# Los Barrios - Palmones — Los Barrios, Spain

Palmones is the refuge of the Campo de Gibraltar when the Levante blows too strong in Tarifa: a sandy beach of about 700 metres in the Bahía de Algeciras, between the mouth of the Río Palmones and the industrial pier of Guadarranque, with the Rock of Gibraltar opposite. It is a single-wind spot.

It works with Levante, usually in the morning and when it exceeds 30 kt in Tarifa: here it comes in softer, side-onshore, gusty and irregular, with choppy sea and a sandbar in front of the river mouth where small waves break depending on the tide. Kites from 9 to 12 metres and intermediate level due to the gusts, the river current and the narrow beach; beginners only with a school.

Hazards and rules: the river mouth has a current; the river, the lagoon and the marshes are a Natural Area and riding in them is prohibited; the bay has a lot of ship traffic; nearby industry affects water quality. In summer the bathing area is buoyed and marked zones must be respected.

Dirt car park next to the start of the beach, showers, lifeguard tower in season, restaurants on the beach (El Copo, Casa Mané) and hotels 1.5 km away. Forecasts are checked with ARPEGE, ECMWF and ICON.

Photos: "Playa de Palmones" by User:Falconaumanni (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Desembocadura palmones" by User:Falconaumanni (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf, Windsurf, Wingfoil
- **Difficulty:** Intermediate
- **Location:** Los Barrios, Spain (36.17512, -5.42795)
- **Favourable wind directions (where the wind blows from):** E (90°), ESE (110°)
- **Wind range (knots):** 12–35
- **Best months:** March, April, May, June, July, August, September

## Wind by month (% of days per strength)

| Month | <7 kn | 7–13 kn | 13–20 kn | 20–35 kn | >35 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22 | 59 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
| February | 22 | 59 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
| March | 16 | 54 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| April | 18 | 58 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 16 | 78 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 18 | 74 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 12 | 73 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 18 | 77 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| September | 15 | 67 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| October | 15 | 71 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| November | 28 | 60 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 30 | 55 | 12 | 3 | 0 |

## Local winds

- **Levante** — E (100°), 12–35 kn. The only wind of the spot: when the Levante exceeds 30 kt in Tarifa, it enters the bay softer, side-onshore (ESE), gusty and irregular, especially in the morning. Kites from 9 to 12 m.. Gusts and lulls; do not approach the river mouth or enter the marshes; pay attention to the ship traffic in the bay and the sandbar in front of the mouth.

## Zones

- **Launch** — Launch zone
- **Palmones** — Navigation zone
- **Parking** — Parking
- **Mouth of the Río Palmones (Natural Area, prohibited)** — Restricted zone

## Points of interest

- **Mouth of the Río Palmones**: River mouth with current; do not ride in the river or cross the mouth.
- **Marshes of the Río Palmones (Natural Area)**: Nature reserve: riding prohibited in the river, the lagoon and the marshes.
- **Sandbar**: Bar in front of the river mouth where small waves break depending on the tide; shallow bottom.
- **Maritime traffic of the bay**: Ships and anchorage of the Bahía de Algeciras; do not go far from the coast.
- **Guadarranque industrial pier**: Pier and cranes at the east of the beach; port area, do not ride.
- **El Copo**: Reference seafood restaurant in Palmones, at the start of the beach.
- **Casa Mané**: Restaurant on the beach at the eastern end.
- **Beach showers**: Public showers next to the start of the beach.
- **Lifeguard tower**: Beach lifeguard post (summer season).
- **Hotel: NH Campo de Gibraltar**: Hotel 1.5 km away, next to the Palmones shopping centres.

## Hazards

- Current at the mouth of the Río Palmones
- Marshes and river: Natural Area, riding prohibited
- Sandbar in front of the river mouth, with waves depending on the tide
- Maritime traffic in the Bahía de Algeciras
- Gusty and irregular wind
- Variable water quality due to nearby industry
- Beach crowded with schools and bathers

## Obstacles

- Narrow beach (30 m) with breakwaters at both ends

## Facilities

- Showers
- Parking
- Restaurant

## Restrictions

- Verano: zona de baño balizada; se navega respetando las zonas señalizadas (no hay zona de kite marcada el resto del año)

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/los-barrios-palmones-VVDrzrrRYDiXFosn8EMG?lang=en)