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The Costa Blanca offers endless possiblities for underwater exploration, and several areas have been declared marine reserves, including the Cap de Sant Antoni near Xàbia (Jávea), the Isla de Benidorm, the Penyal d’Ifac (Peñon d’Ifach) and the Isla Tabarca. There are companies offering diving courses and trips in all the major resorts.

The mountainous inland regions are fantastic for adventure sports. You can try your hand at canyon-descent, bungee-jumping, canoeing, rafting, hang-gliding, quad-biking or off-roading.

The coastal cliffs and inland sierras are perfect for hiking and climbing. The Penyal d’Ifac and the Sierra de Bernia have several challenging climbing routes, and the Natural Parks, particularly the Sierra de Espuña, Font Roja (see Parc Natural de la Font Roja), Montgó (see Parc Natural del Montgó) and Calblanque, offer dozens of great hikes and walking trails.

Cycling is a very popular sport in Spain. Most of the resorts have bike-rental facilities if you simply want to cruise the region on two wheels, and the Natural Parks have several off-road trails for mountain-bikers.

With its year-round sunshine and mild temperatures, it’s hardly surprising that the Costa Blanca is one of the top golfing destinations in Europe. There are scores of courses, of which the best known is probably the luxurious La Manga Club, with three championship courses.

Most resorts have a marina offering everything from sailing courses to yacht charter and skipper hire. The biggest marinas are in Calp (Calpe), Benidorm, Alicante (Alacant), Torrevieja and Santiago de la Ribera.

The Costa Blanca region is a paradise for bird-watchers. The salt lagoons in Calp, Torrevieja, Santa Pola and Calblanque attract numerous aquatic birds, and the sierras, particularly the Regional Park of the Sierra Espuña, are home to eagles and other birds of prey.

Fishing is a long-standing obsession in Spain, but permits are often required for both freshwater and deep-sea fishing. Contact the tourist information offices or the Spanish Fishing Federation for full details. Taking an organized fishing holiday can sidestep the need for a permit, as the tour company will arrange these for you.

Windsurfing, surfing, water-skiing and jet-skiing are popular sports along the Costa Blanca, and you’ll find facilities for all of these in all the larger resorts.

There are horse-riding centres across the region, and most can organize anything from pony rides for kids to cross-country hacks. Tourist information offices have lists of local riding centres.