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The
Costa del Sol has an excellent network of ports and jetties which
in turn support a vast array of water sports and activities. Each year a
large number of visitors travel to the Costa del Sol on their own
boats, or keep them in the area so that they can enjoy the sailing
around the Mediterranean and the Straits of Gibraltar. However, you can
also hire all manner of boats, jet skis, water bikes or even large
leisure cruisers for the day. In general, boating and the social life
that revolves around boating is usually associated with a good
atmosphere - day or night.
If
you follow the coastline of the Costa del Sol from the west to
the east, you will notice there are ten major places where the rivers
join the Mediterranean sea:
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Puerto de la Duquesa.-
The coastal
town of Manilva is the western most town in the province of Málaga and
has a picturesque Andalusian style marina. The town itself has a very
relaxed atmosphere and a number of good restaurants, bars and clubs.
There is not usually much activity in the marina, as the majority of
boats choose to stay in nearby Gibraltar over the winter period. There
are 238 berths available of eight to twenty metres in length. Telephone: +34 952890100.
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Puerto Deportivo de Estepona.-
There is often
a good atmosphere in this port because of its proximity to the city. It
can sometimes feel a bit crowded due to the popularity of this
mainstream tourist destination. The movement of boats is quite
restricted because the majority tend to stay here over winter. There are
443 births up to 35 metres in length. Telephone
+34 952801800.
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Puerto Deportivo José Banús.-
Very close to
Marbella, it is without a doubt one of the most well known ports in
Europe and has for many decades, been the place to be seen. It is very
normal to see rich and famous people out and about, from actors and
singers, to politicians and financiers. There are many expensive
residential areas here and the nightlife is fantastic. Some of the best
bars and restaurants in the Costa del Sol are located here. There
are also some high quality shopping centres which include designer
boutiques and expensive jewellers. The large port has almost one
thousand berths and can accommodate vessels up to fifty metres in
length. Telephone: +34
952814750/2.
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Puerto Deportivo de Marbella.-
Situated in
the centre of the city, next to the promenade. This area is being
substantially redeveloped and has a reputation for a good atmosphere
during the night, although it has recently quietened down. There are 337
berths from six to twenty metres in length. Telephone:
+34 952775700.
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Puerto Deportivo de Cabopino.-
Situated
between Marbella and Fuengirola, this scenic port is close to many areas
favoured by residential tourism. Environmental legislation has limited
the amount of construction in the area due to the ecological
significance of the nearby sand dunes. Its an area surrounded by
beautiful beaches, is well known for its strong winds and is often
frequented by windsurfers. This small and pleasant port has
approximately 169 berths of eight to sixteen metres length. Telephone:
+34 952831975.
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Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola.-
Situated at
the centre of this tourist town, the atmosphere here is very pleasant
during the holiday season and the beaches are also excellent. It is not
a very big port and has limited commercial activity. There are 226
moorings of approximately twenty metres in length. Telephone:
+34 952468000.
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Puerto Deportivo de Benalmádena.-
A reasonably
large marina surrounded by an attractive and very colourful residential
area. The atmosphere of the restaurants and night life here is friendly
and loud. One of the main attractions is 'Sea Life', a wonderful
aquarium with a huge variety of species. The marina itself has over 1000
moorings of six to thirty metres and because of its proximity to Málaga,
is often busy. Telephone:
+34 952577022.
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Real Club Mediterráneo de Málaga.-
A small marina
within the main port of Málaga. The prestigious sailing club it is
affiliated to is over one hundred years old and has produced many world
champions. There are about forty moorings altogether which vary from six
to twelve metres in length. Telephone:
+34 952226300.
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Puerto Deportivo El Candado.-
This port is
located on the eastern side of Málaga and is affiliated to a well known
and long established social club. They have 250 berths of six to
thirteen metres in length. Telephone:
+34 952296097.
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Puerto Deportivo de la Caleta de Vélez.-
This is the
only port in the east of the Costa del Sol and is located near
Torre del Mar. The town itself has a very lively atmosphere during the
summer season. The port has seen a considerable amount of investment
over the years, such as a new harbour masters office and improved
security. There are 238 moorings, some reaching to a maximum length of
twenty metres. Telephone: +34 952550526.
These
ports are under the jurisdiction of Málaga. The radio frequency in the
majority of cases is VHF CH9 and CH16, except in Vélez-Málaga VHF CH4
and CH9.
It
is generally considered that the Costa del Sol extends west as
far as Puerto de Sotogrande, an attractive marina which has quite an
atmosphere for a predominantly residential area. One of the best golf
courses in Europe can be found at Valderrama, where they held the 1997
Ryder Cup and each year they hold a masters tournament which attracts
some of the best professionals in Europe. The port has over five hundred
moorings of up to fifty metres in length. Telephone: +34 956790000. Also
in the east, not far from Málaga is the Marina del Este. This is a
marina with excellent facilities that is surrounded by elegant
residential areas and breathtaking landscape.
The
Costa del Sol is the perfect environment in which to go sailing
during your holiday. There is limited availability caused by the
increasing number of Spanish and foreign boats that come to stay during
the winter. It is also quite difficult to find moorings available during
the summer and therefore it is advisable to plan well in advance. The
Mediterranean is normally calm, with lively wind between the lighthouses
of Calaburra and Cabopino. The wind picks up in Straits of Gibraltar and
can provide challenging sailing.
Mediterranean
cruises have proved to be very popular over the last ten years. The
larger tour operators have influenced the increase in demand for newer
more luxurious ships with varying programmes. The UK is still one of the
top consumers of this kind of holiday, however the biggest increases
come from continental European countries. This new development has
resulted in a broader spectrum of client, in which the predominance of
married people and families is younger.
The
Costa del Sol, in particular the port of Málaga, has embraced
this developing sector with extraordinary intensity. Although it is the
third largest port in Spain, it has experienced the largest increase in
this sector over the last few years and in 1998 the figure exceeded one
hundred thousand cruise ship passengers. During the following two years,
this figure was increased by 30 and 50 percent respectively. The success
of these cruises can be attributed in part to the shopping, local
interests, excursions, beaches and gastronomy in this region. All of
these areas are explained in more detail in the respective sections of
this website. The city of Málaga is a door to the Mediterranean and is
one of the key stop off points on a Mediterranean cruise.
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