PLAYA DE MIL PALMERAS beach marks the southern boundary of the Orihuela Costa, passing the administrative baton from Orihuela to the adjacent municipal town of Pilar de la Horadada.
The long, fine stretch of sand disregards political boundaries, and the Cañada de Matamoros gully that cuts across the beach at its centre point divides the beach between the two coastal municipalities.
Mil Palmeras Beach measures 345 metres at the waterline and offers 15.570 m2 of pure white sand. The beach is relatively wide compared with other beaches in the area, faces due east, and tapers to a point at its northernmost tip.
In common with Barranco Rubio Beach found immediately to the north, Mil Palmeras Beach has a wide ravine at the south end of the beach that brings excess rainwater from inland areas to the sea during the spring and autumn months.
The ravine is part of the Rio Seco waterway, an ancient dry river that originates in the Sierra de Escalona mountain range and passes through Pinar de Campoverde inland before reaching the Mediterranean Sea basin.
Large stretches of Mil Palmeras beach feature tall vibrant red rock cliff faces that stretch into the sea at some points. The beach is noted for remaining quite shallow some way beyond the waterline, making the beach an excellent choice for families with children or less confident swimmers.
Playa de la Mil Palmeras beach in Orihuela Costa
The Blue Flag accredited beach is exceptionally popular in the summer but with a generous size, visitors will always find a space on the sand to call their own. Just add a couple of well-placed towels and a cool box – you've got yourself a picnic paradise in the sunshine.
Mil Palmeras offers a seasonal beach bar throughout the summer months. The Chiringuito Triton occupies a prime spot on the sand offering a complete bar service with refreshing drinks and a selection of cocktails.
The traditional Spanish beach bar also offers a casual dining menu of snacks and light meals suited to all tastes, with plenty of popular choices for notoriously choosy children and younger adults.
Watersports are available during the main summer months only, including jet-ski hire and a notoriously exhausting floating assault course guaranteed to wear out children with excess energy to burn. The latter costs 8€ per half-hour session.
Sunbeds are available to hire for the day until late October each year, and a lifeguard service provides additional surety throughout the high season and on popular dates such as the Easter holidays.
There are plenty of local amenities around Mil Palmeras Beach including the Mil Palmeras commercial centre which hosts the upscale Blue Beach and Tango Beach restaurants.
A world of tastes, and flavours to savour off the sand
But head to the southern end of the beach and you're in for a real treat, with an extensive choice of lively bars, casual cafés, and bistro-style restaurants. Many of the venues offer glorious views over the beach and the Mediterranean Sea.
Strand Cafe Mil Palmeras directly on the beach promenade is a popular place with cyclists who often stop for refreshments en-route along the coastal path.
Immediately adjacent, visitors will find a pretty pedestrian walkway lined with bars and restaurants serving everything from traditional Spanish dishes and Asian cuisine, to Italian pizzas and German delicacies.
The lane leads to the Plaza de Mil Palmeras, a charming urban square with an additional selection of shops, café bars, and restaurants. The plaza also offers free parking with easy access to the beach.
Access to Playa de la Mil Palmeras Beach is easy thanks to plentiful free parking. Two large dedicated car parks in the south beach area offer off-road parking with a shallow ramp directly to the sands – ideal for people with limited mobility or families with young children.
An additional car park north of the beach offers further free parking with 60 spaces and a slope leading to the beach. A taxi from La Zenia to Mil Palmeras beach costs around 12€ to 15€ each way depending on traffic and journey time.
Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.
Photo credit: LaZenia.com
