Mascarat Beach

Cala de Mascarat occupies a narrow stretch of coastline just behind Altea's marina, inside the Serra Gelada Natural Park and close to the boundary with Calpe. It's a cove of pebbles and gravel, without fine sand, tucked below the cliffs of Morro de Toix, with the Peñón de Ifach visible on the horizon to the north.

Clear water for diving

What sets Mascarat apart is the clarity of its water, which makes it one of the area's favourite spots for snorkelling and free diving. Beside the rocky point that closes off the cove, the seabed drops quickly to depths of around 10 to 15 metres further out, mostly rocky with patches of seagrass and large boulders in the deeper areas, where fish and other marine life are easy to spot.

The cove has parking, a beach bar with a restaurant and lifeguard cover, and is reached via the N-332 road, close to the settlement known as Pueblo Mascarat. It also marks the mouth of the Barranc del Mascarat, a narrow gorge popular with hikers and canyoners making their way down from the hills above. Because the cove itself is small and boxed in by the surrounding cliffs, space is limited on the busiest days.

Mascarat forms part of the same protected coastline as the Serra Gelada Natural Park and is a short drive from Playa La Roda and the village of Altea, with which it shares most of the area's tourist services.