A Spanish council has warned that those who swim on the local beaches in the area when red warning flags are up could be charged as much as £1,250.
Tourists and local bathers who ignore the red flags flying on Fuengirola’s beaches could be slapped with a fine of between €750 and £1,500 in the future.
The red flags are put up to protect swimmers from dangerous conditions and swimming in the water when they’re up can put you at a huge risk.
The town hall in Fuengirola plans to update the regulations and introduce a financial penalty to deter people from swimming when they’re not meant to. Some sports such as surfing will be excluded from the safety measure.
The local council also wants to extend the official bathing season to Easter and the weekends before summer.
There are already many rules in place on the beaches, which are extremely popular during summertime. Many of the beaches have a no-smoking rule, and anyone who ignores this could incur a €30 fine. There are also some swimming pools where smoking is not allowed.
It is also prohibited to wear inappropriate clothing around town, which includes beach wear such as bikinis and trunks, and men are not allowed to be bare-chested. The fine for breaching this rule is €150.
Visitors are also not allowed to use shampoo in the sea or the beach showers, and if caught doing so they could face a €750 fine.
It is important to check the local rules and regulations when visiting any foreign country to avoid getting in trouble with the local authorities.
Elsewhere in Benidorm, visitors are banned from swimming in the sea between midnight and 7 am. Failure to comply with this rule could result in a hefty £641 to £1,026 fine. It is also prohibited to sleep or camp on the beach during these hours.