Kayaking on Guadalest Reservoir

Guadalest reservoir is the turquoise water you see from the castle, wedged between pines and the Aitana, Xortà and Serrella mountains. Paddling on it is seeing Guadalest from the water, with the castle above. It is made possible by Kayak Beni, a family business that hires out kayaks on the shore.

An hour and a half without a guide beneath the rock

It is a hire, not a guided excursion. You arrive at the jetty, pay, they give you the kayak and you paddle at your own pace for an hour and a half wherever you like on the reservoir. The kayaks are very stable and unsinkable, so you don't need to have paddled before or be especially fit. Children can go aboard if they are with an adult. It is a gentle activity on still water, more a pleasure outing than a sport; you set the effort.

The website doesn't say whether the kayaks are single or double, the minimum age for children, or whether they provide a life jacket. If you go with little ones, ask when you book. It also doesn't publish what happens in bad weather or if you cancel: clarify it on WhatsApp, especially outside summer.

Fifteen euros, and in cash

It costs €15 per person for the hour and a half. There is no discount for children or groups unless you agree it beforehand. You can only pay in cash, and don't count on a cash machine on the shore: bring the money with you.

In July and August they hire out every day from 11:00 to 17:30. The rest of the year they only work by prior reservation, by phone or WhatsApp on 653 782 774. Groups must write directly on WhatsApp.

Access to the jetty

The jetty is on the shore of the reservoir, below the village, and is reached by narrow tracks. The company itself warns that access is awkward and asks you to set off half an hour early, because arriving late can cost you your slot. On the website there is a link to the map with the exact point. By the water there are six free shaded parking spaces and picnic tables where you can eat what you bring.

The reservoir was built between 1953 and 1971, and with it tourism began in Guadalest. If someone in the group doesn't paddle, there is a trail around the reservoir, and the town council says the dam, with its own parking, is accessible for people with reduced mobility.

Before or after the water

The easiest combination is to go up to the village in the morning, cross the San José tunnel and enter the castle, from where you will see the whole reservoir, and go down to paddle after lunch. In July and August, in the heat, the afternoon on the water is welcome. For lunch on the way, Nou Salat is on the Callosa road, 2 km from the village.