Spain · Cádiz
Playa el Carmen
Cádiz, Spain
On the beach
Right now
Live conditions from Open-Meteo, refreshed hourly.
7-day outlook
7-day marine forecast from Open-Meteo.
Sea temperature
Next 7 days, °C
Wave height
Next 7 days, metres
View as table
| Day | Sea temp (°C) | Wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 21.8 | 0.7 |
| Thu 3 | 21.3 | 0.8 |
| Fri 4 | 21.8 | 0.6 |
| Sat 5 | 22.2 | 0.9 |
| Sun 6 | 22.4 | 0.8 |
| Mon 7 | 23.4 | 0.5 |
| Tue 8 | 23.5 | 0.6 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Excellent2015
- 2016: Excellent2016
- 2017: Excellent2017
- 2018: Excellent2018
- 2019: Excellent2019
- 2020: Excellent2020
- 2021: Excellent2021
- 2022: Excellent2022
- 2023: Good2023
- 2024: Good2024
- 2025: Sufficient2025
Sufficient in the most recent season, and 10 of 11 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Excellent |
| 2016 | Excellent |
| 2017 | Excellent |
| 2018 | Excellent |
| 2019 | Excellent |
| 2020 | Excellent |
| 2021 | Excellent |
| 2022 | Excellent |
| 2023 | Good |
| 2024 | Good |
| 2025 | Sufficient |
Typical sea temperature by month
Modeled estimatePlausible seasonal climatology derived from latitude, for illustration — not a measured average.
Monthly sea temperature
Typical range across the year, °C
View as table
| Month | Typical sea temp (°C) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 17 |
| Feb | 16 |
| Mar | 17 |
| Apr | 19 |
| May | 21 |
| Jun | 23 |
| Jul | 25 |
| Aug | 25 |
| Sep | 25 |
| Oct | 23 |
| Nov | 21 |
| Dec | 19 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa Hierbabuena1.7 kmCádiz
- Playa Ca?os de Meca8.0 kmCádiz
- 8.6 km
- 11 km
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Plaza Inmaculada Concepción (Barbate), about ~630 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Barbate, about ~600 m away.
- 49 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Bakara, about ~20 m away.
- 5 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Hotel Playa del Carmen, about ~170 m away.
- 6 shops nearby, the closest about ~160 m away
What kind of beach is this?
This is a town beach, woven into the everyday fabric of a city or larger settlement — expect company on warm days, especially through July and August, alongside easy access to shops and services.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
- Families
- Water sports
Is the water clean at Playa el Carmen?
Playa el Carmen is a coastal bathing site with an official EU Bathing Water rating of Sufficient for the 2025 season — meets the minimum EU standard in the latest annual assessment. That annual classification comes from the EU Bathing Water Directive: national authorities test for two indicator bacteria, intestinal enterococci and E. coli, throughout the bathing season, then report the full-season results to the European Environment Agency (EEA) the following spring — the 2025 season's rating was published in spring 2026, and the 2026 season won't be rated until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, the national environmental authority — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. On site you'll find Lifeguard, Sandy shore, and Showers. There's parking about ~150 m from the beach.
Over the 11 classified seasons on record, 10 have come back Excellent or Good — a track record worth checking each year rather than assuming. The most reliable swimming window here typically runs from July–October, with the sea usually at its warmest around August. Outside that window the water is cooler and often quieter. Worth noting: the rating slipped from Good to Sufficient in 2025, so it's especially worth checking the latest local advisories. The nearest town, Barbate, is about ~600 m away.
That “Sufficient” label comes from a full season of official water sampling, not a single test — it's one step on a four-point scale (Excellent, Good, Sufficient, Poor) reassessed once a year. Today's actual conditions can differ from the seasonal average, so for a live snapshot see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. There are 49 places to eat within a kilometre — Bakara is the closest, about ~20 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is Playa el Carmen safe to swim in?
It passes, barely: Playa el Carmen's official 2025 classification is Sufficient, the minimum passing grade, so a quick check of posted advisories is worthwhile before you swim.
What temperature is the sea at Playa el Carmen right now?
Playa el Carmen's sea temperature currently sits at around 21°C, based on the latest update — check the “Right now” panel above for the full live picture. That's the reading right off Cádiz. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When is the best time to swim at Playa el Carmen?
For swimming, July–October is usually the best call — that's the modeled window when the sea here runs warmest. That applies to the water around Cádiz. Within that window, August is typically the single warmest month.
How is bathing water quality actually assessed?
Once a year, national authorities report a full season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli to the European Environment Agency, which grades the season Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor under the EU Bathing Water Directive. A handful of countries, including Croatia via IZOR, also publish individual in-season samples ahead of that report — Playa el Carmen doesn't have that feed set up yet.
Is there parking near Playa el Carmen?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Plaza Inmaculada Concepción (Barbate), about ~630 m away. The nearest town is Barbate, about ~600 m away.