Swimming at Platja de Pals and Platja Illa Roja

Platja de Pals is a reasonably large community of houses and villas located at the sea about 4km down from the historic Pals village itself. It's one of the most seasonal areas on the Costa Brava.

In summer the houses and villas fill up, parking spaces can be something of a premium and there is a huge bustle around the many bars and restaurants in the area and children's amusements on the beach. In winter by contrast it feels empty with driftwood the only thing you might see on the beach.

The Platja itself is very long and broad, running all the way to L'Estartit about 10km to the north past a number of campsites on the beach and a golfing complex.

To sea are views out to the Isles Medes and down to the headland of Begur just around from Sa Riera. On a clear day you can see all the way to the hills around Cap de Creus in the Roses area.

Being broad and open, the main beach (Platja Gran) can become windy. The area is popular with kitesurfers and windsurfers away from the sunbathers.

To the right as you look at the sea are a series of rocks sloping down into the sea.

On a busy day there will be a steady stream of people taking the path around the corner to the bay of Isla Roja a small beach tucked under a large red rock island that is used by naturists. This path runs over the top of the cliffs behind this island to reach Sa Riera.

The beach is very pretty but the cliffs behind does mean it loses the sun in the evening quite early. If you watch commercials on Spanish TV, this beach was used as the backdrop to the Damm Limon advert.

Facilities at the beaches

The main Platja de Pals has all the facilities you would expect of a popular holiday resort including children's amusements and in the village/shopping area numerous bars, restaurants and holiday shops.

On the beach itself are a number of chiringuitos and amusements like trampoline bouncers for children. In the bay there was a banana-boat (a big inflateable towed by a motor boat until everyone falls off).

In the past couple of years there has been a floating bouncy obstacle course out in the bay for amusement. Kite surfing is practiced towards the Gola de Ter end.

The bay of Isla Roja has no facilities near by, but people like to jump off rocks jutting over the water (about 4-5m high).

Sand quality

For Platja Gran the beach is quite broad with dunes at the back. The sand at the top part of the beach is coarse but not stony while at the lower part of the beach near the water the sand feels much finer.

The sand is a type of grey colour rather than the classic sandy yellow.

For the beach of Isla Roja the sand is a little coarser, though still not sandy, and is more of a classic yellow in colour.

Swimming

Swimming is as you might expect from a broad long sandy beach with few distinguishing features in the water, but obviously the potential for long uninterrupted swims.

The beach shelves quite quickly and there tends to be a current in the water - a gentle northward drift. If the wind picks up the water can become choppy as it's unsheltered as a bay.

If you like watching fish, we've discovered that around the rocks separating the main beach from Isla Roja beach, there are often large-ish shoals of fish that congregate around the rocks and when the water is clear it can feel like swimming in a fish pond.

Parking

Parking at the height of summer can be tricky particular around the main beach village area.

Parking spaces have to be paid for and there are both parking meters in operation and traffic wardens.

We've found the best place to park is to take the left fork at the Spa roundabout towards the golf clubs and park on one of the roads near the picnic area and tower (masked by the trees if you're looking for it) as it tends to be quieter.

Walks

The GR92 runs past Platja de Pals and it is possible to walk all the way up to Gola de Ter (the mouth of the river Ter). If this is crossable, which it isn't always, you can carry on to L'Estartit.

For us this is a great walk for the winter when the beach is more deserted. The prettier route is to head south and follow the path to the beach at Sa Riera the next beaches along and then possibly up to Begur.

For walks see: Pals beach to Gola de Ter, Masos de Pals, Begur, Sa Riera and Platja de Pals - Regencos to Pals via Quermany Gros and Petit

Next beaches

South to Sa Riera (Begur) - North to Gola del Ter (Pals/L'Estartit)