Costa Brava Sea Caves Kayaking and Snorkelling Tour from S'Agaró

Sant Pol Beach and the Kayak School

Sant Pol is a wide, sandy beach of about 700 metres between the town of Sant Feliu de Guíxols and the resort of S'Agaró, protected by headlands at each end. Its calm, shallow water makes it one of the most family-friendly beaches on the Costa Brava and an ideal base for sea kayaking, sailing and paddle sports.

Your tour starts at the kayak school office in the buildings at the entrance to the beach. Arrive 20 minutes early to change, store your belongings safely and meet your instructor. The 15-minute safety and technique briefing on the sand covers paddling, steering, getting in and out of the kayak and how the snorkelling stop will work, so even complete beginners set off with confidence.

S'Agaró Bay and the Camí de Ronda

S'Agaró is an elegant seaside resort created in the 1920s as a garden city, with stone villas, terraces and pine gardens built right on the rocks. A historic coastal footpath, the Camí de Ronda, runs around its headland between Sant Pol and the cove of Sa Conca, and from the kayak you see the same views from sea level: balustrades, steps cut into the rock and private coves below the houses.

The bay is sheltered from the prevailing winds, which is why this sea caves kayaking trip on the Costa Brava is well suited to beginners. During the first stretch of about 45 minutes your instructor explains the history of the coast, the geology of the granite cliffs and the wildlife you may spot, from cormorants and gulls to fish darting beneath the hull.

Sea Caves, Cliffs and Channels

Beyond the bay the coast turns wild, which is exactly how the Costa Brava, the "rugged coast", got its name. Weathered granite cliffs drop into the sea, broken by small coves, narrow channels between rocks and caves carved by the waves. With the instructor leading the way, you paddle into caves and through gaps between islets that boats cannot reach, the water glowing turquoise against the rock.

Every tour adapts to the sea on the day: on calm days the group can enter deeper into the caves, while on choppier days the instructor chooses more sheltered spots. Double kayaks are stable and easy to steer, so you can concentrate on the scenery and on photos, which the team takes for you during the tour.

Snorkelling in the Clear Water of the Costa Brava

Halfway through, the group stops at one of the best snorkelling spots in the area. Masks and snorkels are provided, and on cooler days you can wear the wetsuit. Below the surface you find meadows of Posidonia seagrass, rocks covered in colourful algae and sponges, and Mediterranean fish such as sea bream, damselfish and wrasse; sharp eyes may spot an octopus or a starfish.

Visibility often reaches several metres, and the instructor stays close to help less experienced swimmers. Basic swimming ability is required. After the snorkelling stop you paddle back for about 40 minutes along a different part of the coast to Sant Pol beach. The best time for Costa Brava snorkelling is from June to September, when the sea is warmest.

Sant Feliu de Guíxols

Sant Feliu de Guíxols is a historic port town in the province of Girona, built around a Benedictine monastery whose striking gateway, the Porta Ferrada, dates back more than a thousand years. Its seafront promenade, lined with plane trees and modernist buildings, and its lively market make it a pleasant place to spend the rest of the day.

Above the town, the hermitage of Sant Elm offers one of the finest viewpoints of the Costa Brava, looking over the very coastline you explore by kayak. The town is about 35 kilometres from Girona and around an hour and a half by road from Barcelona, so this kayaking trip fits easily into a holiday on the coast or a day out from the city.