Residents complain of illegal campers at Costa del Sol beauty spot
Locals say that people have been returning to the Barranco de Maro cove for several summers and claim that they rent out kayaks without authorisation and sell drinks, tobacco and drugs to beachgoers
Eugenio Cabezas
Nerja
Tuesday, 2 September 2025, 10:33
Local residents living in Maro on the eastern Costa del Sol have complained a group of people who have been camping illegally the Barranco d Maro area and say that they "sell drinks, tobacco and rent out kayaks without authorisation".
The Barranco de Maro cove is accessible via a 400-metre-long footpath from the nearest point where vehicles can be left next to the Águila Aqueduct, or by boat. The small enclave, which is just 30 metres long and five metres wide, has become 'home' to a group of people for several years now, during much of the summer season.
This has been reported to SUR by several people who use the beach and who say that the group "camp in tents and sell cold drinks, tobacco and drugs" to people in the area. According to witnesses SUR has spoken to who prefer to remain anonymous, these people "rent out kayaks without any kind of permit or authorisation" to beachgoers.
"It's a growing safety issue, they leave rubbish in the area, it's completely illegal and it leaves a terrible image to this beautiful environment. We are afraid to take our young children to this cove, which is very important to us," said one of the complainants.
The they have reported the problem to Nerja town hall, the Local Police and the Guardia Civil and say it has been going on "for at least three years" and that they do "absolutely nothing about it".
The complainant went on to say that "as it is a beach that is very difficult to access, only reachable on foot or by boat, it seems that no one cares about what is happening, but it is very serious". The same person said that on some days almost a hundred people gather in this small cove. "They park 20 or 30 cars at the top and walk down," they added.
Municipal sources have told SUR that complaints about the waste have been dealt with and that it is removed, with "daily monitoring" to prevent the situation from recurring. With regard to safety in the Barranco de Maro cove, the sources consulted say that, as on previous occasions in different parts of the natural area, "steps are being taken with the competent authorities" to take action on these illegal campsites.
