It is the first crystal lagoon in Europe and it totally ‘wows’ all of those that visit with its sparkling turquoise water and white sandy beaches
The lagoon is described as a ‘paradisiacal oasis’ with water sports that include; stand up paddle boards, sailing boats, pedalos, and one or two person kayaks, there is a children’s play area and also jacuzzies.
The ‘Lagoon’ allows a limited number of visitors, who are not resident to spend the day and enjoy the facilities.
There is no charge to go to Alcazaba Lagoon but you do need to eat in the restaurant and you cannot take your own food or drinks in with you.
We found the Alcazaba Lagoon was not overcrowded. It felt quite exclusive, and understandably, in respect for the owners that live and holiday there the lagoon limits the number of non-residents who can visit each day.
You certainly will need to reserve well in advance, and if you are a family or a group you may need to book up to three or four weeks in before you want to go especially in August.
To get there follow the signs from the A7 and it is about 5-10 minutes’ drive from the main road. There is a carpark which is just above the lagoon and just a couple of minutes down to the entrance.
On arrival they will check you name to ensure you have a reservation for the day & give you a card – The card needs to be taken to the restaurant where you will reserve a table for lunch and they will stamp your card. You will then need to present this card back at the water sports area before you use any of their water sports facilities.
The Lagoon is really impressive, it is 1.4 hectares (14,000 m2) and up to 3 metres in the depth in the middle. There are two beaches, one for residents and a separate one for day guests. The day visitors beach was at the far side of the bar area and was quite busy but not at all overcrowded, social distancing was respected.
The manmade beach was beautiful, white sands and a gentle slope into the fresh water pool. To the right of the man-made beach was another area (much quieter) with sun lounges and sun umbrellas alongside the lagoon.
All of the facilities at the water lover’s paradise can be used (free of charge), and in addition to the beach and lagoon areas there is a smaller children’s pool.
There is no time limit on the amount of time you can use the water sports facilities for and you cannot book the water sports in advance. So, by the time I leisurely set up camp alongside the lagoon, I wandered over to have a go on the paddleboards.
It was a little frustrating as the boards, pedalos and even the kayaks were all being used, and the attendant couldn’t tell me when the water sports would next become available.
It was not a huge big deal though, as we were in no hurry so we enjoyed a drink at the bar whilst we were waiting!
After the initial rush for the water sports facilities, during the rest of the day there were plenty of options to choose from.
The lunchtime menu was varied and very reasonable too considering that the purchase of your meal & drinks was the ‘cost’ they charged you for visiting the lagoon.
On the menu they had everything from pizzas, salads, seafood and steaks. The setting for lunch was superb too, the bar alongside the lagoon between the two manmade beaches had excellent views and the staff were really friendly and accommodating.
And credit where credit is due, I also have to say their cocktails were amazing (and massive) too!
During the afternoon there was far less demand for the water sport facilities. So, we got to try everything and even enjoyed a lovely swim at the beach area.
And if you are in our living locally or visiting the area, I highly recommend a visit for the day. My tip would be to book in advance, relax and spend the whole day chilling and enjoying everything there is to offer there.
To make a reservation visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/alcazabalagoonrestaurante or you can WhatsApp them on +34 678 84 14 11 (allow 24-48 hours for them to get back to you on WhatsApp).
