I guess it's a natural evolutionary thing. It's the wild west, followed by locals getting inconvenienced and irritated, followed by clearer regulation and restrictions, followed by some people taking chances, followed by stricter regulations...
Over tourism?
- Thread starter InvictaMoto
- Start date
We don’t wild camp but when we lived in Los Alcazares we had campers on the streets off the prom all winter. I was up and down most days on my bike and sailing. I’d never seen any UK vans, only German but mainly Dutch. An 86 year old Dutch couple told me they had spent October to March each year for past 26 years there in a handful of places parking on the streets. He got his water from the beach showers or taps and when I asked him what he did with his waste he showed me by lifting a man hole cover in the road at the edge of his van. In one place he said a local lady did his washing for them! Our houses were almost all empty anywhere near the prom as they were holiday homes got many Madridians or other Northern Europeans.
We’ve seen plenty wild camping on open land and car parks over the years we’ve been camping. Some at Motril in 2023 hooking in to the prom gardens watering systems to get fresh water and emptying their cassettes down the public prom toilets, and pinching the toilet rolls too!
I always thought the problems re moving them on was a jurisdiction issue with the local police not having the powers deferred to them and the Guardia not having the will to do it. I did hear the local authorities were going to team up with national government and address the issues nationally with legislation to prevent such issues, but I suspect that may not have happened, yet. Or I may be incorrect in my understanding.
The Dutch & Germans are, like us, limited to 90 days too, I’m pretty sure, without registering as residents but they don't do it. I have asked them on occasions how they get around it overwintering and they all just say they ignore it and no one checks. Perhaps this new registration system will change all that.
We’ve seen plenty wild camping on open land and car parks over the years we’ve been camping. Some at Motril in 2023 hooking in to the prom gardens watering systems to get fresh water and emptying their cassettes down the public prom toilets, and pinching the toilet rolls too!
I always thought the problems re moving them on was a jurisdiction issue with the local police not having the powers deferred to them and the Guardia not having the will to do it. I did hear the local authorities were going to team up with national government and address the issues nationally with legislation to prevent such issues, but I suspect that may not have happened, yet. Or I may be incorrect in my understanding.
The Dutch & Germans are, like us, limited to 90 days too, I’m pretty sure, without registering as residents but they don't do it. I have asked them on occasions how they get around it overwintering and they all just say they ignore it and no one checks. Perhaps this new registration system will change all that.
Not something I worry about much, but I think it's very much easier for Schengen citizens in each other's countries. They can leave for just one day to 'reset' things if they feel the need. There is no record of entry or departure so detection is more difficult. And there are almost no resources devoted to such detection - what would be the point?
bobandjanie
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We do enjoy it and spend 5 months mostly free parking, but it gets harder especially after everyone has upset the locals andI thought the whole idea about motorhoming was to enjoy it. Not complain about it
start tooting through the night. 
Bob.
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steps are not allowed .That is camping .if you have a step & need to lower it to get out that is immediately "camping" & illegal, you cannot put out a plastic step as that is the same.You can only exit the van through the cab doors,if you have any, or by jumping out from the hab door.Even leaving a pair of trainers/crocs/shoes outside is camping & illegal
because they can basically do nothing about it even if detected.
No it won't do anything.
Exactlyspain is one of the few countries that actually requires you to register after 89 days. If you do not then the only offence & fine, is for "failing to register" = 300€ nothing else.You cannot be asked to leave ,banned, deported ,nothing.
As said 89 days leave for 24 hours, clock resets , another 89 days in perpetuity.
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I am sure that UK residents would be mortified if all these foreign travellers came here en masse for several months.
Yes but nobody reads them.You do realise your journals are on the internet for all to see?
Northernraider
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I just put my step out , get out the van and then put it in again . I do that everywhere though .
Even the wildspot I was Parked at the last week here in Morocco my step is retracted when I'm in the van or away for a walk etc.
I'm in a simple carpark last night....steps in unless I'm physically using it to go out or in..
Nothing ever gets left outside unattended.
There are a few places I park where I'd sit outside on a chair, but a public street etc isn't one of them.
I think that's one of the problems in Spain is folk don't respect that difference between being parked and camped.
There's places more appropriate than others , and any smart camper should be aware where they can be a little more Liberal with the rules etc ...but sadly some don't care.
Absolutely disgraceful behaviour. The other side of it is might be the lack of campsite and aire space. The recent thread about the take over of Camping Javea made me think. As commercial campsites seem to be increasing the number of permanent statics there might be a need for expansion in the sector. Again using Javea as an example its extremely popular with only two campsites one is reducing the numbler of pitches, the area has loads of vacant misused and ugly free space so lots of opportunities for the development of a camper stop. Of course locals would have to be in agreement with this and i could well understand if locals objected.
Really not the locals decision but the departments that deal with planning consent...this takes time to establish.
To my knowledge Spain isn't under any obligation to provide parkings for motorhomes in the numbers that we are currently experiencing....a major cause may be the reduction in the numbers that would normally go to Portugal and Morocco.. therefore Spain gets more visitors....a number that is currently way too many..
Spain is very well geared up on hotel tourism...rooms are sold directly or via agencies..a controlled procedure.
What's not controlled is the number of motorhomes that cross into Spain with no pre -booked accommodation.
Schengen allows this..and everyone has the very same ideas. Let's get some Spanish sun...leave the winter behind
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There was a Dutch guy parked up in Javea on private waste land. Even during Covid.
He never moved, even putting cones up around him to stop people parking next to him.
God knows where his waste went .
He never moved, even putting cones up around him to stop people parking next to him.
God knows where his waste went .
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There is a shortage of building land in Javea.
Yes, it looks like there are plenty of plots, but there are not, another reason why some properties are selling at €4,000 per square metre .
But I agree that Javea would benefit from an Aire. I am not sure where, as motorhomers would want to be near the beach.
A lot of the land at the rear of the Arenal is private land. I don’t think many tourists would want to be too far away from town.
As far as I know, there are no plans to provide anything for motorhomes
A lot of people park up overnight on Calle Bruselas. The police , which have been reduced by quite some number over the years, don’t seem to mind.
There is the Service Aire not far away on Travessia De Les Cansilades, next to El Campo Restaurant .
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Probably the same place as the Danish truck parked up fo 8 days on the road behind the commercial centre, until yesterday. Not even toilets in most trucks
MichaelT
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So we stopped at the lighthouse at Cabo de Palis last night. About 20 vans there all parking plus a couple of cars. One car this morning engine running, music playing loudly assuming while they wash and have breakfast. Car drives off and leaves an outline of the car made of rubbish where they had eaten and just tossed it out of the window. Was going to pick it up so us motorhomers didn't get blamed but council man beat me to it.
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OP
OP
Just saw an Instagram post from a regular poster. On a free "Aire" with solar panels out. Camping behaviour?
Goes on to say there are loads of shops, bars and restaurants nearby but he doesn't use them. So not putting anything into the local economy?
Goes on to say there are loads of shops, bars and restaurants nearby but he doesn't use them. So not putting anything into the local economy?
Northernraider
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He doesn't have to .. I don't use the nearby shops bars or restaurants very often either.
Probably most of the locals also don't use them.
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