Poniente Beach, Benidorm: the bigger, calmer beach
Facts checked 15 October 2026 against the sources at the foot of this page.
Short answer
Poniente is Benidorm's longest beach: 3,100 metres of fine golden sand running west from the harbour and the Old Town to La Cala. It is wider than Levante, quieter, and more Spanish. It holds the Blue Flag for 2026. Lifeguards work 10:00–19:00 in June and 09:00–20:00 from July to September, with cover all year. There are 1,700 sunbeds in 10 sectors at €6 each per day. It has two of Benidorm's three accessible bathing points. Choose Poniente if you want space and a long walk. Choose Levante if you want to be near the bars.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | 3,100 m, from the port / Old Town to La Cala |
| Width | 74 m average · 33 m at its narrowest · 105 m at its widest |
| Sand | Fine golden sand, 146,239 m² |
| Flags 2026 | Blue Flag 2026 · ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 13009 (Q for Quality), UNE 170001 accessibility, EMAS |
| Lifeguards 2026 | June 10:00–19:00 · Jul–Sep 09:00–20:00 · 5 towers + 4 on foot in summer, 2 + 1 the rest of the year |
| Sunbeds | 1,700 sunbeds + 440 parasols in 10 sectors, 11 months a year · €6 each per day |
| Toilets / showers | 5 eco toilet cabins · 89 foot showers with 2 taps each |
| Accessible points | Parque de Elche and La Cala (Av. Mont Benidorm). Summer 09:30–18:30 |
| Family extras | 6 play areas · 12 sports areas · floating platform 15 Jun–1 Sep (11:00–19:00) · 2 beach libraries |
| Buses | 3 (Paseo de Poniente), 30 (Playa Poniente to Cala Finestrat), 2 / 16 / 18 (Parque Elche, Pérez Devesa, Bali) |
| Dogs | Not allowed |
| Best for | Space, over-60s, Spanish-style family days, promenade walks |
What it's like
Poniente curves west from the harbour at the foot of the Old Town. It is backed by a long promenade lined with restaurants, bars and shops. At the Old Town end you get the harbour, the Tossal de la Cala viewpoint and tapas bars a short walk up the hill. The further west you go towards La Cala, the more residential and quieter it gets.
The beach gets wider as you go west, up to 105 metres in places. Even in August that means there is usually room behind the sunbed rows. Like Levante, it is oriented to catch the sun until sunset in winter and well past 20:00 in summer.
Visit Benidorm describes Poniente as quieter than Levante and especially popular with Spanish visitors, and you notice it in the crowd and the menus. For places to eat, see where locals eat.
Sunbeds, space and shade
Poniente has the only sunbed numbers Visit Benidorm publishes for any beach: 1,700 sunbeds and 440 parasols in 10 sectors, available 11 months of the year. The price is the same as on Levante: €6 per sunbed and €6 per parasol per day, a rate the council fixed in June 2022 that is still being charged in 2026. The 6-metre strip along the water's edge stays clear by council rule.
Personal parasols, chairs and windbreaks are allowed. The beach ordinance lets police or staff remove items that cause problems or get in the way of cleaning. Machines clean the shoreline overnight, 03:00–09:30 in summer. Don't leave a parasol out from the night before.
For premium shade, Hotel Villa España, at the Poniente end, has rooftop day beds and Balinese beds. The price is on request, and we could not confirm whether non-guests can book.
Accessible bathing
Two of Benidorm's three accessible beach points are on Poniente: Parque de Elche and La Cala / Av. Mont Benidorm. Each has a ramp, a boardwalk to the water, adapted changing rooms and toilets, shade, amphibious chairs for adults and children, and amphibious crutches. From 1 June to 30 September 2026 each point opened 09:30–18:30 with three assistants. You need an official disability certificate to use the assisted bathing. Full details are on accessible beaches.
Getting there by bus
- Line 3: Bus Station – Europa – Triangular – Jaime I – Paseo de Poniente – Hotel Bali – Calas – Carrefour.
- Line 30: Rincón de Loix – Mediterráneo – Benidorm Centro – Almendros – Parque Elche – Playa Poniente – Hotel Bali – Cala Finestrat. This is also the open-top route, and it links the two big beaches.
- Line 2: Rincón de Loix – Benidorm Centro – Europa – Alfonso Puchades – Parque Elche – Jaime I – Pérez Devesa – Bali – Calas.
- Lines 16 and 18 (to Guadalest and the Algar falls) also stop at Pérez Devesa and Bali, near the western end.
For fares, see buses.
Sea temperature
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 °C | 14 °C | 15 °C | 16 °C | 19 °C | 23 °C | 26 °C | 27 °C | 26 °C | 23 °C | 19 °C | 17 °C |
Long-term averages from SeaTemperature.info. In 2023–2025, Open-Meteo marine data put August at 28.1 °C. Check the flag before you go in.
Watch out for
- It is long. The bars and loos can be a 10-minute walk from your spot. Toilets are spaced out along 3.1 km (five cabins).
- Promenade heat. The concrete and tiles of the promenade get very hot by midday. Wear sandals.
- Red flag. Swimming under a red flag can be fined €751–1,500 under the ordinance.
- No alcohol or glass on the sand. Both are banned. Drink at the promenade bars.
- Smoking. Still allowed on Poniente in October 2026. La Cala de Finestrat, at the western end, is a smoke-free beach, so the rules change at the municipal boundary.
Questions people ask
Is Poniente beach better than Levante?
For space, yes. Poniente is a kilometre longer, about 20 metres wider on average, and quieter. Levante wins for bars, nightlife and the British end of town. Many regulars stay near Levante and take bus 30 over to Poniente for a quieter beach day.
How long is Poniente Beach?
3,100 metres. It runs from the harbour below the Old Town west to La Cala, where Benidorm meets Finestrat. It is 74 metres wide on average and up to 105 metres at its widest, which makes it Benidorm's biggest beach by area.
Does Poniente have a Blue Flag in 2026?
Yes. The council collected Blue Flags for Poniente and Levante on 18 May 2026. Poniente also carries ISO 9001 and 14001, the Spanish Q for Quality, the UNE 170001 accessibility standard and EMAS environmental certification.
How much are sunbeds on Poniente?
€6 for a sunbed and €6 for a parasol, per day, in 2026. There are 1,700 sunbeds and 440 parasols in 10 sectors, and they are available 11 months of the year. Pay the sector attendant.
Is Poniente beach good for older people?
Yes, it is one of the better choices. The promenade is long and flat, there are two accessible bathing points, and the western end is quiet. Lifeguards are on duty all year. Cafés line the promenade.
How do I get from Levante to Poniente?
Walk through the Old Town and past Mal Pas and the harbour. Or take bus 30 from Rincón de Loix or Avenida del Mediterráneo, which stops at Parque Elche and Playa Poniente before going on to La Cala.
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Sources
- Visit Benidorm – Poniente Beach — length, widths, area, sunbeds and parasols, toilets, showers, towers, certifications — checked 2026-10-15
- Ajuntament de Benidorm, 18 May 2026 — Blue Flag 2026 — checked 2026-10-15
- Ajuntament de Benidorm, 1 Jun 2026 — lifeguard hours, accessible points at Parque de Elche and La Cala, platform and beach libraries — checked 2026-10-15
- Visit Benidorm – Accessible beaches — accessible point equipment and rules — checked 2026-10-15
- La Vanguardia, 27 Jun 2022 — €6 price, 6-metre strip — checked 2026-10-15
- Benidorm beach ordinance 2009 and 2013 amendment — rules and fines — checked 2026-10-15
- Llorente Bus / Avanza routes — lines 2, 3, 16, 18, 30 — checked 2026-10-15
- El Periòdic, 2 Jun 2026 — Finestrat La Cala smoke-free — checked 2026-10-15
- SeaTemperature.info and Open-Meteo Marine — sea temperature — checked 2026-10-15