Valdevaqueros, or the paradise of the wind
A watermelon mojito, a poke by the sea, a grilled fish. Live concerts and barbecues. A refreshing dip . And, of course, a lot of wind and schools to learn to surf. Valdevaqueros awaits you
It will be the green of the meadows. The white of the rockroses. The blue of the sky and the sea. Or that color of light sand that dares to climb up the dune. Valdevaqueros beach radiates purity . Located in Rate , his image is one of those that make you smile until you understand that fortune is on your side this time. because even when the wind blows (which is almost always) there are a thousand options to savor these four kilometers of prodigious coastline . So many that it is not easy to know where to start.
View of Valdevaqueros from the dune
Perhaps the best option is the obvious one: take a dip . Here the sun shines and the air cools, but the water is probably the best place on a beach like this. Of course, always carefully, because if she is known for something Valdevaqueros It's for being one of the best places to practice water sports. In fact, kites are its emblem. And it is more than usual to see them cross the sky at full speed and composing an almost hypnotic image. One of those that encourages anyone to try this kite surfing.
"From the outside it looks complicated, but it is a simpler sport than it seems. It requires practice, of course, but it does not require a great physique," he explains. Manuel Beltran . This man from Antequera who ended up in Tarifa on his way to Conil. In 2005 he took a kite surfing course, a sport that hooked him until 2010 when he decided to open, together with his partner, Victoria López, the school Subheaven Kite School , where every year they teach hundreds of people from all over the world to fly on the waves.
Manuel says that the probability of wind -about 80 percent of the days- makes the place ideal for water sports. And that the bay of Punta Paloma It greatly reduces the risk. "In the face of any problem, you end up on the dune, not in the open sea. And that gives a lot of peace of mind," he underlines from his headquarters in the Valdevaqueros campsite.
If you come, you'll never want to leave
"It is the sport that has given life to this area," underlines David Álvarez. He remembers that in his childhood, Tarifa was a town that was always silent, " but now it has atmosphere almost all year round . And in summer it's already crazy," he adds.
David is the owner of one of the great landmarks of Valdevaqueros . A place that never makes you want to leave, that only encourages you to stay and live forever in this corner of the Costa de la Luz . Is named lying down forks synonym of good vibes . A beach bar that celebrates its tenth anniversary this summer, already entrenched in one of the true epicentres of the Tarifa summer.
The place changes color every year, so it always looks new. It opens at 12:00 noon and, until nightfall, has everything you need to plan how to stay live near the beach . Sunglasses, bikinis, swimsuits, fun music and a desire to have a good time are some of the keys to a beach bar that in high season seems to experience a daily fair.
His star drink is the watermelon mojito , which refreshes body and mind at any time of the day. To accompany, the kitchen offers a buffet for lunch at noon and a very tasty barbecue based on retinto veal for dinner.
Concerts and DJs put the musical note to the final stretch of the day . "It's the quietest time and one of my favorites," says David. Those who go to rest after spending the day caressing the waves with their boards know it well.
Sunset from Tumbao
A little later, the National Highway 340 drifts back to the beach. The dirt road leads to a car park where you will see the van you always wanted and someone putting on or taking off their wetsuit to go sailing. It is the car park of a small leisure complex that has sprung up around the ** Tangana beach bar .**
The space has a school for kite surfing ( Adrenaline Kite Area ) and another for surfing ( spin-out , one of the pioneers when it opened 30 years ago). But, without a doubt, the most interesting thing is the beach bar itself, which has different spaces to enjoy the beach depending on what you feel like.
On one of its terraces, several hammocks are spread over an artificial lawn that melts into the sand. There ambient music helps to relax. by his side, a space with shared tables invites you to eat . And a little further inside, a chill out area where the wind does not dare to enter helps to take shelter on days of strong lift. Or to spend the day in a more intimate way.
Terrace of the Tangana beach bar
"It's a hippie style place with glamour, surfer, healthy and familiar", defines Inés Oliva, one of those responsible for Tangana Tarifa.
Malaga-born and a lawyer by profession, she worked in the world of fashion at Inditex and, finally, ended up running the beach bar where she worked during her university years. She never forgot her passion for fashion : when she can, she escapes to Paris to bring back pieces that can be purchased at Conchinchina, a small shop located in an old freight car next to one of the establishment's terraces.
Just like Inés has done with her life, in Tangana you have to let yourself go to enjoy it to the fullest . A beer, a mojito, a fresh gazpacho or a juice They help sunbathe like there is no tomorrow.
And when hunger sets in, the kitchen has delicious proposals based on the two star products of the area: almadraba tuna and retinto meat. Her letter includes sandwiches, hamburgers and even Hawaiian poke. And when your request is ready, they notify you by public address so that you can pick it up. It also has a salad bar , with a multitude of ingredients to fully customize your salad. And if at the end of the day you don't feel like coming back, the business has 11 bungalows to forget about the rest of the world.
A hammock and a beer is what you need to be happy
And if there is no gap, nothing happens. To sleep, the area counts small hotels along the main road, that are offered with airs surfers and banners that the wind moves with a certain viciousness. One of the prettiest is Wawa Rate , a charming tourist complex where you can choose between rooms with views of the mountains or the beach, but also a two-bedroom apartment.
The hotels three seas either 100% fun are two other good options for rest. It will be for options: your only job will be to choose.
Next to them is another great dining option linked, how could it be otherwise, with kite surfing. Benjamin Damborenea, originally from Getxo , he is one of those sailing enthusiasts who faithfully attended his appointment with Valdevaqueros every year (and for many years). Until in 2017 he stayed. Last summer he had the opportunity to launch Fly Monkeys and he did not waste it.
"This beach was my passion and I didn't hesitate," he says. The beach club is the perfect refuge for days of strong winds , but also catches on any other day. Balinese beds, swimming pool, live music, a nice terrace and an excellent barbecue are some of his arguments.
Also succulent retinto hamburgers or delicious meat brought from Ireland and matured in Vejer de la Frontera. "After playing sports, a ribeye is wonderful," says Benjamín, who also offers salads and tapas. The place also has space that different surf and kite surf schools Have your meeting point with clients.
If you feel like eating, another great option is to go to the local fish such as those offered by the Alba family, who always enjoyed his vacations on the beaches of Tarifa. The twelve brothers loved these summers of sun, sand and sea, but only one of them, Avelino Alba, decided to stay forever. The year was 1994 and he opened the Entremares restaurant. Today the second generation is in charge of it: it is run by his relatives Miguel Alba and Andrés Moreno, who renamed it ** Volare Tarifa.**
To get to it, you have to leave the Paloma campsite behind, continue past the Garden of the Dunes and pass the facilities of various surf schools. A parking next to a sea sleeve that is colloquially called the lake indicates that the destination has been reached.
Your environment is simpler . There is paella almadraba tuna . And various fish from the area that are its great allies in the kitchen. Fundamentally the voracious, who cook to perfection here. "Now, little by little, the proposal has also been focusing on athletes. That is why we also offer many types of salads and pasta," he says. Hector Perez Alba, that he acts as family spokesman.
In summer, Volare also has a chill out, cocktails, an extensive beer menu and concerts . "Live music, the sun falling behind the dune, its reflection in the water of the lake... the experience is spectacular," says Héctor.
A feeling that lasts until dawn and, thus, have time to savor (in moderation) mojitos and capiriñas. The two nearby campsites help to forget about the car and, why not, to wait for dawn . Because watch out for the horizon and there isn't that much left.
El Mirlo Restaurant
From this end of the beach there is a narrow road that heads towards pigeon point . The road crosses the immense dune, so on days of strong storms the road sometimes disappears under the sand.
The route offers a little adventure beyond the borders of Valdevaqueros. Its numerous flaws invite you to circulate with ease; also the herds of dark-skinned cows, which calmly cross in front of the cars and jump the wooden fences with confidence. The road gradually enters an old military zone to, three kilometers later, offer a final reward in the form of a small gastronomic paradise named after a bird.
It is a curious restaurant called the blackbird , managed John Boy and his three brothers. Juan is a diver and works in the almadraba, so he knows these Atlantic sea beds very well. He usually goes down to fish in his little boat or, if not, his family is the one in charge of the catch of the day. That's why there's always fresh fish of the day.
Among the most emblematic species is one that hardly sounds outside Cádiz but whoever tries it will never forget it. It's about the borriquet . "It's not famous, but there's nothing like it in terms of value for money," explains Juan.
Baby cuttlefish and pickled tuna at El Mirlo
There's also snapper, sea bass, sole, red mullet, grouper, spider crab ... and of course, almadraba tuna "Everything is wild, that is one of our maxims", emphasizes the restaurateur. Choquitos, pointillistas, pickled tuna or grilled open Norway lobster lead to ecstasy. Paellas for the most classic and retinta veal for carnivores complete a menu where homemade desserts also shine.
Difficult to find a gastronomic experience with as much essence as that of El Mirlo . Even more so when everything can be savored from one of its terraces with views of the Strait, where Africa seems more than ever within reach of the fingers.
From one of these dining-viewpoints there is a small path full of colorful flowers of rhododendrons, mallows, wild roses or sea alders. In less than ten minutes he arrives at beautiful coves of Punta Paloma.
A small, almost hidden paradise that avoids the worst Levante, recalls what one day this virgin coast must have been and where the remains of some old boat return to harsh reality. Cliffs, rocks, fishermen and old thorns that delimited this coastline make up a picture as surprising as it is bucolic that, from time to time, a kite crosses at full speed.
Back on the road, very close is another restaurant, Fair of Cups, also specialized in fresh fish. And a little more adventurous is to get to The treasure , and on the way to Bolonia beach along the Betis road. Places that are listed for the next occasion, because Valdevaqueros always comes back.
Something that is easily noticed at the top of the dune, where the sand invites you to roll down its slopes, take the obligatory photo or sit down to enjoy the evening while you promise to repeat the trip as soon as possible. From these heights a wonderful panoramic view frames the entire beach. Image that reminds us again that fortune is on our side today. Because in this geographical nook where the wind blows and the sun shines in all its fullness, happiness has the shape of a beach.
*This article was initially published on 05.09.2018 and updated with the publication of the video