Playa Honda Located in South-eastern Spain between Alicante and Almeria and at the heart of the Mediterranean arc lies the region of Murcia, in the general area of La Manga. It is approximately 10 minutes drive to the La Manga Club sports complex, North, South and West, golf courses.

Perfectly linked by magnificent motorway and road network: two airports Murcia 20km away and Alicante at around 50km away. It’s the only Mediterranean region that has two seas: the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean Sea. Playa Honda is the perfect getaway holiday location for the family or a group of friends wishing to relax in the sunshine. If you're feeling adventurous, the beach front offers water sports centres, including windsurfing, jet skiing and scuba diving. Go-carting and cycling facilities are located nearby.

Locally there are large supermarkets within a five minute drive at Cabo de Palos; Los Belones village is a short drive away and offers shops, bars and good restaurants to suit every pocket, on Tuesdays there is a small market in the church square. Cabo de Palos, about 4km away is a fishing village which becomes a place for night life into the small hours; there is also a large market on Sundays selling everything from local produce to flea market items. The local bus service between Catagena and La Manga, stops regularly at the edge of the village on the service road, the main bus station is about 2km onto La Manga strip providing service to the rest of Spain. The nearest train station is in Los Nietos about 6km away.

Maps of the area: Map1, Map2

Calblanque

Located on the Mediterranean mainland side, Calblanque is a National Park Nature Reserve where there are secluded sandy beaches, rocky bays and salt lakes. There are very few amenities, but it is the perfect place for nature lovers, walkers, cyclists and those seeking privacy or to observe the birdlife or whale-watch. The area is being considered for classification as a World Heritage Site.

Murcia

The Region of Murcia is a beautiful area of Spain, locally known as the ‘Market Garden of Spain’ as the rich soil, irrigation techniques and warm climate makes ideal conditions for growing all types of salad vegetables, citrus fruits, nuts, rice and of course grapes.

Located between the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca, Murcia has many unspoilt beaches along the Costa Calida (warm coast). The region boasts 320 days of sunshine per year and average temperatures of 17 degrees in the winter and 27 degrees in the summer months.

The Region is also rich with towns and cities with historic buildings, some dating back to the Romans and before. They also have modern shops, street markets and leisure facilities to offer the visitors. The Spanish culture of Cuisine, Fiestas and Siestas remains unspoilt, as the tourist trade in this area is largely made up of Spanish visitors.

Click on the map below for a larger image:

The Coastal area of Murcia is known as the Costa Calida or “Warm Coast”. It stretches from the largest lagoon in Europe (the Mar Menor) around the La Manga Strip and along the Mediterranean coast to Aguilas in the south. The villages around the Mar Menor (the Bay) have been tourist destinations for the Spanish for many years. The beautiful beaches of resorts such as Lo Pagan, Santiago de La Ribera and Los Alcazares (a resort even in Roman times) are on the crystal clear Mar Menor. The Mar Menor is open to the sea at its northern end and is quite shallow (maximum depth of 7m), so it is excellent for children as its beaches shelve very gently. In the summer, the waters are literally like a warm bath.

The Mar Menor is the largest lagoon in Europe and has a surface area of 130 sq km and a maximum depth of 8 metres. The crystal clear waters are warm, calm and rich in salts and minerals; in fact the temperature never falls below 18degrees. In certain areas of the Mar Menor the therapeutic clays can be found, these are a favourite with the Spanish tourists, who cover themselves with the clay and then bake in the hot sun.

On the far side of the Mar Menor can be found the La Manga Strip which is unique in Europe, having sea on both sides.

Activities

There is a range of activities to keep the whole family amused for hours : Beach ... Cycle Hire ... Restaurants ... Quad Bikes ... Go Karts ... Shops ... Sailing ... Supermarkets ... Jet Skis ... Beach Bars ... Casino ... Scuba Diving ... Golf ... Boat trips ... Therapeutic Sands ... Kite Surfing ... Windsurfing ...Walking ... Marina ... Fishing ... Boat Hire ... Car Hire…Horse Riding.

Restaurants & Bars

Essential for any holiday is a large variety of restaurants and bars. La Manga offers the tourists a wide range to choose from, including, Spanish, Greek, Indian, Chinese, and Mexican. The Tomas Maestre Marina comes alive at night with its many bars and restaurants and you must sample the local fish and shellfish fresh from the sea, prepared on hotplates, or as ingredients in the locally famous Paella, a typical rice dish of the fisherman.

Markets & Shops

There is an open air market, throughout the year, every Sunday at Cabo de Palos, where you can buy luxury leather goods at ridiculous prices and ‘Rolex’ watches for a few Euros. For serious shopping you will have to go to the largest department stores in Spain, El Court Ingles, which can be found at Cartagena and Murcia.