Camping La Manga, Murcia Spain, Anyone stayed there???

[Mr Plodd]

Doing a bit of forward planning/thinking.
Has anyone used Camping La Manga, in Murcia Spain??

We have friends that live near Murcia so are thinking about possibly doing a long stay March and/or April next year. Brittany Ferries do a long stay deal which offers good value as it includes a ferry both ways in the cost. Roughly £1400 for the ferry with car/caravan a cabin both ways and 28 nights on site.
So if anyone has stayed at La Manga I would appreciate your views and opinions of both the campsite, and the area as a whole.
Thanks

 

[Lutz]

I've never stayed at that campsite, but we've been there to have a look and weren't particularly impressed. However, that was only our opinion. With close on 1000 pitches, although just over 300 are for touring caravans, it's too big for our liking. Depending on where your pitch is you've got a long way to the beach and that, being on the Mar Menor which is badly contaminated with fertiliser, is not particularly clean.
The pitches themselves are relatively small and can be a bit tight if you've got a big caravan. I can't comment on the sanitary facilities.
The last few years we have been staying every autumn about an hour's drive further south in Aguilas. The site there, Bellavista, is by contrast really small, only about 70 pitches and that suits us best. It's right on the border between Murcia and Andalusia. Alternatively, I'd choose a site in or near Mazarron.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Thanks Lutz
Aguilas is just down the road from our friends at Peurto Lumbreras!!
Off to Mr Google to look thst site up now.

 

[Lutz]

If you'd like more information based on our experience of the Bellavista site (we've been there five times so far) just let me know.

 

[Mr Plodd]

If you'd like more information based on our experience of the Bellavista site (we've been there five times so far) just let me know.

That would be very kind (PM probably besf) If you have been there 5 times that says a lot.
Looking at their website I think it might be ideal. We ate at the white beachfront restaurant about 300m distant a couple of weeks ago with our friends from Puerto Lumbreras. Had I known about the campsite we woud have visited it ourselves!
We rather like Aguilas, not at all touristy!

 

[PTA]

That would be very kind (PM probably besf) If you have been there 5 times that says a lot.
Looking at their website I think it might be ideal. We ate at the white beachfront restaurant about 300m distant a couple of weeks ago with our friends from Puerto Lumbreras. Had I known about the campsite we woud have visited it ourselves!
We rather like Aguilas, not at all touristy!

If going for Bella Vista get in quick! it books up very rapidly..................and, sshh, don't tell too many people about it!

 

[Gafferbill]

......... booking Spanish southern costal campsites is now essential I have found.
Gone are the days pre Covid of arriving at a campsite without a booking and usually finding space.
Recently was in Andalusia, end ofJan- early March.....all the costal sites fully booked!
Europeans have been buying motorhomes since Covid like they were as cheap as chips.
Heading south for the sun in them is now far more popular.
I was talking to a German couple on a campsite near Valencia who told me Germans have been buying 60000 motorhomes/ caravans a year since Covid.....

 

[Mr Plodd]

If going for Bella Vista get in quick! it books up very rapidly..................and, sshh, don't tell too many people about it!

Thanks, but I am looking at March/April next year, so I think it safe to wait a little longer before finalising our plans.

Still weighing up taking an apartment (which we have done in previous years) rather than taking the caravan. 28 nights on campsite is about £625 (plus any additional metered electricity costs) cheapest return ferry with caravan and cabins, about £1400, additional fuel from port to site (25mpg) and back double the solo fuel cost, so over £2k at least
With an apartment including ferry both ways with Brittany Ferries being £2k - £2.5k its a lot closer than you might originally think, especially when bearing in mind the extra space afforded by an apartment (very handy if the weather bites) and the extra facilities in an apartment (washing machine etc) and electricity being included.
(All the above based on this year's prices)
So a lot to think about before coming to a definitive decision.

 

[Lutz]

We paid €730 including extra electricity for 48 nights on Bellavista last September/October, but I see from their website that prices have gone up substantially this year. That and the fact that the campsite is closed all July and August (which they've never done before) suggests that they've got plans for some major improvements to be carried out.

We've never booked in advance, but I guess September/October is something different to March.

 

[Buckman]

Thanks, but I am looking at March/April next year, so I think it safe to wait a little longer before finalising our plans.

Still weighing up taking an apartment (which we have done in previous years) rather than taking the caravan. 28 nights on campsite is about £625 (plus any additional metered electricity costs) cheapest return ferry with caravan and cabins, about £1400, additional fuel from port to site (25mpg) and back double the solo fuel cost, so over £2k at least
With an apartment including ferry both ways with Brittany Ferries being £2k - £2.5k its a lot closer than you might originally think, especially when bearing in mind the extra space afforded by an apartment (very handy if the weather bites) and the extra facilities in an apartment (washing machine etc) and electricity being included.
(All the above based on this year's prices)
So a lot to think about before coming to a definitive decision.

We have thought of doing similar, but our concern has always being staying en-route as we will have two dogs with us.

 

[Mr Plodd]

We have thought of doing similar, but our concern has always being staying en-route as we will have two dogs with us.

A major reason we dont have any pets, they are far more of a hinderance than children.,

However............
If you time your ferry arrival for early morning it's possible to make the south coast in one (very long) day. We have friends who live near Aguilas, they reckon it takes them about 11-12 hours to do the 600 miles (both drive and they don't have dogs) That's not something I would be prepared to contemplate even without dogs to worry about.

 

[PTA]

Thanks, but I am looking at March/April next year, so I think it safe to wait a little longer before finalising our plans.

Still weighing up taking an apartment (which we have done in previous years) rather than taking the caravan. 28 nights on campsite is about £625 (plus any additional metered electricity costs) cheapest return ferry with caravan and cabins, about £1400, additional fuel from port to site (25mpg) and back double the solo fuel cost, so over £2k at least
With an apartment including ferry both ways with Brittany Ferries being £2k - £2.5k its a lot closer than you might originally think, especially when bearing in mind the extra space afforded by an apartment (very handy if the weather bites) and the extra facilities in an apartment (washing machine etc) and electricity being included.
(All the above based on this year's prices)
So a lot to think about before coming to a definitive decision.

Yes. Very true. In your shoes I would take the apartment option.
The only reason we take the caravan is because we spend 85 (ish) days, in total, in Portugal and then Spain.. That, for us, is undoubtedly cheaper than the apartment(s) option.

 

[Lutz]

That's not something I would be prepared to contemplate even without dogs to worry about.

I wouldn’t either, and certainly not towing the caravan. We took three days coming down from Santander to be reasonably comfortable.

We also toyed with the idea of renting an apartment instead of taking the caravan, but discarded it when we saw how isolated one can feel in an otherwise almost empty building or environment during the off season when quite a lot of local restaurants etc. are closed, too. It was almost eerie, especially after dark. It would be OK perhaps for a couple of days to get away from it all but not for a couple of months.
On a campsite one always has the opportunity to have a chat with someone if one wants, and we’d miss that.

 

[Mr Plodd]

I wouldn’t either, and certainly not towing the caravan. We took three days coming down from Santander to be reasonably comfortable.

We also toyed with the idea of renting an apartment instead of taking the caravan, but discarded it when we saw how isolated one can feel in an otherwise almost empty building or environment during the off season when quite a lot of local restaurants etc. are closed, too. It was almost eerie, especially after dark. It would be OK perhaps for a couple of days to get away from it all but not for a couple of months.
On a campsite one always has the opportunity to have a chat with someone if one wants, and we’d miss that.

Having "done" a apartments in March and April just about everything was open, but I can understand your concerns if in December or January. Having said that if you pick a fairly large town then I would imagine most places would be open, or at least a fair number.

 

[Lutz]

Having "done" a apartments in March and April just about everything was open, but I can understand your concerns if in December or January. Having said that if you pick a fairly large town then I would imagine most places would be open, or at least a fair number.

I would agree with you if it wasn't Aguilas but a larger town. However, the southern Murcia region isn't exactly touristy and even up the road in Mazarron, which is bigger, the place is a lot quieter in October/November, when we are there.
Whenever we go down town after dark there's hardly a light on anywhere in the holiday apartment buildings, but there’s always something going on on the campsite.

 

[PTA]

Some nice apartments in La Duquesa.

 

[Lutz]

Some nice apartments in La Duquesa.

Maybe, but that's miles away in a completely different part of the country. We just like it in the Murcia region because it's a bit off the beaten track but still directly on the Med.

 

[Mr Plodd]

I would agree with you if it wasn't Aguilas but a larger town. However, the southern Murcia region isn't exactly touristy and even up the road in Mazarron, which is bigger, the place is a lot quieter in October/November, when we are there.

I am looking at March April, and probably the area of Calpe where we have stayed previously.

 

[Lutz]

I am looking at March April, and probably the area of Calpe where we have stayed previously.

Yes, there’s undoubtedly more going on in the Calpe region, but of course it’s quite a way from there to your friends in Puerto Lumbreras. I‘ve only ever passed through Calpe on my way south so I can’t make much of a comment, but as you say, you’ve been there before so you already have a good idea what to expect there. Aguilas is more of a retreat, although Mojacar is not that far away and that's busier.