Before we had a car, taking Rio, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, for a day out on the beach was a near enough impossible mission. If you’ve found this page hoping to find out that Spain, the dog-friendly country, allows dogs on to all of its beaches, then you’ll be disappointed.

The good news though is that the dog-friendly beaches on the Costa Blanca are specialised beaches, they usually have good local facilities and the area themselves are such beautiful untouched coastal spots.

We had high hopes that Rio would love splashing around in the waves on a scorching hot summer’s day and that he would welcome being able to be outside with us shaded from the heat, playing with dogs and getting his paws wet as opposed to being cooped up inside away from the midday sun. How wrong we were.

Rio spent the entire time laying next to us or sitting on my knee, avoiding the sea at all costs. If we got into the sea, he’d stand at the shore barking, if we put him in the water, he’d swim as fast as he could back to the shore, out of the water. He didn’t even care that other dogs were running in and out of the water fetching their toys and sniffing each other. He’s clearly not a beach boy.

Now that the weather is starting to heat up again in preparation for summer and more and more people are arriving in Benidorm again, I thought it would be a good time to share some of the beaches we have been to with our dog and a few others that we know of. After all, summer is made for the beach.

However, if your four-legged friend is into the beach, these are some of the best beaches along the Costa Blanca where you can take your pooch and catch some rays:

Playa El Xarco

El Xarco is a beautiful cove in Villajoyosa and is one of the few beaches in the Alicante region where dogs are allowed to go. Playa El Xarco is perfect if you like stretches of blue, ideal for snorkelling and picturesque sunsets. Playa El Xarco is a stone beach. It is a very quiet beach and relatively open, so it can be battered by the elements and can get very breezy. The beach is accessible by car by Venta El Xarco on the Villajoyosa main road.

Playa Mar y Montaña 

Playa Mar y Montaña is located in Altea and is one of the best dog beaches in the Alicante region. Separated into two locations, dog beach and non-dog beach, the dog beach has coverings of wood chippings or dried seaweed – I’m not really sure which! All I know is that you’ll need some shoes to wear and a deck chair or two! Playa Mar y Montaña also has a beautiful beach bar which welcomes dogs.

Playa El Pinet

Playa El Pinet is located in Elche, however, please be cautious as this is a beach that has a lot of pine trees. Pine trees are the homes to the pine caterpillars that arrive once a year, so if it is caterpillar season, be sure to stay away as these are deadly to dogs! The beach is a sandy beach.

Playa Can

Located in Gandia, the dog-friendly area is a sandy beach and located at the end.

Calas del Cuartel 

Located by the Santa Pola lighthouse, the dog beach is a small sandy beach with a scattering of pebbles.

Playa de la Escollera Norte

Another one we haven’t visited, but this is the dog-friendly beach in Denia.

Regulations and Guidelines

At the dog beaches, there are certain guidelines and regulations that must be followed to ensure the safety of your own dog, other dogs and visitors to the beaches.

If your dog is categorised as a dangerous dog in Spain, it must wear a muzzle. Dogs must be on leads on the beach with the exception of being in clear, open water. All droppings must be picked up and disposed of. Furthermore, you must remember to carry the pet passport and ID card with you. Police do monitor the beaches and have been known to ask pet owners to present these documents. You may be asked to leave, cautioned and fined if you are found to not have the relevant documentation and up-to-date vaccinations.

What to take to the Dog-Friendly Beaches

Before you even think about taking your pooch to the beach, make sure you have the following:

• European passport filled with a completed schedule of vaccination certificate, the vaccination against rabies and possibly the health declaration.
• Bowls
• Clean, fresh water
• Doggy bags.
• Photo of your pet, in case he gets lost
• Toys
• Dog towel

Hasta luego,