Heading east along the coast, the closest resort with any appeal is the modest EL CABO DE GATA , where there is a lovely expanse of coarse sand. Five buses a day run between here and Almería, making an intermediate stop at Retamar, a retirement/holiday development. Arriving at El Cabo, you pass a lake, the Laguna de Rosa , protected by a conservation society and home to flamingos and other waders throughout the summer. Around the resort are plentiful bars, cafés and shops, plus a fish market. Accommodation is limited and in high season often impossible to find; the two hostales above the bars Playa and Mediterraneo ( Tel 950 371 137 ) on the beach are both quite expensive for basic accommodation. The new Hostal Las Dunas , Calle Barrionnuevo 58 ( Tel 950 370 072; ( Euros36-48 ), set back from the beach, is an even pricier option for en-suite rooms. Nearby there's a campsite, Cabo de Gata ( Tel 950 160 ) with its own pool and restaurant. The beach gets windy in the afternoons, and it's a deceptively long walk eastwards to the Las Salinas ( The Salt Pans ) for a bar and café.
Beyond lies SAN JOSE , also reached by bus from Almería. This is an established and popular resort, set back from a sandy beach in a small cove, with shallow water, and fine beaches within walking distance. Accommodation , however, can be hard to come by in summer. Casa de Huéspedes Costa Rica , on the main road a little way out, is one of the most inexpensive and also serves a reasonable menú . Hostal Bahia , Calle Correos 5 , is a comfortable modern hostal in the centre, and the more upmarket Hotel Las Gaviotas on the way into the village has decent en-suite rooms. You'll also find a good campsite , Camping Tau , close to the beach. There are again numerous excellent bars, restaurants and cafés, and a well-stocked supermarket.
Next along the coast is LOS ESCULLOS , with a reasonable beach and a pleasant, if slightly overpriced, beachfront hotel-restaurant, Casa Emilio . Two kilometres further east, LA ISLETA is another fishing town, with a sleepy atmosphere, a sandy beach and a hostal overlooking the harbour.
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