Maro-Cerro Gordo Kayak and Snorkelling Tour La Herradura

La Herradura Beach and its horseshoe-shaped shore

La Herradura is a small seaside town on the Costa Tropical, the stretch of Granada's coast between Málaga and Almería. Its name means horseshoe, and the long beach curves between two headlands: Punta de la Mona to the west and Cerro Gordo to the east. The water here is famous along the Andalusian coast for being calm and clear, and the area has a long sailing and diving tradition. In 1562 a Spanish fleet sheltering here was wrecked by a sudden storm, a story locals still tell.

Your kayak tour starts at the eastern end of the beach, the point closest to the protected cliffs, so you spend more time in the natural area and less time crossing open water. If you are wondering how to get to La Herradura, it is about an hour by car from Málaga and close to Almuñécar and Nerja, with parking along the seafront promenade.

Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs Natural Area

The Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs Natural Area protects about 12 kilometres of wild coastline between Nerja and La Herradura, where the mountains of the Sierra de Almijara drop straight into the sea. Protected since 1989, it is one of the last unspoilt stretches of the Andalusian Mediterranean, with steep cliffs, small pebble coves reachable only on foot or by boat, and waterfalls that fall onto the beach after rain.

From the kayak you see the cliffs as most visitors never do: layers of rock, pine trees clinging to the slopes and seabirds nesting on the ledges. Old watchtowers stand on the headlands, built in the 16th century to warn of pirate raids. Is a Maro-Cerro Gordo kayak tour worth it? For anyone who loves nature and calm water, it is one of the best ways to discover this coast.

Sea caves and hidden coves

The highlight for many guests is paddling into the sea caves and small coves carved into the cliffs. Waves and time have hollowed the rock into arches, tunnels and grottoes, and on calm days the guide leads the group inside, where the light turns the water bright turquoise and the sound of the paddles echoes off the walls. Some coves have narrow pebble beaches with no road access at all.

Which caves you enter depends on the swell and wind on the day, because the guide only goes inside when it is safe. The kayaks are stable sit-on-top models, easy for beginners, and the route keeps close to the shore. The best time to visit the Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs by kayak is from late spring to early autumn, when the sea is warm and usually flat.

Snorkelling in the Mediterranean

Halfway through the route, the group pulls the kayaks to a sheltered spot for a snorkelling stop. With mask and snorkel you float over meadows of Posidonia seagrass, an underwater plant that keeps this water so clear, and over rocks covered with sea urchins, anemones and starfish. Look for shoals of bream, colourful wrasse, octopus hiding in cracks and, with luck, a moray eel.

Your guide explains why this marine reserve matters and how to snorkel without touching the seabed. There is no need for experience: you stay at the surface and can rest on the kayak at any time. The snorkelling stop is a perfect contrast to the paddle and a highlight for children, and the guide takes photos throughout the tour that you can download afterwards for free.