<i>FERIENWOCHE </i> <i>COSTA DE LLANES</i>
<i>FERIENWOCHE </i> <i>COSTA DE LLANES</i>
+
  • © 2025 Salty Cosmos GmbH 0

FERIENWOCHE COSTA DE LLANES

Switch Language... 

Sea Kayak Holidays

08.–13.06.2025

COSTA DE LLANES – SEA KAYAK HOLIDAYS

The coast of Llanes, just under the impressive mountain range Picos de Europa, is the most beautiful seascape we know. And the perfect place for a week of sea kayak holidays for all experienced paddlers who are happy to paddle in a bit of swell. The area that we want to explore with you during this week as part of fantastic day tours extends from San Vincente de la Barquera to the famous Playa de las Cuevas with its sea arches created by the waves, about 18 kilometers along the coast west of Llanes. In between there is one sea kayak highlight after another.

DETAILS

Programme Day 1
Day 1
Our camp begins on Sunday at around 10:00 with the official welcome and introduction round and the distribution of kayaks and gear. Of course, we will also go paddling afterwards – depending on what makes sense given the conditions. Either directly from the beach below the campsite or somewhere else. We will see…
Programme Days 2–5
Days 2-5
There are so many options for paddling and playing in the waves in this region that we can take full advantage when choosing our daily programs. Exploring coasts and caves, day trips, rock hopping or surfing – this coast offers us one highlight after another. Here are just some examples:

  • Dozens of caves along the entire coast, of which only those between the incredibly beautiful bay of Ensenada de Bellín and the Asturian-Cantabrian border at Unquera alone would be enough for an entire week.
  • The two deep green, forested river deltas Ría de Tina Menor and Ría de Tina Mayor, where exciting tidal currents form when the water recedes and huge sandbanks remain at low tide.
  • The cliffs under the lighthouse of San Emeterio and the incredibly beautiful paddling paradises of La Franca and Buelna with their arches that must have been built by playing giants, their imposing cliffs and pointed rocks that rise steeply out of the water like bizarre towers and are more reminiscent of Thailand than anything in Europe.
  • The vertical cliff section between Playa de Vidiago and Playa de Andrín, with its cathedral-like caves and the mystical and beautiful mouth of the Purón river.
  • The coast around the town of Llanes, with its fantastic bays, bizarre rocks and the incredible Ballota rock gate, which also looks like it came out of a fantasy film.
  • The coast between Póo, Celorio and Barro, with its offshore, vertical rocky islands and the surfing beaches in between that only fall dry at low tide – one of the best sea kayaking playgrounds in Europe, if not the world.
  • Sea kayak surfing in the finest swell – we have the choice of several premium beaches.

We decide every day what we will do, depending on the current weather and swell forecast.
Programme Day 6
On our last day of paddling we will make sure we get off the water by 16:00 at the latest and end the course with a feedback session. You have enough time to take care of your equipment or preparing for your departure. We recommend planning this for Friday evening at the earliest, or even better Saturday.

If you have borrowed gear from us, we ask that you rinse everything with fresh water and return it to us clean and salt-free by Friday evening.
More Info
Participant Numbers: Minimum 5, Maximum 10
Languages: German and English

TYPICAL CONDITIONS

This is what you may hope for

Weather
A word of warning first: The green of the "Costa Verde", as the Asturian coast is often called, doesn't come from nothing. Rain is possible here all year round. But “possible” doesn’t mean that it would actually be wet all the time. It is very pleasant here in the warm months, from May to September. Clouds and sun usually alternate, with temperatures mostly in the mid 20s. Perfect paddling weather for us, and a swim in the Atlantic, which is around twenty degrees warm, is always possible.

A special feature that needs to be mentioned about the Llanes coast is its proximity to the Picos de Europa. This wild, majestic mountain range begins just beyond the coast, meaning the clouds often get stuck here. Thunderstorms over the nearby mountain peaks are not uncommon. But when they shed their cloud cover again, the view from the sea of the Picos is magnificent!

Wind
Anything is possible and windy days are not uncommon. Northwest and northeast are the most common wind directions. But there are also a lot of quiet days.

Waves
Northwest winds or storms far out on the Atlantic, somewhere between here and southern Greenland, can bring large, long-period swells. While things can get really extreme here in the fall, in late spring and summer you can definitely expect that we will be treated to perfect, clean surfing waves of around one to one and a half meters and medium frequency.

ACTIVITIES

This is what you may expect

Click on the pictures to learn more about the activities.

Stacks Image 8

Discover Europe's Most Beautiful Coastlines With Us

There are paddlers for whom sea kayaking primarily means making distance. Often these people paddle purposefully in a straight line past the most beautiful coasts – and overlook all the small and large things that there are to discover. So many beautiful things, so many incredible things, so many spontaneous adventures – if you take the time for them. That's exactly what we mean by "exploring the coast": taking advantage of every opportunity for experiences and fascinating discoveries. The lines between “touring” and “play” blur depending on what presents itself to us. Depending on the tide, swell, wind and weather, a coastline is always different.

We don't measure the success of a paddle-day in kilometers, but in the number of "Wows"! And believe us: there are a lot of them where we go sea kayaking with you.
Stacks Image 8

Fantastic Day Trips

Touring doesn't always mean that you have to paddle for several days with a lot of luggage: Exciting day trips let you enjoy the juicy bits of a coast and you're back at the base camp in the evening. And at the same time, a "day trip" doesn't always have to be synonymous with touring: Just as often as we undertake an excursion-style day trip, we go on paddle-strolls "just around the corner" to a particularly cool rock garden, a tide race or Surf beach and see what happens there. This way, without paddling many kilometers, we also make great, fulfilling and exciting days of sea kayaking.
Stacks Image 8

Dynamic Water: Widen Your Comfort Zone

Paddling in dynamic water – whether generated by wind, tide or swell – provides variety and excitement. And it makes you a better paddler.

It is part of our course structure to accompany you step by step from the calm lake to increasingly challenging conditions. What is “challenging” on this journey and what is specifically understood as “dynamic water” – that is highly subjective and is ultimately determined by you, your skills and, above all, your comfort zone, which we will try to carefully expand together. That's why we work with you to find conditions that challenge you without overwhelming you or generating bad experiences. Because we want you to have new experiences, become a safer paddler and walk away from the water with a good feeling and a big grin after each day with us.
Stacks Image 8

Surfing – of Course in a Sea Kayak

At Salty Cosmos we agree: there is almost nothing more addictive than surfing with a sea kayak! No matter whether forward, backward or a reverse start with a turn (like Ella in the picture above), steep pirouettes, spectacular "bongo slides" and fast rolls in the breaking wave – surfing a sea kayak is an absolutely fantastic thing. It is not only extremely fun, but it sharpens your boat control and technique like nothing else. Being able to paddle in the surf zone also means a huge increase in safety: Here you will quickly find out whether you can really intuitively edge and brace, whether your roll works effectively without a setup and whether you understand what your kayak is doing in such a dynamic environment.

You alone decide what conditions are right for you when going sea kayak surfing. It's not about who surfs the biggest waves. It's not (just) about adrenaline rushes or about who can pull off the most spectacular stunts, but simply about having maximum fun and learning while playing. And yes: capsizing is part of it and is neither dangerous nor something to feel ashamed of.
Stacks Image 8

Rockhopping: Big Fun, Also in Smaller Waves

Next to surfing, rock hopping is certainly the most playful activity in the vast cosmos of sea kayaking. Paddling with the waves at exactly the right moment over a washed-over granite rock, through narrow passages and into bubbling rock features – always in the rhythm of the waves – that's rock hopping. It takes timing, skill, good observation skills, confident control strokes and a bit of boat control, which fortunately grows with each session.

Rock hopping is an activity that quickly becomes addictive and is a lot of fun. There is no need for big waves. On the contrary: the best rock hopping sessions take place in generally rather calm conditions. Even small waves can create turbulence, suction and very dynamic conditions between the rocks. You have to accept scratches and dents in your kayak before involving in this activity, otherwise it definitely won't be fun. Even a small hole in the boat can happen from time to time, which is why we always have repair materials with us. And to ensure that no injuries occur, we always exercise caution. A good rule for rock hopping is: never play where you don't want to swim.
Stacks Image 8

Caves: Discover Fascinating Worlds

In addition to paddling in rock gardens and under cliffs, caves are the highlights of excursions along many Atlantic or Mediterranean coasts. It is absolutely fascinating to marvel at what nature has created there over millions of years. It goes without saying that we too always venture into the belly of the coast to discover other worlds there. Our sea kayaks are particularly suitable for this purpose like no other type of boat.

The cliffs of Cantabria and Asturias in the north of Spain or the north coast of Jersey each have a particularly large number of spectacular caves. These include narrow and long caves that can only be explored on very quiet days, but also huge cathedrals, some of which consist of several connected rooms or have different entrances and exits. Some caves on the Asturian coast even have small openings to the sky where light shines in on sunny days. On stormy days, the so-called "bufones" develop here: the water pressed into the cave by the huge waves then shoots out of the openings in high fountains. An impressive example of the fact that it is better to only paddle into caves on calm days…
Stacks Image 3589
What is this?
What is this?

Our Skill-o-meter is intended to give you a quick, rough guide to the approximate level of experience and paddling skills we require to take part in this programme.

It says NOTHING about what conditions we will encounter on site.

To find out exactly what skills we expect from you to take part in this programme, please be sure to read the specifications below ("What we expect from you").

Close
Close

SKILLS

This is what we expect from you

You can swim

Minimum two weeks experience on the sea

Experience in F4 winds and waves of over 1 meter

Launching and landing on a suitable beach in waves of ca. 1m

You can tow another paddler

Experience with more difficult partner rescues in dynamic conditions

SAFETY PARAMETERS

This is what you can rely on

The sea does what it does. With our safety parameters we determine the maximum environmental conditions up to which we will go on the water* during this programme:
Wind
Offshore wind:
  • Up to 21 knots (wind force 5) in areas with predominantly steep banks that offer enough protection
  • Up to 21 knots (wind force 5) in areas with predominantly flat shorelines that offer insufficient protection

Onshore wind:
  • Up to 15 knots (wind force 4) in areas with predominantly steep, rocky shores
  • Up to 21 knots (wind force 5) in areas with flat, sandy shores with easy landing options
Waves
  • Swell of up to 1m and maximum 15 sec. period in areas with predominantly rocky shores
  • Swell of up to 1.5m and a maximum of 15 sec. period in areas with predominantly sandy, flat shores that provide safe landing
The sea weather report or swell forecast serves as the basis for assessment. In the case of short, steep wind waves, cross seas, etc., the situation is assessed individually.
If it is not possible to find these (or easier) conditions in our paddling area, we will stay on land. Other safety parameters (extreme gusts, rapidly falling air pressure, thunderstorms, etc.) also apply.

* For more information on this topic, see our FAQs

EVERYTHING ELSE

This is what you need to organise by yourself

For all of our programs, arrival and departure as well as all transport and on-site accommodation are the responsibility of the participants. This means that you have to take care of these things yourself. Below you will find all the information you need:
Meeting point & arrival
GETTING THERE

Meeting point:
Camping La Paz
Playa de Vidiago s/n,
33597 Llanes, Asturias
España
Website: https://campinglapaz.com

Time:
For a quieter and relaxed start to the week, we recommend arriving the day before (Saturday, May 31th). When exactly you arrive is completely your choice. Please prepare to be self-sufficient on the day of arrival and note that your Salty Cosmos team is also busy preparing and will not be available before the programme begins.

The course starts on Sunday morning (June 1st) at 10:00.

Getting there:

By car: The La Paz campsite in Playa de Vidiago is very easy to reach from the A8. Take the Pendueles / Vidiago exit and then follow the signs. If you are coming from Switzerland, Austria or Germany, it is probably best to travel via Bordeaux, Donostia / San Sebastian and Bilbao. An alternative for those who have a lot of time, is to come from the Mediterranean, or are already in Spain is to travel south of the Pyrenees, via Zaragoza, Logroño and Bilbao. Here you save a large part of the expensive French toll fees, but you drive a couple extra kilometers and hours.

When making travel arrangements, please don't forget to ask the other participants whether they are looking for or offering a ride.

Unfortunately, getting to Llanes by public transport is not that easy. There is an unbeatably cheap Flixbus from Zurich to Bilbao, but it takes almost 22 hours. Train connections from CH take the detour via Paris and from there by TGV to the Spanish border in Hendaye in just under 5 hours. From here there are various options for continuing the journey via Donostia / San Sebastián and Bilbao and Santander. Buses (ALSA) stop in Unquera or Llanes, the slow but quite romantic train that runs along the coast even stops in Pendueles, 2.5 km from the campsite.

Flying: Certainly the easiest and fastest means of transport to Asturias is by plane. There are cheap and direct connections from Zurich or Munich to Bilbao, for example. From Bilbao you can get there by bus and train (see above) or rental car. Closer to our base camp are the airports Santander and Oviedo/Gijon (“Asturias” airport). From here you can also easily get to Pendueles by bus and train.

If you are joining us from the UK or Ireland, we recommend taking the ferry from Plymouth to Santander or from Roslare to Bilbao. These are by far the most comfortable connections to Spain and from Santander it's just an hour to Playa de Vidiago. And you possibly have your car, van or motorbike with you, ready for an extended holiday in Spain.
Accommodation
During this week we will be stationed on the gorgeous campsite Camping La Paz in Playa de Vidiago with a view over the blue Cantabrian Sea and dramatic cliffs of the Llanes coast.

If you don't want to stay at the campsite, you can of course also look for an alternative nearby (holiday apartment, AirBnB, hotel, etc.). However, it is important that you are able to get to the agreed meeting point on time, independently and without any problems.
Please remember that either way you are responsible for organising, booking and paying your accommodation.
Rations
In all Salty Cosmos programmes, food and drinks are generally the responsibility of the participants. Please consider whether you would like to cook for yourself or eat in a privately organised communal group.
Insurance
Accident insurance, travel health insurance, rescue and recovery insurance
In all Salty Cosmos programs, accident insurance, travel health insurance and rescue and recovery insurance are the responsibility of the participants. Please take care of these things early.

Cancellation cost insurance
Please take out cancellation insurance when you complete your booking. If you were to become sick ahead of the programme, it would be a pity if you were not only missing out, but also losing money.

More questions? See our FAQs

This is what Frédéric Flamant says

I also agree with what has already been said: The Costa de Llanes is amazing! If I didn't have to go on so many vacations, which can sometimes be really stressful, then I would probably spend the whole summer here. Two or three cafés con leche, followed by churros con chocolate in the Barro restaurant as a second breakfast and then a little bit out to the cliffs and the beautiful islands - that's just how I like it! Such days are like tapas food: everything in bites and a little bit of everything. Great!

Although this doesn't actually fall under her department, my dear (if sometimes a bit hyperactive) friend Silvy can also be found regularly in Asturias. Because she thinks she can always learn something here.

Normal price
1250 CHF*

Price including use of our gear

This price includes a kayak, paddle and all the gear you need for participating. You need to order this gear separately after booking, ahead the programme.

Arrival and departure, accommodation and meals are the responsibility of the participants and are therefore not included in the price.

Reduced Price
1100 CHF*

Price with your own material

Price if you participate with your own equipment. You are responsible for bringing your kayak and equipment and, if necessary, transporting them during the programme.

Arrival and departure, accommodation and meals are the responsibility of the participants and are therefore not included in the price.

*Net price plus Spanish VAT (21%)

BOOK NOW
BOOK NOW
Stacks Image 5
Stacks Image 7
<< Back to the Salty Cosmos <<