AREA GUIDE · CASARES COSTA BEACHES
A local's guide to Casares Costa beaches
Playa Ancha, Playa de la Sal and the Bahía de Casares — which one to pick, where to park, and where to eat afterwards.
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The stretch of coast in front of La Sabina Homes is one of the quieter bits of the western Costa del Sol. The sand is soft and golden, the water is usually calm, and outside July and August you can have long sections of beach largely to yourself.
This guide covers the three beaches our guests actually use — Playa Ancha, Playa de la Sal and Playa de la Perla de la Bahía (Bahía de Casares) — with the practical bits we wish someone had told us: where to park, where there are showers, when the chiringuitos are open, and which beach suits which kind of day.
Playa Ancha — the big, easy one
Playa Ancha is the long, wide beach immediately in front of the main Casares Costa residential strip. It's the closest beach to the apartment on foot and the one most of our guests default to.
Soft, golden sand, gentle slope into the water, and usually very calm — good for families and confident swimmers alike. The seafront promenade runs the full length, so it's easy to walk a kilometre or two and pick a quieter spot if the bit by the access ramps is busy.
Amenities: public showers, foot taps, a few lifeguard towers in season, and 1–2 chiringuitos open in summer for drinks and casual food. Out of high season it's very quiet and most beach bars are closed.
Playa de la Sal — quieter, slightly wilder
Just west of Playa Ancha, Playa de la Sal is a touch narrower, more natural in feel, and noticeably less busy. Same soft sand, same calm water, fewer people. If you want to read a book without anyone setting up a speaker next to you, this is the one.
Fewer amenities than Playa Ancha — bring water and shade. The walk from the apartment is a little longer (still very doable along the promenade), so most people drive a few minutes and park by the nearest beach access.
Playa de la Perla de la Bahía (Bahía de Casares)
The bay at the western edge of Casares Costa, before you cross into Manilva. The shore here curves into a small bay backed by low dunes and shrub — pretty, photogenic, and usually the calmest water of the three because of the natural shelter.
It's the favourite of guests who want a 'proper trip to the beach' day rather than a quick walk down: a longer drive (still under 10 minutes), a small car park, and one or two chiringuitos open in summer that are genuinely worth lunch.
Parking
Parking on this stretch of coast is the easiest you'll find anywhere on the western Costa del Sol. There are free public car parks at the main beach accesses for Playa Ancha and the Bahía de Casares, plus reliable on-street parking along the promenade roads.
Caveats: weekends in July and August fill up by 11:30, and the small car park at Bahía de Casares is the first to go. Arrive before 11 or after 16:00 in high season and you'll always find a spot. The rest of the year it's a non-issue.
Chiringuitos — what to know
In Spain, a chiringuito is a beach bar / restaurant right on the sand. On Casares Costa there are a small handful — typically open daily from late May to late September, weekends only in the shoulder season, and mostly closed in winter.
Expect fried fish, paella, simple grilled meats, salads, cold beer and a long lunch. Prices are reasonable by Costa del Sol standards (cheaper than Marbella, comparable to Estepona). We deliberately don't name specific places in writing — owners and menus change — but ask us at check-in and we'll send you to our current favourite.
Which beach for which day
- Quick swim and walk back: Playa Ancha, on foot from the apartment.
- Read a book in peace: Playa de la Sal.
- Lunch on the sand and a proper beach day: Bahía de Casares.
- Sunset with a beer: anywhere along Playa Ancha's promenade — it faces roughly south-west.
- Out of season (Nov–Mar): Playa Ancha is still lovely for a windswept walk; bring a jacket.
Practical, in one block
- Playa Ancha from the apartment
- 5–10 minutes on foot
- Bahía de Casares
- ~8 minutes by car
- Parking
- Free public car parks at all three beach accesses.
- Best time of day
- Mornings (calm water) and the last hour before sunset.
- Car needed?
- Not for Playa Ancha. Yes for the Bahía if you want a chiringuito lunch.
- Accessibility
- The seafront promenade is flat and stroller/wheelchair-friendly; sand access via ramps.
Pair it with
If you want the wider picture of where you are — golf, day trips, the village above — read the Casares Costa guide. For an afternoon away from the beach, the Casares Pueblo guide covers the white village 15 minutes inland.
FAQ
Stay walking distance from the beach
La Sabina Homes is a sea-view apartment a few minutes' walk from Playa Ancha, with private parking included.
