HORSE RIDING
The Rancho de la Fuente has lessons, picnic rides, beach rides and excursions in the nearby village of Los Belones.
MOUNTAIN BIKING AND CYCLING
Road and Mountain bike hire is available from ‘Biking La Manga’ in Las Sabinas (go to the supermarket in Las Sabinas and walk through the shopping centre). Mountain bikers will love the varied terrain around the hills and there are flat country roads for explorers too. The roads are also great for road bikes, and we often hire bikes when we are there. There are group rides that go out on Mondays and Wednesdays – ask at the shop for more information.
TRIATHLON
La Manga Club is the ideal training destination for triathletes, with everything you need for all the disciplines that make up the sport:
A 25m indoor lane swimming pool
Open water swimming nearby
A huge variety of road cycling routes
Lots of trail and running routes
For those seeking to take their training to the next level, expert guidance is available at the Spa La Manga fitness centre.
Triathletes can also benefit from the services of the High Performance Sport Centre in the La Manga Spa building.
SAILING
RYA courses for all levels are available at Team Unlimited in Estrella de Mar near Los Urrutias.
SCUBA DIVING AND SNORKELLING
The Adventure Divers Scuba Centre at Las Lomas offers PADI courses for all levels and arranges off-shore diving excursions. There is a marine reserve near Cabo de Palos which has an enviable reputation as a dive site.
SWIMMING POOLS
You have full use of the communal pool during your stay. There are also many pools around the complex; many like to use the multi level open air pool at the tennis centre (open in summer). This has 3 separate depths and a large sunbathing area around it, with a bar and restaurant on site. The aqua aerobic classes take place here, bookable at the tennis centre reception.
WATER SPORTS
The sheltered waters of the Mar Menor are ideal for jet skiing, windsurfing, water skiing and all sorts of water sports. There are a lot of centres along the coast offering both tuition and hire.
SHOPS
There are 2 supermarkets on site, 1 in Bellaluz and 1 in Las Sabinas (this is the better one). If you want a larger supermarket we recommend you go to either Spar in Cabo de Palos or Carrefour in Cartegena.
Cabo de Palos has a market every Sunday from about 11.00am to 1pm.
Spar in Cabo de Palos has a cooked chicken van in the car park on Saturdays and Sundays, they are delicious.
Several pharmacies are dotted all around La Manga Club; one in Bellaluz square, and another in Las Sabinas.
Boutiques, gift shops and sports shops are dotted around the site, with larger more high street shops available in near-by Cartagena.
RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Within La Manga Club itself there are many restaurants dotted around the site, details of all of them are in the information pack provided in the apartment. In high season it is advisable to book ‘La Cala’ (on the beach) as this is very popular.
Some of our favourites are:
La Bodega – Tapas
The Last Drop – burgers, sandwiches, snacks
Angelo’s – pizza and pasta (good for takeaway too if arriving late)
La Cala – fish restaurant looking over the sea
Asia – south-east Asian food
Amapola – excellent restaurant in the Principe Felipe 5* hotel
But if you are up for a drive of 10-15 min there are great Spanish restaurants along the harbour in Cabo de Palos. Our personal favourite is ‘La Tana’.
Si Bar - Family Friendly Sports Bar with great Play Area for the children.
THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA
There is lots to keep you busy in La Manga itself, but here are a few ideas if you
fancy venturing further afield:
Cañones de Cenizas
La Bateria de Cenizas is a Spanish fort located close to the La Manga Club. It is a 7 minute drive from the site, and then a 3km/30 minute walk up the hill to the top of the fort. The old canons are still there, and you will see great views of the Mediterranean and surrounding area.
San Pedro del Pinatar – Mud Baths/Salt flats
These are great natural (and free!) mud baths close to Murcia/San Javier airport. There are decks leading down to the shallow, warm water where you can cover yourself in the ‘healing mud’ of the Mar Menor. It is reportedly very good for your skin, and many people visit there to ease arthritic pain and other ailments.
Cartagena
Cartagena is about a 30 minute drive from La Manga, and has a huge Roman history. There are exposed Roman ruins to walk around, a beautiful port/waterfront, and lots of quaint streets to walk through.
Murcia
Murcia is about an hour’s drive from La Manga, and is a beautiful university city steeped in history. Its architecture is certainly not to be missed, with baroque cathedrals, plaza and museums.