Marina:
The marina is well presented and clean, and offers good protection from all directions of wind.
A new anti-swell door has been installed which helps with the previous problem of swell from both the wind and commercial shipping/ferry movement. That said, there is still movement in the marina and shock absorbers on lines will help make mooring here more comforatable.
Mooring is on floating pontoons.
The marina is well-placed for visitors; located on the doorstep of La Palma’s historic capital and only 10 minutes from the international airport. It has a chandlery and a good mix of shops and bars/restaurants.
Staff and locals are reported to be very friendly and will go out of their way to help visitors to their island.
See Related User Comments for feedback from cruisers who have been here.
Last updated: November 2022
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We finally arrived at S/C La Palma. The sail in is easy, although in the charts are marked one red light, which in fact is the green light giving entrance. However, carefully we made the approach and got in perfectly. The Marina is very nice, very clean. We got a space among more than 30 French Regatta boats, who left after a few days.
I booked for 40 days something like 380 Euroas 9.25 Meter, no comnplaint at all. It is very comfortable, just outside a Mc Donald for artifficial food and a little further a Hyperdino, which has outstanding Spanish Tortilla, comfortable 8 Liter Water bottles and all you need on board.
For sightseeing to the interested cruisers! Just outside the Marina is the Bus station from which the buses depart, all around the Island. If you jump on the 100 and go to the last station, Barlovento, you reach the 120, which goes all along the northern coast into Puntagorda. There you change the Bus to the 110 and go into Los Llanos. In Los Llanos you can decide, if you want to continue south with the 210 and finally you change to the 201 to return to S/C La Palma. Or, you change in Los Llanos to the 300 and go back across the Island to S/C La Palma. All Bustour ends just outside the Marina.
If shoppers want to do their shoppings and not spend Cab Money! Outside the Marina you take the Bus N° 300 and go to the station LIDL. There you walk over to Lidl or Mercadona. Both are BIG supermarkets and you´ll find everything you need. And for the lazy Ones, if ordering at Hyperdino, you get delivery service to the boat.
Often it is mentioned the rocking of the boat inside this Marina. Of course there is. The Marina is well sheltered, on the calm side of the waves. This creates water moevement in the Bay, combined with the traffic from the Ferry and Cruising boats. The gate installed against the swells works and if you use on one of your lines a shock absorber, the movement gets easy.
Even though I have a nervious boat, I let the lines pretty loose, so the boat can “balance” by itself. S/C to us is a delight. We met some local people and they are “outstanding” friendly and bring every once in a while some typical stuff to the boat, drive us to “beaches” and up to the volcano. They are very proud about their island and show this with outstanding hospitality… In 5 weeks we will depart to Grenada in one stretch…
Spent 2 weeks there in November 2018. Occasionally we had really heavy swell. As we have a catamaran it was still somehow manageable, but the monos had a heavy dancing party. I could not find out if they had problems with the swell gate as I received different replies from the marineros.
Despite this, the marina is really nice. Very clean toilets and showers (cleaned and looked after multiple times a day). Staff is extraordinarily friendly and helpful. The city is around the corner. If only the swell problem would be solved!
Spent 10 days in September 2018 in S/C de la Palma and paid about €140 for a <10m boat. The staff is exceptionally nice, the new swell gate works fine. Unfortunately, all of the marina shops and bars are permanently closed, but the city centre is just a 5 min walk away.
The pontoons are in very good condition and there were a lot of free berths. The only downside is the noise of the commercial harbour (already mentioned by @thib119).
On the bulletin board was a notice that the anti-swell door mentioned by Bolle and above started to function from 19th of July. The staff confirmed this at my arrival at the 21st.
Next, to the door are traffic lights regulating entrance and exit. From August onward, the opening of the door will be possible for 24 hours. Until then there will be a break between 00.00 and 04.00.
I spent 9 days here and I paid 110 euros for a 10m yacht, nice staff, clean showers, fast wifi. The ban on hanging laundry to dry on the boat is not enforced, but still, it is best not to abuse it. The marina is well situated, within walking distance of the historical centre, supermarkets and the bus station from where to explore the island. No facilities for parts or repairs.
It is mandatory to call Port Control on channel 6 to request permission to enter and to leave. The swell was not much of a problem when I was there, but this marina has no protection from the south-east. The pier that separates the marina from the commercial port is also used by the Fred Olsen ferry, every time the ferry docks a small wake runs through the marina, enough to wake you up. Noise from the ferries and the trucks on the cargo side of the port can be a problem for the light sleeper.
The entrance of the Marina is next to the ferry docks at the end of the harbour, not that easy to see, but it is there.
The showers, entrance to the Club Nautica pool, staff and place next to the city are very good but we would not recommend this marina to stay. We have been there for a week and the swell was terrible in the harbour also on quiet not so windy days. Also the ferries make a lot of noise during the night on weekdays. Because there are almost no visitors in the harbour the nice restaurants ad café’s at looking out over the harbour are all closed.
The price is very reasonable about €16,- for an 11 m boat. They are planning to build a door in the entrance and the staff hopes that it will be installed in 2017. I do hope so for the marina and the cruisers.
The approach is easy with no off-lying hazards. You need to call La Palma Port Control on VHF channel 6 when two miles out for permission to enter. You need to do the same before leaving as well. Hold to the western side of the harbour near the string of red buoys rather than tight to the breakwater as there are many ferry and cruise ship movements as well as cargo ships.
Entrance to the marina can be difficult to find though it is easy at night as both sides are lit.
Marina wifi is excellent as are showers. One washing machine and dryer. For some reason, there is a ban on hanging laundry out to dry on the boat.