Playa de El Cañuelo, Tarifa, Natural beach in Tarifa, Spain

Playa de El Cañuelo is a beach on the Costa de la Luz stretching roughly 800 meters with fine golden sand and moderate waves. The shoreline is backed by wooded cliffs and low vegetation that frames the water.

The beach lies within the Parque Natural del Estrecho, between Cabo de Gracia and Punta Camarinal, on the municipal territory of Tarifa in the Campo de Gibraltar. Its dune system has stayed largely untouched by human activity, and the arroyo de El Cañuelo crosses the sand, forming a small estuary after heavy rain. Access follows a short path starting beside the Camarinal lighthouse.

The arroyo de El Cañuelo flows out onto the sand and, after heavy rain, forms a small estuary behind the beach. The dunes behind the shoreline are still mobile: strong winds and tides shift the sand and periodically bury the vegetation, mainly barrón and grama de mar. Just past the beach, Cala Esmeralda takes its name from the turquoise-to-emerald colour of the water at sunset.

Getting there requires roughly a 30-minute walk from the parking area near the lighthouse, with the path passing through vegetation. Bring water, food, and sun protection since no shops or facilities operate on the beach itself.

Access through dense vegetation creates complete isolation from the busy coastal areas nearby. This seclusion has kept it among the few remaining undeveloped beaches in the region where nature remains largely untouched by development.