TARIFA VILLAGE:
Languages:
Spanish and Andaluz! Fortunately for those who don't speak spanish, people are openminded and helpful here, they sometime know something of english, french or german (lots of strangers are olso living in Tarifa).Just be respectful and try your best to learn some spanish!!

Surfshops:
Everywhere here, but I reccomend you to:
Tarifa Piratas :-windsurf- surf-clothing - Martin 0034- 956 681 353
Dock 11 : Excellent sail repairs - Jaimer and Urs 0034- 956 681 589
Tarifa fin's company: Excellent board repairs and fin's - Bob 0034- 956 680 953

Lodging:
The best you can do is to go on www.tarifa.costasur.com and find the best rental for your budget!

Eating:
- Tapas and typical spanish food: Los Mellis, El Pasillo y la Posada.
- Excellent meat, fish and crepes: Santa Fe Tarifa.

Party:
Everywhere in summer and vacations, many possibilities all year!! The biggest part of nightlife is located in the oldtown. Take the "puerta de Jerez" (old arch in the entry of the village), and descend the lane, you have bars everywhere...loose yourself in the small streets of Tarifa, and enjoy the night!

What to see, what to do:

You won't have any time to get bored! Walk in the village, next to the harbour, or in the big natural park of"Alcornocales", climbing in Betis, VTT in the countryside, horseriding...Enjoy the beautiful strait of Gibraltar, with whales and delfins watching (Firmm: 956 627 008, Turmares 696 448 347),Sailing with catamaran (active sea Tarifa: 647 593 166), scuba diving( Yellow sub: 956 680 680, Submarinismo: 956 681 925),or simpler, walk from the Caletta beach, left hand to the harbour when you're looking to the sea. If you want to escape from Tarifa, remember that Sevilla, Granada, Cadiz, Gibraltar, the road of "pueblos blancos"...And from Tarifa, you need half an hour to go to Tanger and Morroco with the speedline (FRS Tarifa:956 681 330)!

More information:
Phone: From Europe, do 0034 before the spanish phone number renting cars: Speed line tours (956 627 048)

TARIFA SPOT GUIDE:
The town of Tarifa marks the frontier between Atlantik and Midsea, between an ocean and a sea with both diferent identities.The diversity of the scapes and shores in the street of Gibraltar reflects this changes. Between Palmones and El Palmar, each bay has its enthusiasm, every beach his flair, laws and dangers. In this guide, i tried accurately to give the right and special information about every spot. So take care, follow the guide, and have fun!!

ARTE VIDA:

how to get there:

Leaving Tarifa, follow the national road CN340, direction to Cadiz about 4,4 kilometers, right after Hotel Dos Mares, on the sign to Arte Vida, turn right.

the beach:
long beach of fine sand, a lot less rocks than in playa de la Pena just beside. A lot of visitors on week end and holidays.
Good atmosphere, improvised grills on the carpark or between the pine trees.
Very good windsurf spot with poniente: Side-onshore wind from the right, perfect for jumping and backside-waveriding when the atlantic swell is coming. This spot can olso work when the levante is south east (between april and october)

watch out:
Respect always the diferent spaces for kite, windsurf and swimmers to avoid any accident!!
Right hand on the beach looking seaward, comes out of the water some rocks with low tide.

BALNEARIO

how to get there:

5 minutes from town, beside the harbour and the island of Tarifa

the beach:
Big sandy beach that marks the begin of the long bay between Tarifa and Punta Paloma. That is the best place to check what the conditions are going to be: Midsea left hand, atlantik right hand... from there, you can have a look to all bay and keep watch over if a swell is coming from one side or the other! El Balne;ario is one of the best surfspot in Tarifa and can be a good surfsailing spot too with levante, or a good flat water run for slalom and freestyle when there is no wave. It is also a good side on-shore wave spot with poniente (north west wind is the best).

watch out:
Take care with levante( east), carrying you far out away, better not surf alone.
Windsurfing and kiting forbidden in summer.
avoid the buoys during the "Almadraba" (traditional tuna fishing).

BOLONIA

how to get there:

Leaving Tarifa follow the national road CN340, direction to Cadiz about 14 kilometers. To reach the turn off to Blolonia taking the road CAP2216 left side reaching after 6 kilometers Bolonia. For windsurfers turn to the right, coming to the beach and follow the road to the last carparks.

the beach:
Very long beach that allows to leave the population excess in summer. Very tipic place, beautiful, quite, with a good mood. One of the best spots around Tarifa, even more with atlantic swell: you always have a little bit more waves here than on other spots around: Levante is the best direction here (better with south east wind, perfectly side shore), but poniente can olso give you a good surprise. There is always something to do here, long walks on the beach, visit old roman ruins, take a swim. There is also many and diverse posibilities for overnight stays, eating on the beach...

watch out:
Forbidden for kiters!!
Avoid the buoys during the Almadraba (traditional tuna fishing)
Take care of north east wind carrying you far out away.

CANOS DE MECA:

how to get there:

Leaving Tarifa,, follow CN340, direction Cadiz about 49 kilometers, to Vejer de la Frontera. Second turn off after Vejer take the road CAP2141 direction Canos de Meca. After 4 kilometers, reaching a roundabout turn to left direction Canos de Meca. There is an other way to reach Canos, it's longer but very nice, and you can check all the coast and waves along the road. Turn off from the national road CN 340 left side direction Barbate-Zahara de los Atunes. There starts a road following the beach to Canos.

the beach:
Diferent place to Tarifa. The lighthouse, the Atlantic swell, the silence, Canos is known as an Hippie place! But it is also a very good spot for wave performance in windsurf and surf. If the levante pick up too much near Tarifa, you will find here less wind and more waves. It is also one of the very few spot where the winddirection allows waverides AND jumps with levante. The poniente with atlantic swell can make this spot incredible with long rides from the cabo de trafalgar until the end of Canos beach. There is lots of bars, restaurants, campsite...and you're not far from Vejer and Conil de la Frontera.

watch out:
Take care with the rocks at low tide! There is sometimes too many people in the water: avoid week end or wake up early! The kiting zone is on the right (beside the lighthouse), and windsurfers left on the beach.

EL PALMAR:

how to get there:

Leaving Tarifa, follow the national road CN340, direction to Cadiz about 49 kilometers until Vejer de la frontera. Second turn off after Vejer, take the road CAP2141 direction Canos de Meca. After 4 kilometers reaching aroundabout turn to right direction El Palmar. One kilometers behind, there is a traffic sign to El Palmar. The other way to reach Palmar is the same than the one to go to Canos de Meca, by Zahara de los atunes-Barbate.

the beach:
The best surfing spot around!!This very large beach (five kilometers) is the capital of surfing in Andalucia because the swell coming from Atlantic sea reach this coast stronger than in other beaches around. In winter, north -north west wind offer beautiful side off shore conditions perfect for waveride quality waves. The levante get really gusty here. A lots of restaurants, bars and services around the beach. Surfschool, hire and repair " El kotadalu".

watch out:
Respect always surfers here to avoid any accident: They always have priority in the wave. Strong current sometimes. Tide is more important here than in Tarifa.

GETARES:

how to get there:

Leaving Tarifa, follow the National road CN 340 direction to Algeciras. After 18 kilometers, just before Algeciras, you reach a traffic sign pointing to Getarès right side. Follow this street, after 2 kilometers, take the first left direction farmacy: The beach is there, after the carpark.

the beach:
It's not a"wild beach", but it is well managed and popular. If the wind picks up too much near Tarifa you will find here much less wind and onshore conditions. This spot is working in winter in big low pressures times: The beach is quite safe, but waves can be big! Showers on the beach.

watch out:
Wind and kite are forbidden from 15 of june to 15 of september. Midsea swell brings big and short waves!

HURRICANE/TORRE DE LA PENA:

how to get there:
Leaving Tarifa, follow the national road CN340, direction to Cadiz about 5 kilometers. After the sign to Arte Vida turn off to left then go down to the carpark.

the beach:
Very nice beach with lots of comodities around. Very good spot for poniente (west) and south east. The cape effect make the wind always a bit stronger here than on the beach beside and the waves are better thanks to the rocks( there is also a good surf spot right up Torre de la Pena). The levante here is normaly one or two force less and can be realy gusty.

watch out:
Forbidden for kite.
Some rocks near the shore and low ground market with flags (2).

LAS DUNAS

how to get there:
Leaving Tarifa, follow the CN340, direction to Cadiz about 10 kilometers. After camping Torre de la Pena 2, turn to left to a small carpark with store and bars. A track to right side bring you to the beach. Another possibility is CN340 to turn off Punta Paloma 1eft side one kilometer farer away.

the beach:
Very nice beach with the dunes of Punta Paloma and the pines behind, well frequented all the year around, with a natural source of medecinal earth, a nudist beach right side of the beach, and a nice swimming zone bellow the dunes.
It is the best windsurf spot for thermic wind in summer time: wind from the right. It is also one of the best place with real strong levante, because of the chop perfect for jumping. Las dunas is also a good wave spot with south west wind on winter time, and a good surf spot as well with atlantic swell at right angle.
Campsites Torre de la pena, paloma, jardin de las dunas. Beachbars everywhere.
Life guards in summer

watch out:
Extrem excess of visitors during the holidays.
Windsurf and swimmers zone. Kite forbidden.
Rocks in ground bellow the dunes.

LOS LANCES:

how to get there:
Leaving Tarifa, follow the national road CN340, direction to Cadiz about 4 kilometers. After camping site Rio Jara left hand to the wide carpark front to the beach Los Lances. There is another entry/exit near hotel Dos Marès.

the beach:
4500 meters long beach, nearly every time you find there an isolated place. Nice shady picnic place between the pine trees behind the beach. Familiar scene for swimming, sunbathing and watersporting. reserved place for kiteschools. Good spot for poniente, normaly onshore here, with some good waves in winter. The levante is a bit gusty here (south east is better). campsite RIO JARA.

watch out:
Respect always the diferent spaces for kite, windsurf and swimmers to avoid any accident!! Take care with levante carrying you far out away.

PALMONES:

how to get there:
Leaving Tarifa, follow the National road CN340, direction Algeciras. Follow E5/A7 direction Malaga about 10 kilometers. Exit Palmones leaving the highway, you find a Mac donald left hand. Straight ahead to the traffic sign playa de Palmones. Distance between Tarifa and Palmones is 30 kilometers.

the beach:
Urban Atmosphère more than at Tarifa, but a lot of activities behind the beach. Good spot when levante is real strong! If you can't surf anywhere come here. Like Getarès, it is a winter spot that better works with cloudly days. Swells from midsea brings sometimes very good on-shore- side on conditions for jumping and backside surfing.

watch out:
Wind and kite are forbidden from 15 of june to 15 of september. Hold always distance to the ships in the bay!!

PLAYA CHICA:

How to get there:

5 minutes from town, beside the harbour

The beach:
Little sandy beach right side of the harbour and called the last beach of midsea before atlantik ocean. Perfect to take a swim very near to Tarifa town in summer...But olso one of the most radical windsurf spot with big low pressure in winter!! This is one of the most exposed spot with Levante, if you can't windsurf anywhere, come here (even more if the wind is North east). Levante is the only direction working here, and swell from the midsea can bring very good condition with side-onshore.

watch out:
When the waves are big, hold always distance to the rocks right hand! windsurfing and kiting forbidden in summer

RIO JARA:

how to get there:

Leaving Tarifa, follow the national road CN340, direction to Cadiz. After 1500 kilometers, park in front of the petrol station left hand. Walk into the national park and you reach the sea.

the beach:
Very nice wild beach and not much visitors around. Beautiful spot with Levante and swell from the atlantic: side-off shore conditions from the left. A lagoon builded by the tides forms (more in winter) a perfect spot for beginners and flat waters fans. Wind is becoming realy gusty here with all new constructions around... This spot can also work with north west wind in winter time, giving side on shore conditions from the right.

watch out:
Take care with the Levante (wind from the east) carrying you far away from the shore. better not surf alone! lots of kitesurfers in summer.

VALDEVAQUEROS:

how to get there:
Leaving Tarifa, follow the CN340, direction to Cadiz about 7 kilometers. After hotel 100%fun, in front of hotel 4 viento, is an iron gate left hand written "Valdevaqueros". Pass through towards the beach and park near the bar.

the beach:
fine sand down the beach, or green above to take a sunbath, it is a familiar beach, very nice and pleasant. It is one of the few spot where you can enjoy sailing with all directions of wind: Here, levante is blowing perfectly, thermic wind as well. In winter, the poniente from the south west can be too on-shore here, but in this case you can go to Las Dunas and Benavidès beside.

watch out:
This place can be realy crowded in summer or vacation!! Respect always the different spaces for kite, windsurf and swimmers to avoid any accident: Kite zone is left hand, windsurfers to the right!