Poniente is the longer and slightly quieter of Benidorm's two main beaches, running for 3 km along the western side of the bay toward the Sierra Helada natural park. It attracts a more mixed crowd than Levante, with more families and Spanish visitors and fewer of the British hen and stag parties that characterise the other side of town.
The beach is backed by a wide promenade. The western end, near where the beach meets the Sierra Helada headland, has the cleanest water and the least crowded sands. From the promenade you can watch the sun set over the mountains behind Benidorm — the view is at its best in winter when the air is clear and the crowds have gone home.