Estero de Jaltepeque is the mangrove-backed waterway behind Costa del Sol. Boat trips enter a slower landscape of channels, birds, fishing skiffs, and small communities that feels a long way from the beachfront restaurants.
This is the excursion to choose if the beach feels too developed. Go with a local operator and ask about tides; low water changes what can be reached, and the midday sun can be punishing.