except a cafe which I didn't use.

Fantastic experience: Cañuelo Playa is a fantastic beach in the nature reserve. Quiet, clean and unspoiled like the commercial beaches. Come early and enjoy a full day in the paradise. Be aware you will have to use a shuttle bus to access the beach since it’s protected from traffic.

Fantastic experience: We really enjoyed this beach and the restaurant. The bus from the car park costs £2 and is very frequent. We hired a sun lounger for £5 each - there are only 30 or so for hire. The beach wasn't too busy and the water was clean. The restaurant is lovely - good seafood - but it does get full at lunch time. The only toilets are in the restaurant and there are no showers or changing facilities. You have to take your rubbish with you when you leave.

Fantastic experience: Get to the parking spot early before 11am! Park the first available spot you see Recommend take bus. 2 euros cash only. Don't bother trying to walk down. Great beach. Plenty of marine life to see. I saw an octopus! Snorkeling is great at that beach Restaurants can be avoided. Bring foods or have late breakfast then eat lunch elsewhere

Fantastic experience: i did a roadtrip through andalusia with my two best friends in a small camper and one day we spent at that beach i really loved it, wonderful views, clean beach and clear water we camped a little up the hill - awesome experience! if you are in the area i can totally recommend it to you! also don't forget your camera and take some pictures!

Positive experience: Lovey clear water, lots of fish. Shuttle service not running so a bit of a trek down the hill (but beach was very quiet which was nice). Pebble beach also nice for a change.

Fantastic experience: Absolut Amazing beach with crystal clear water...Great for snorkling and relax. Busses take you down to the beach..2 Euro. The busses runs to 10pm. Fantastic restaurant hidden away in tbe shade with great good food and service. Some sunbeds but better bring chairs and parasol...no sand but small flat stones...great no mess with black sand. A beach that have to be on the "to do list in Spain"