Sea kayaking at Maro – to the waterfall, the caves and the hidden coves

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The coast from the water

The Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo protected area stretches from Torre de Maro east of Nerja to Cerro Gordo by La Herradura. Four-fifths of it is sea. The cliffs rise to about 250 metres, and down by the water there are caves, rock stacks and small pebble and sandy beaches. Many of them can only be reached by steep paths – or from the water. If you want to know more about the beaches, the towers and the buses out there, read our page on Maro-Cerro Gordo.

The sea here is often calm and clear. The seabed is covered in seagrass, and the orange sun coral lives by the cliffs. From the kayak you look down on the fish, and you can land on the beaches along the way.

What you see along the way

Cascada de Maro – the waterfall that falls into the sea

About 500 metres west of Maro beach a waterfall tumbles down the cliff and straight into the sea. It is the highlight of the trip. According to local sources it is 15–20 metres high, and the water comes from springs in the Sierra de Almijara mountains behind Maro. The waterfall is also called La Chorrera de Maro. There is no path to it. You see it from a kayak, a paddleboard or a boat.

Keep your distance from the cliff. According to local sources, a section of cliff about 30 metres long collapsed between Maro beach and the waterfall on 27 July 2025. No one was hurt. Do not go in under the waterfall, and do not climb the cliffs.

The caves and the vertical garden

Between Burriana and Maro you paddle past several caves and overhangs. The trips from Burriana mention Cueva del Lobo Marino («the seal's cave»), Cueva Doncella with a small waterfall, and Jardín Vertical, a cliff face covered in plants. From La Herradura the trips go to Cueva de las Palomas («the doves' cave») below Cerro Gordo. Only go into a cave when the sea is completely calm, and preferably with a guide.

Torre de Maro

The round stone tower on the cliff east of Maro beach is a 16th-century watchtower. From here people kept a lookout for pirates. From the water you can see how the tower stands right at the edge of the cliff. Read more about the towers along the coast in Pirates and watchtowers.

The small coves to the east

If you continue east of Maro, you come to the coves where there are almost no houses:

• Las Alberquillas – a wild coast of pebbles and gravel with tall rock stacks. No bar and no toilets.
• El Cañuelo – the clear cove by the Peñón del Fraile rock, with two beach bars. About 4 km from Maro beach as the crow flies.
• Cantarriján – the naturist beach with two beach restaurants, just west of Cerro Gordo. About 2.5 km from La Herradura.

The coves are too far apart for a short hire trip. From Maro you can reach Las Alberquillas on a longer trip. Cantarriján is easiest to reach from La Herradura.

Guided trips

If you are new to kayaking, take a guided trip the first time. The guide knows the caves and the wind, there is a support boat, and you get a short introduction on the beach. The prices below are from the operators' own websites, as of November 2026.

Educare Aventura – from Maro and Burriana

Educare Aventura is registered as a tourism company with the Junta de Andalucía (AT/MA/00020). The company says it is the only firm licensed to run guided kayak and paddleboard trips from Playa de Maro, with a concession from March 2026 to October 2029, and the only one with guided kayak trips from Burriana. This is the company's own information.

• Included in the price: kayak, paddle, life jacket, guide, short introduction, swimming break, free photos, insurance and support boat.
• Not included: a locker for your belongings (3 € (≈ 22.38 kr.)). Bring your own snorkel mask for the swimming break.
• Age and requirements: from 4 years. Children aged 4–7 sit in the middle of a double kayak with two adults. Under-18s only with an adult. You must be able to swim and weigh no more than 110 kg.
• Languages: the guides speak Spanish and English.
• Cancellation: free up to 24 hours before. If the company cancels because of the weather, you get all your money back. The trip may be cut short if the sea becomes rough.
• Meeting time: 20 minutes before. There are several departures a day – see the calendar on the company's website.

Kayak La Herradura and Activ8You – from La Herradura

From La Herradura the trips head west along Cerro Gordo. Kayak La Herradura is based at the Open Water diving centre on Paseo Andrés Segovia. Their kayak and snorkel trip takes about 2.5 hours: out along the cliffs towards Cantarriján, past Cueva de las Palomas and back with a snorkel stop in the Calaiza cove. You can choose a single or double kayak, and photos are included in the price. The company rates the difficulty as «low».

Activ8You is also based on Paseo Andrés Segovia and is registered as a tourism company (AT/GR/00210). The company offers a 2-hour kayak trip and a 2.5-hour kayak and snorkel trip in the protected area by Cerro Gordo. The prices are not on the company's own website.

The trips from La Herradura do not quite reach the waterfall at Maro – it is about 8 km further west as the crow flies. If you want to see the waterfall, start in Maro or Burriana. Read more about the bay, diving and snorkelling in The sea at La Herradura and about hire right by Playa Tropical in Kayak and paddleboard in Almuñécar and La Herradura.

Paddling on your own: hire without a guide

You are welcome to paddle on your own. The protected area's plan allows boats without engines to come in to the beaches, coves and cliffs (see the rules below). The hire companies at Maro and Burriana offer unguided trips to the waterfall.

The price includes kayak, paddle, life jacket and a short briefing. There are other hire companies on Burriana in summer too, but we have not been able to confirm their prices.

The trip itself: how far is it?

• Maro beach → the waterfall: approx. 500 m. 10–15 minutes each way in calm weather. The shortest and easiest trip.
• Maro beach → Torre de Maro: approx. 400 m in the other direction. Easily combined with the waterfall in an hour.
• Burriana → the waterfall: approx. 2.5 km each way along the cliffs, so about 5 km in total. Allow 2–2.5 hours with breaks.
• Maro beach → El Cañuelo: approx. 4 km each way as the crow flies. Only for experienced paddlers and only in calm weather.
• La Herradura → Cantarriján: approx. 2.5 km each way around Cerro Gordo. Out at the point it is open sea.

Is it wise to paddle without a guide?

Yes, if you can swim, have paddled before and the sea is calm: the short trip from Maro to the waterfall is easy, and you can see the beach the whole time. But be honest with yourself:

• If you are completely new, take the guided trip first, or start with an hour off the beach.
• With an offshore or easterly wind you can be carried away from the coast, and the trip back becomes hard. Turn back in good time.
• Along the cliffs there is nowhere to land between the coves.
• Paddle in pairs, and tell the hire company where you are going.

The rules in the protected area

The Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo is a Paraje Natural, an EU nature site (Natura 2000) and a specially protected area of the Mediterranean. The rules are set out in the protected area's plan, Decreto 6/2015 (sections 6.4.6 and 6.4.7). For kayaks and paddleboards this means:

• You may come in from the sea to beaches, coves and cliffs in a boat without an engine – such as a kayak or paddleboard. Other rules, for example on swimming zones, still apply.
• Motor boats must keep at least 200 m from the beaches and 50 m from the rest of the coast, and may not come in to the beaches. That is why it is peaceful close to the cliffs. Jet skis are banned altogether.
• Anchoring is only permitted in three marked areas (Cantarriján, El Cañuelo and Cala del Pino) and only between sunrise and sunset.
• Take nothing home. It is forbidden to remove stones, plants and animals from the sea, to damage the cliffs and to disturb the animals and plants.
• The caves at Cerro Gordo are a special reserve (approx. 3.8 ha) because of the rare orange sun coral. All diving and snorkelling is forbidden here.
• Companies running guided trips must be registered as tourism companies with the Junta de Andalucía. Choose an operator with a registration number (AT/MA/… or AT/GR/…).

In summer there are also buoyed boat channels (canal náutico) on the beaches. Kayaks and paddleboards must go in and out through them and may not paddle among the swimmers. The hire company will show you where they are.

Safety and weather

• Check the weather and the sea on AEMET's coastal forecast the evening before and in the morning.
• Set off in the morning. The easterly wind, the levante, often picks up in the afternoon and brings choppy waves along the cliffs. The westerly poniente can also make the sea rough. That is why most trips are in the morning.
• Keep your life jacket on at all times – it is included in the price at the hire companies.
• Mobile in a waterproof pouch, and remember the emergency number 112.
• Sun and water: the sun reflects off the water. Bring sun cream, a hat, sunglasses with a strap and a bottle of water. A short-sleeved top protects your shoulders.
• Water shoes are useful when you land on pebbles.
• Keep away from the foot of the cliffs, where the waves break and stones can fall.

The kayak trips suit most people who can swim and are in reasonably good shape. If you have back or shoulder problems, it is a good idea to choose a double kayak so you can take turns paddling.

Season

The hire companies are open from March to October, and some trips also run in November. July and August are high season with the most people and full car parks. June and September are best: the water is warm, and there is more room. See also The seasons on the Costa Tropical.

How to get there

To Maro

Drive west on the N-340 or the A-7 motorway and take the exit for Maro and the Nerja Caves. It is about 26 km and 26 minutes from Playa Tropical. In summer you may not drive down to the beach: in 2026 a shuttle bus ran every day from 12 June to 15 September, 10 am–8.30 pm, and a return ticket cost 3 € (≈ 22.38 kr.). Park in Maro and take the bus, or walk the approx. 1.7 km down the steep road (15–20 minutes down, longer back up). The rest of the year you can drive down. If you are booked on a guided trip, allow plenty of time for parking and the bus.

To Burriana

Burriana is in the eastern part of Nerja, about 29 km and 31 minutes from Playa Tropical. According to the local guide esnerja.com there is a municipal car park by the beach (approx. 2.14 € (≈ 15.96 kr.) per hour or 10 € (≈ 74.60 kr.) for 6 hours) and free spaces at the roundabout above. The free spaces are full before 10 am in summer. See also Parking.

To La Herradura

Take the N-340 west. It is about 10 km and 16 minutes to Paseo Andrés Segovia, the seafront promenade in La Herradura, where both kayak companies are based.

By bus

ALSA's coastal buses between Almuñécar and Nerja stop in La Herradura, in Maro and in Nerja. From the stop in Maro you walk down to the beach, or take the shuttle bus in summer. See Buses.

The buttons below the map at the bottom of the page open the routes from Playa Tropical directly in Google Maps.

Sights along the way

• La Herradura (approx. 10 km): the horseshoe bay with its promenade – and the starting point for the trips towards Cerro Gordo.
• Mirador de Cerro Gordo (approx. 13 km, only via the N-340): a viewpoint over the whole stretch of coast you will paddle along.
• Nerja Caves (approx. 25 km): the great stalactite caves just above Maro. Good to combine with a morning kayak trip. See Nerja Caves.

Toilets and food

• Playa de Maro: toilets, showers and a beach bar.
• Playa de Burriana: toilets, changing rooms and showers (bring your own paper, says esnerja.com). There are many beach bars and restaurants along the beach. The best known is Chiringuito Ayo, which makes paella in a giant pan. It does not take table bookings.
• La Herradura: cafés and restaurants along Paseo Andrés Segovia.
• El Cañuelo and Cantarriján: only the beach bars' toilets, for customers. Las Alberquillas: nothing.

After the trip, the obvious thing is to eat espetos – sardines grilled on skewers – on the beach. See more tips in 3×10 things to taste, eat and visit.

What should you bring?

• Swimwear, a towel and clothes that can get wet
• Water shoes or sandals with a strap
• Sun cream, a hat and sunglasses with a strap
• Water and a little to eat
• Waterproof pouch for your phone and keys
• Snorkel mask (for the swimming break)
• Cash for the shuttle bus and the beach bar

Maps and routes

Red star = Playa Tropical. Click on a point for the name and distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap.

Good advice

• Book the guided trip in advance. In July and August the early departures fill up quickly.
• Take the morning trip. The sea is calmest in the morning, and the light on the cliffs is best.
• Set off early. The car parks in Maro and at Burriana are full before 10 am in summer.
• Choose a double kayak if there are two of you and one is a beginner. It is more stable.
• Turn back in time. Use no more than a third of your energy on the way out.
• Keep your distance from the cliffs and the waterfall. Stones can fall.
• Take nothing home – no stones, shells or plants. It is forbidden in the protected area.
• Respect the naturists at Cantarriján and Las Alberquillas – no photos.

Prices, times and rules were checked in November 2026. They may change from season to season – always check with the operator before you go.

Krone amounts are converted at 1 € ≈ 7.46 kr. and rounded.