Tabarca Kicks Off Season with Queues at Kontiki

Warm May temperatures have caused the first queues at Kontiki for trips to Tabarca Island. Tourists and locals take advantage of weekdays to escape the crowds that fill the beaches on weekends or during the summer months.

Laura, waiting in line with her grandmother to buy tickets, is one such visitor. They travel with a seniors' association from El Campello and prefer these dates due to the smaller crowds.

Lola, 75, and her friends also seek tranquillity, queuing with their shopping trolley, ready for a day at the beach. "There are fewer people now, the water is refreshing, and we prefer these dates when it's quieter," admits this Alicante resident.

Others, like Elisa, an Italian tourist, discovered Tabarca through social media and decided to visit its beaches and walled town.

While a hundred people wait at Paseo de los Mártires to board the Kontiki, restaurateurs face the start of the high season with mixed feelings. Although visitors have begun to arrive, the island is still operating at half capacity: the beach lacks a lifeguard—the service starts on June 15—sunbeds have not been installed, and the sand and walkways have not received proper maintenance, they say.

For Mar Valera, from El Caldero restaurant and president of APEHA, "there is incredible neglect of the island." This restaurateur insists that during this season, school excursions begin, and the beach lacks a lifeguard service, despite years of demanding an earlier start date. "If a tragedy occurs, we'll see," she states.

Among the restaurateurs' criticisms are also issues like the change in tourism model, which they believe has led to overcrowding in recent years. "Only burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches are sold, and our gastronomy and culture will be lost. In my restaurant, weeks can pass before someone orders a caldero," she explains.

The sector reports that despite the good weather during the past Easter, the figures are not encouraging: sales have fallen compared to previous years. The lack of services—combined with overcrowding—also discourages visitors from staying for meals or exploring the island in depth.

"The only concern is restricting passage, but not fixing the beach or the wall. One day, the left side of the beach will collapse," Valera points out. The merchant has not hesitated to highlight the island's heritage, although she criticises that landmarks like the church, the vaults, the lighthouse, or the barracks remain closed. "Tabarca is forgotten in winter and only remembered in summer. Opening these spaces would help de-seasonalise tourism," she concludes.