Playa de Cueva, Protected beach and Special Protection Area in Valdés, Spain

Playa de Cueva, also called playa de la Arena, lies in the council of Valdés in western Asturias, at the mouth of the Esva river. It is a shell-shaped beach of toasted, medium-grained sand about 500–550 m long and 80 m wide, with pebbles piled at the back where the grass begins. The Esva's mouth almost disappears at high tide.

Playa de Cueva lies in the Valdés municipality on Asturias's western coast, within the Paisaje Protegido de la Costa Occidental de Asturias. The Esva river meets the sea at its western end, and that mouth almost vanishes at high tide. The beach is also known as playa de la Arena. On 21 December 2004 an oceanic pufferfish (Lagocephalus lagocephalus) over 60 cm long was caught here on rod and line.

The beach takes its name from the village of Cueva in Valdés, and is also known as playa de la Arena. It lies within the Paisaje Protegido de la Costa Occidental de Asturias, and the Esva river mouth, almost erased at high tide, marks its western end. Surfing is rated Category 2 here.

Access is via the first right turn after the high bridge on the N-634 heading east to west, near the villages of Caroyas and Cueva; the lane is narrow and reaches the beach itself. The beach has lifeguard cover, services, showers and parking. Currents shift constantly at the mouth of the Esva, so bathers there should watch the water.

On 21 December 2004, an oceanic pufferfish (Lagocephalus lagocephalus) over 60 cm long was caught on rod and line here, an unusual catch for these waters. The Esva river mouth, which almost vanishes at high tide, is where bathers should watch for shifting currents.