The Laguna de La Mata sits at the northern edge of Torrevieja and reads as the quieter, more purely natural counterpart to the pink southern lake. Where Laguna de Torrevieja is actively harvested and vividly coloured, La Mata is greener and more conventionally lakeland in character — though still a hypersaline environment, and still home to the flamingos that are one of the twin lakes' signature attractions. The two lagoons together form the Parque Natural de las Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja, protected for the quality of their bird habitat and the unusual ecology of their hypersaline waters.
The La Mata circuit is the longer and more rewarding walk of the two: around 10 kilometres, running through dunes, scrubland, and along a coastal strip before looping back along the lake shore. The birdwatching is consistently good — flamingos are present year-round though numbers fluctuate, and the wetland habitat attracts stilts, avocets, herons, and waders in significant numbers, particularly on spring and autumn migration. The scrub around the lake also produces interesting passerines in spring. The path is well-marked and mostly flat; walking boots are useful but not essential in dry weather. Early morning is the best time for birds and for avoiding other walkers. The town of La Mata, a small settlement at the northern end of the lake, has a beach at one end of the circuit and a few cafes for a post-walk coffee.