Maro, the Andalusian Hawaii
The first thing that surprises the visitor, especially those accustomed to the yellowish landscapes of Malaga, is how green everything is. True jungles of avocados and trails full of fig trees , even custard apples already bearing fruit in August, escort those who walk towards the sea. a sound of water sneaks through the ditches, and the view, turquoise and emerald, it is interrupted only by the whitish spots of the greenhouses.
It thus becomes evident that the town, which does not reach 800 inhabitants, has always lived, and continues to do so, of agriculture. In addition, as the already formed custard apples warn, it has stood out since ancient times for its early fruits, which earned it a well-deserved prosperity during the 19th century. Previously, it had been dedicated, and successfully, to the export of sugar cane honey.
It is easy to take this event into account too thanks to the imposing ruins of the sugar mill of Maro , which operated from 1585 until the 19th century, when a fire put an end to the activity. Not so long ago, then, that the town was sold as tourist destination, although the only sign of this is that the houses with the most privileged views have been converted into hotels and apartments. No megalithic constructions or strange buildings consecrated to the outside: the same openwork houses that house the neighbors serve as a refuge for foreigners, which is a visual relief.
blessed white town
CALETA DE MARO BEACH
But we were going down to the beach, we said, and it is a road with only two different shores. We decided to start with The Cove of Maro , and on the way we find a leafy farm with arabesque tents and sofas covered by umbrellas. It is a ** yoga house **, and it is home to dogs, cats and even Vietnamese pigs, as well as Isabel Gilton, the ideologue behind this retreat. They don't have electricity but they have a garden, from which they live, and they offer both workshops and accommodation.
The spirit of the place seems to permeate the beach itself , which is going down even more and crossing a beautiful and extremely dense passage. When the foliage ends, the strip of sand opens up, not very wide, but enough so that those who inhabit it can exist in peace and unburdened. There they live textiles, nudists, loose dogs (such as "Yogi" coming straight down from the yoga retreat) and even long-term dwellers.
The latter are young people who have set up a precarious reed camp in the shade of the trees and who thank, through a poster, any food donation. The opposite also happens: there are those who, with another sign, announce that he sells drinks and snacks with no more stall than a couple of blue refrigerators, the usual ones, and he does it while he enjoys the beach like any vacationer.
Isn't that one of the prettiest paths to the beach you've ever seen?
It is easy to deduce, therefore, that there are no beach bars nearby, no kiosks, no civilization, just a man who has decided that it would be a good idea to have a snack when Malaga's heat squeezes (and suffocates). The rest of the landscape is completed by a couple that docks on the shore from an inflatable boat, barbecue families, friends throwing the fresbee and children exploring the surrounding rocks. In the very warm sea, some soak, while others decide to do the same with the fresh water that walk down the prehistoric back wall of the beach , and that they have captured in a bottle through ingenious pipes formed by tiny reeds.
There is no law in this little civilization of sand , and everyone is relaxed. Not even the slightest hint of posturing is appreciated, hardly see mobiles, and the sense of community and freedom is reminiscent of the summers of old, when being on the beach was an end in itself and not a means to get a tan or show off on Instagram, when the shore needed no attractions other than sand, water, and salt.
This, which seems like a small thing, is an unusual phenomenon for those who are used to tourism empires like ** Torremolinos , where everything is prohibited ** : pets, barbecues, playing ball, camping, looking at the horizon without seeing moles of cement, have fun without taking out your wallet.
Have a good time, the only law
SEA BEACH
The neighboring beach of Maro, just a short walk away, also maintains the almost Hawaiian beauty of the area, with its exuberant mountains plunging into the sea, although it has opted to add to its offer something more 21st century in the form of hammocks, a small beach bar and a car rental business kayaks and canoes.
The same, very popular among bathers, make it possible to exploration of the Maro Cliffs Natural Park - Cerro Gordo from the water, because only from there can you enjoy the imposing rocky landscape and waterfalls that filter between the marine precipices. Furthermore, the fact that the environment is protected has meant that fishing is not allowed in the area, which has in turn resulted in a explosion of aquatic fauna ; just need some glasses snorkel to appreciate the impressive underwater landscape through the transparent waters, even without straying too far from the shore.
a bit of civilization
The diversions in this piece of coast perhaps require more action, but they are equally peaceful , and the atmosphere affable and light it also stays here until the sun begins to disappear. Then, the vacationers get busy collecting towels and umbrellas, and you feel that unrepeatable sensation of summer, that of lightning and salt tattooed on your skin, that of a certain satisfied weariness . The mattresses of the hammocks are also kept, which are left bare, colored boats disappear resting on the sand, they close the small kiosk and, without the yellow light, the beach, previously euphoric, seems to become a postcard of nostalgia.
It's time to go, because in true summer capitals, once the sun goes down there's nothing else to do. Up in the town the ladies are pulling out their chairs at the doors, foreigners dine in one of the few restaurants available, stray cats roam like little kings and the streets, very clean, plunge into a everyday silence that baffles the city people. For nighttime fun, the neighbor Nerja , with the exotic flavors and pleasures of it; for the old and invigorating summer, of white town, sand and sea, Maro, Maro and only Maro.
End of the day