South of Mojácar lie a succession of small, isolated coves, the most accessible of them reached down a rough coastal track that turns off towards the sea just under 4km down the road to Carboneras. The scenic Mojácar-Carboneras road itself winds perilously through the hills some way inland, and offers only occasional access to some tempting beaches. There's no bus on this stretch either, and you'd need to have a head for heights to take this windy but beautiful route.

CARBONERAS has a buzzing beachfront and plenty of bars for the nightlife - some of which will be seasonal, and a few hostales. Carboneras is home to Europes largest sea water de-salination plant and huge cement factory, but this is all sited outside of town. Beyond, a small road extends to the isolated fishing hamlet of Agua Amarga.