If you're Googling "best beaches in Benidorm" right now, you're probably either planning your holiday or trying to settle a debate with someone who insists Playa de Levante is better than Playa de Poniente. (Spoiler: they're both right, just for different reasons.) I've lived on the Costa Blanca for ten years, visited Benidorm more times than I can count, and I'm going to tell you exactly what nobody else will — which beach suits you, at what time of year, and how to avoid the rookie mistakes.
May is honestly one of the best months to be here. The sea temperature is around 20°C — refreshing rather than Arctic — the crowds are a fraction of what you'll find in August, and the light in the late afternoon turns the whole bay into something almost unreal. If you're thinking about coming this month, stop thinking and check what's available in Benidorm before the half-term rush kicks in.
---
JV Properties
Looking for accommodation in Benidorm?
Book direct with JV Properties and save up to 18% vs Airbnb. No commissions, personal service.
Find rentals →Playa de Levante: The Iconic One
This is THE Benidorm beach — the one on every postcard, the one with the famous skyline of skyscrapers rising behind a two-kilometre arc of golden sand. It faces east, which means it catches the morning sun perfectly and is in shade by late afternoon. In practical terms: if you're a morning beach person, Levante is your spot.
What you need to know: - The sand is fine and well-maintained (Blue Flag every year, consistently) - Sunbeds and parasols run roughly €10–12 per set in 2026; you can absolutely skip them and find free space in May - The promenade behind is excellent for an evening walk — proper gelato, cold beer, restaurants doing fresh grilled fish from €12 - Parking nearby is genuinely painful in July and August; in May you can still use Parking Avenida del Mediterráneo without wanting to cry - The water gets deep quite gradually — good for children and nervous swimmers
Personal opinion: Levante is best experienced before 10am or after 6pm in summer. In May, it's magic practically all day.
---
Playa de Poniente: The Local's Choice
On the other side of the Peñón de Benidorm headland, Poniente is longer (about 3km), slightly less famous, and noticeably less packed — even in high season. It faces west, so you get the spectacular sunset directly over the water. If you're staying in a holiday rental apartment on the western side of town, this is your beach.
What you need to know: - The sand is slightly coarser than Levante but the water visibility is often better - Fewer beach bars (chiringuitos) than Levante but Restaurante La Cava on the promenade does a tremendous paella for about €15 per person - The far southern end near Playa Mal Pas is much quieter and favoured by locals and longer-stay visitors - Sunset here in May is somewhere around 9:15pm — buy a cold Estrella from a beach kiosk and watch it - It's flatter behind, which makes the promenade cycle-friendly and pushchair-accessible
Honest verdict: if I'm taking friends for the first time, I show them Levante for the spectacle. But if I'm choosing for myself, I sit on Poniente.
---
Playa de Mal Pas: The Hidden One
Tucked behind the old town headland between Levante and Poniente, Mal Pas is tiny — maybe 200 metres — rocky in places, and almost never mentioned in mainstream guides. It's where the fishing boats used to land and where you'll find the most authentic slice of Benidorm. No sunbed rental, no beach bars, just locals, a few expats who've been coming for years, and the most turquoise water in the whole bay.
Getting there: walk down through the old town (Casco Antiguo), past the white church of San Jaime y Santa Ana, and follow the steps down. It takes five minutes but feels like a different world.
---
Playa de Finestrat and Cala de Finestrat: Just Outside Town
Drive or take the bus about 4km south of Benidorm and you hit Playa de Finestrat — a proper sandy cove backed by the Sierra Helada natural park. Quieter, cleaner, less infrastructure. Just south of that is Cala de Finestrat, a tiny rocky inlet where the water is extraordinary in May — clear, calm, warm enough. This is where I'd bring a couple wanting a romantic afternoon away from the crowds.
Bus line 10 from central Benidorm runs out here every 20 minutes. €1.45 single. No parking stress.
---
Terra Mítica and the Beach: Combining Both
If you're travelling with kids, a word about combining beach days with Benidorm's theme parks. Terra Mítica (the big one, Roman/Egyptian theme) is about 8 minutes inland by taxi. Aqualandia water park sits literally on the hill above Levante beach. Our experience: do the water park in the morning (opens 10am, gets busiest around noon), walk down to Levante for the last two hours of the afternoon. Kids are destroyed by 7pm in the best possible way and you've had a full day without needing a hire car.
---
Practical Benidorm Beach Info for 2026
Water temperatures by month: - May: ~20°C (pleasant, not cold) - June: ~22°C - July–August: 26–28°C (bathtub warm) - September: ~25°C (arguably the best month)
Beach facilities open year-round: Yes, both main beaches have year-round lifeguard coverage from around 10am–7pm in peak season.
Getting there: Benidorm is 50 minutes from Alicante Airport by road. The L1 TRAM line from Alicante runs to Benidorm and takes about 1h45 but is scenic and very cheap (around €7). If you're flying into Valencia, it's about 1h45 by car.
Nudist area: There's a nudist section at the northern end of Levante — well-established, signposted, and completely relaxed about it.
---
Where to Stay to Be Close to the Beaches
Here's the thing about Benidorm accommodation: the price difference between booking directly with a local holiday rental agency versus going through Airbnb or Booking.com is significant. Booking direct through JV Properties saves you up to 18% compared to those platforms — that's money that should be in your holiday budget, not paying someone's algorithm fees.
For Levante beach proximity, look for apartments in Rincón de Loix or along Avenida del Mediterráneo. For Poniente, the area around Playa de Poniente promenade itself is ideal — you can literally walk from your apartment to the sand in three minutes. We have holiday rental apartments in Benidorm available this May and summer 2026 — and because you're booking direct, what you see is what you pay.
---
One More Thing: The Peñón de Benidorm
I'd feel guilty writing a beach guide and not mentioning the island. The Peñón de Benidorm — that rocky outcrop you can see from both main beaches — is technically a nature reserve and home to about 600 yellow-legged gulls. Boat trips run from both beaches (roughly €9 return, 15 minutes each way) and you can swim off the rocks. The water around it is the clearest in the whole area. Worth doing at least once.
---
Benidorm gets a lot of unfair stick from people who've never actually spent time on its beaches. Yes, it's busy in August. Yes, there are English pubs serving full breakfasts at 8am. But underneath all that, there are two genuinely world-class beaches, a charming old town, water that rivals anywhere on the Mediterranean, and in May — right now — it's about as good as beach holidays get without the summer chaos.
Browse holiday rentals in Benidorm and book direct to save up to 18% versus Airbnb. Your beach days are waiting.
