Andalucía in Spain is one of the most popular places in the world for indulging in water sports. Its large and varied coastline, along with a number of other water bodies like lakes and natural reservoirs make it a perfect place for water activities like sailing, water-skiing, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving and wind surfing.

While Andalucia has built up a tradition for sailing quite fast, for a long time, the rich in Spain were more involved in in-land pursuits like riding and hunting, while sailing was left for the fishermen to find their daily bread. It has only been during the last twenty years that sailing as a sport and hobby has become popular in Spain, but the country has caught up extremely fast and is now one of the best equipped and popular sailing and docking spots in the world.

Spain is land locked with France and Portugal in the north and the west respectively, but this has still left the country with an enviable 836 kilometre of coastline bordering Andalucía. The country has the distinction of having both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean touch its shoreline.

The Mediterranean is one of the world's best playgrounds for sailors and others interested in water sports. Its calm, safe and warm waters provide an optimum environment for safe and comfortable sailing while its varied coastline, ranging from the natural harbours and coves found on the coast of Almeria to the flat beaches of Costa Del Sol is challenging enough for the most experienced of sailors. On the other hand, the Atlantic coast of Spain and the Strait of Gibraltar combine to give a complete sailing experience that is full of fun, frolic and adventure to all those who take to it in the hope of finding maritime joys.

The coastline of Andalucia is dotted with sailing and yacht clubs, marinas and a number of other clubs offering various water based activities. The massive influx of tourist and foreigners to Spain has been mostly responsible for the growth and development of water borne sports and activities in Spain. Today, the Andalucian coastline has more than thirty marinas, many of which have a docking capacity of more than a thousand vessels, and the best or the worst part is that, it is still hard to find docking space for your boat during the peak seasons in this area.

The majority of yachts and vessels docked in Andalucia belong to foreigners and you can see vessel registration marks from almost every country in the marinas in Andalucia. For those who do not have the means to buy a boat for themselves, numerous boating clubs along the coast will rent out a suitable vessel for any amount of time, ranging from the hour to the week. Those who do not want to venture out on the high seas can choose to row out with a canoe or a dinghy on in-land rivers.