Best beaches in Cabo de Gata - Monsul

Monsul beach is considered by many to be the best beach in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, its certainly the area's most iconic. 

Sitting adjacent to another Cabo de Gata classic, the majestic Genoveses beach, no visit to the area is complete without seeing at least one of the two. 


Steven Spielberg helped put Monsul firmly on the international map by shooting some of the closing scenes from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade here. Monsul has since played host to numerous commercials and several other films. 

The postcard-perfect volcanic beach is usually the cover picture for any guidebook or article about the area.

Monsul, Genoveses and San José sit right in the middle of Francisca Diaz Torres's ‘El Romeral' finca. More commonly known as Doña Pakyta or Paquita, the remarkable lady, who turns 103 this year is a passionate environmentalist. Together with her late husband, she has always given the public free access to the beaches and has fought off any attempts to develop the land. Cabo de Gata would not be the paradise it is today without her.
 Cabo de Gata - Monsul

As with most beaches in Cabo de Gata, Monsul is clothing optional. Don't be surprised if you see people wandering around with their kit off. In saying that, the nudism is not as pronounced as on other beaches in the area. Monsul tends to be more family orientated. The shallow and relatively sheltered waters make it an ideal place for children. 

The beach is big. Just over 400m in length and with average width of 40m. Despite being one of the most popular beaches in Cabo de Gata, you can always find a quiet spot. The rocks also offer some form of shade during the hottest hours of the day. Falling under natural park status, there are no amenities whatsoever. Bring everything you need with you - plenty of water and sunscreen is a must. 

 

Getting there

Playa de Monsul is situated 4km from the village of San José. The only way to get there is by following a sandy track - the Camino del Campillo del Genovés - that snakes its way through the surrounding desert. 

Access has recently been restricted during the summer months.  

By car - you can reach Monsul by car, if you leave early (before 10am). Once its starts to to get busy and the parking fills up, the local authorities drop a metal barricade, closing off the access, the only way to reach Los Genoveses or Monsul is by bus or on foot. 

Cabo de Gata - Monsul

By bus - There are regular shuttle buses leaving from San José. Last summer(2013) the price was only 1€ for a journey. If travelling by car, the easiest option is to leave your car in the free municipal car park at the entrance to the village and take the bus from here. Failing that, there are several stops en-route, including one, right at the entrance to the track. There are buses leaving every 30 minutes and run from 9am until 9pm.  

Off the beaten track - there are a number of smaller coves and beaches that are only accessible by foot, just past Monsul. If looking for remote with a capital 'R,' La Cala de la Media Luna and Cala Carbon are worth a visit. 

Further information - top five insider tips for your holiday in Cabo de Gata and for another great family beach in the area, Playa el Playazo - Playazo beach

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