Laida, Golden sand beach in Ibarrangelu, Spain

Laida is a golden sand beach in Ibarrangelu featuring shallow waters near the shoreline that gradually deepen and become more turbulent. The wide, open shoreline with natural sand provides ample space for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports.

Laida lies at the mouth of the Mundaka estuary, a sheltered inlet of the Urdaibai reserve where boats could anchor out of the open Biscay swell. The sandbar at the river mouth has long shifted with the tides, and the channel toward Mundaka and Bermeo served fishing and coastal trade. The beach takes its name from the Basque word for sand.

The beach represents a gathering point for the Basque community, where local fishermen share knowledge of traditional fishing methods with younger generations.

Laida sits at the mouth of the Mundaka estuary, reached by the BI-3234 road from Ibarrangelu. The beach is wide and open, with the sandbar and estuary channel visible at low tide. Facilities include parking, showers, restrooms and summer lifeguards. The tide changes the shoreline quickly, so check the tide table before walking out onto the sand.

At low tide the sandbar linking Laida to the Mundaka side of the estuary emerges, letting walkers cross the channel mouth on foot; at high tide the same ground lies under water. The Izaro islet stands offshore to the north, and the sandbank at the river mouth is what draws surfers to the left-hand wave.