What is the Ocean Viewing Index (OVI) for Costa del Sol?

OVI is a 0-100 composite score combining sea color, water clarity, visibility, sea conditions, sunlight and water quality to help you decide if the sea is worth seeing today.

When is the best time to visit Costa del Sol for sea views?

Start with the current and 7-day OVI forecast for Costa del Sol, then choose a daylight period that also fits your plan. If you want tide pools, exposed shore, or a tide-dependent walk, check the local high and low tide times as well.

Should I use tide times or OVI for a visit to Costa del Sol?

Use tide times when your visit depends on water level, such as a sandbar, tide pool, or exposed rocks. Use OVI to compare likely sightseeing conditions including sea appearance, visibility, sea state, and lighting. For a coastal trip, read both together.

Costa del Sol Tides & Ocean Viewing Index

Andalusia, SpainEurope/Madrid

Ocean View Index

85Excellent

Next tide

—

Sunrise / Sunset

06:32 – 17:31

Local time

00:36

Malaga's Costa del Sol, the sun-drenched Andalusian resort coast, offers Mediterranean beaches in Picasso's birthplace.

Ocean Viewing Index

Updated · Oct 23, 2026 22:23

Reference time: local noon · 14:02 (Europe/Madrid)

Estimated

Excellent

Excellent viewing conditions. Highly recommended!

Sub-Index Breakdown

Six dimensions feed the overall Ocean Viewing Index.

Sea Color
Vivid turquoise / azure · hue
88.1
Clarity
Very clear (below 1.5 NTU) · NTU
100
Visibility
15+ m horizontal · m
100
Sea State
Calm, glassy (0-1) · Beaufort
100
Lighting
Low / harsh light · lux
36.7
Water Quality
index
—

Weather Forecast

7-day marine weather forecast from Open-Meteo model.

TodayOct 23

Overcast

26°17°

3.1 m/s

SatOct 24

Partly Cloudy

24°14°

2.0 m/s

SunOct 25

Overcast

29°13°

1.7 m/s

MonOct 26

Clear

24°13°

1.6 m/s

TueOct 27

Overcast

25°12°

1.6 m/s

WedOct 28

Overcast

23°13°

1.6 m/s

ThuOct 29

Overcast

24°16°

1.7 m/s

Visibility: 43 km·Cloud: 74%

48-Hour Hourly Forecast

Hour-by-hour marine weather for the next 48 hours.

Now17°2—

01:0018°2—

02:0018°2—

03:0018°2—

04:0018°2—

05:0018°2—

06:0017°2—

07:0018°3—

08:0019°3—

09:0021°3—

10:0023°5—

11:0025°5—

12:0026°5—

13:0025°5—

14:0025°4—

15:0026°4—

16:0026°4—

17:0025°3—

18:0023°3—

19:0022°3—

20:0021°3—

21:0020°3—

22:0020°3—

23:0019°3—

00:0019°2—

01:0018°2—

02:0017°2—

03:0016°2—

04:0015°2—

05:0015°2—

06:0015°2—

07:0014°2—

08:0016°1—

09:0020°1—

10:0022°0—

11:0024°3—

12:0024°4—

13:0024°4—

14:0024°3—

15:0023°3—

16:0022°2—

17:0022°1—

18:0020°1—

19:0019°1—

20:0017°2—

21:0017°2—

22:0016°2—

23:0016°2—

7-Day OVI Trend

Forecast ocean viewing conditions for the coming week.

Best on Sat: Viewing conditions are Excellent; aim for the golden hour just after sunrise or before sunset. Great for snorkeling and photography.

High & Low Tides Today

Times and heights of today's high and low water.

Mixed TideCoefficient: 77.6 / 120Higher coefficient means larger tide range; 120 is the largest spring, 20 the smallest neap.

Time	Type	Height
No tide extremes recorded today.

Fishing & Surf Forecast

Solunar feeding times and today's surf rating.

80Excellent0FlatView full forecast

48-Hour OVI Trend

Hour-by-hour ocean viewing outlook for the next 48 hours, dampened by rainfall.

Today's Tide Summary

A quick look at the day's high and low water.

Best Months to Visit

Average Ocean Viewing Index by month over the past year.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Based on historical climatology (Pitarch 2021)

Nearby Beaches

Other beaches closest to Costa del Sol.

170 km away

La Caleta Beach

Andalusia, Spain

352 km away

Praia da Marinha

Faro, Portugal

380 km away

Lagos Beach

Faro, Portugal

471 km away

Malvarrosa Beach

Valencia, Spain

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ocean Viewing Index (OVI) for Costa del Sol?: OVI is a 0-100 composite score combining sea color, water clarity, visibility, sea conditions, sunlight and water quality to help you decide if the sea is worth seeing today.
When is the best time to visit Costa del Sol for sea views?: Start with the current and 7-day OVI forecast for Costa del Sol, then choose a daylight period that also fits your plan. If you want tide pools, exposed shore, or a tide-dependent walk, check the local high and low tide times as well.
Should I use tide times or OVI for a visit to Costa del Sol?: Use tide times when your visit depends on water level, such as a sandbar, tide pool, or exposed rocks. Use OVI to compare likely sightseeing conditions including sea appearance, visibility, sea state, and lighting. For a coastal trip, read both together.

Essential Information

Coordinates: 36.7213°, -4.4214°
Timezone: Europe/Madrid
Region & Country: Andalusia, Spain

Data sources

Tides: UHSLC / FES2022b · Weather: NOAA GFS · Sea color: NASA MODIS/VIIRS