Monastery Beach — Attraction in Monterey

🌊✨ Monastery Beach: A Wild Beauty Worth Respecting ✨🌊

Nestled along the rugged coastline of Carmel, Monastery Beach is a visual masterpiece 🎨where sapphire waves crash against golden sands and the breeze carries whispers from the sea 🌬️🌴. It’s the kind of place that makes you pause, breathe deep, and feel small in the best way possible 🌍💙.

🧘‍♂️ Peaceful? Absolutely. 📸 Photogenic? Like a supermodel at golden hour. 🐾 Dog-friendly? Yep just keep that leash handy! 🚫 Swimming? Not unless you’ve got a death wish 😬💀. The currents here are no joke locals call it “Mortuary Beach” for a reason. So admire the surf from a safe distance and let the pros handle the diving gear 🤿.

What makes it special: 🏞️ Views that stretch from Point Lobos to the horizon 🚶‍♂️ Trails nearby for a scenic stroll or reflective moment 📷 Perfect for moody landscape shots or dramatic selfies 🧺 Great spot for a quiet picnic with waves as your soundtrack 🎶

⚠️ Pro tip: Don’t let the calm surface fool you. This beach demands respect. No lifeguards, no second chances. Just beauty and danger in perfect balance ⚖️🌪️.

Final vibe? Monastery Beach is like nature’s cathedral solemn, stunning, and sacred. 🙏🌅 Come for the serenity, stay for the soul-stirring views… but leave the swimming to...

Let's not go to extremes. Reviews here seem to head either toward "great place, go dive/picnic/play" or "it's too dangerous, no one should go". Both have some truth. If you go to scuba dive, be prepared to watch the waves for a while and drive to another spot if you're not sure. There is always another day. The coarse "sand" will fall away under your feet as you exit, and more than one skilled diver will say that this is the one place where they are not embarrassed to crawl out if necessary, regulator in mouth. And yes, it's beautiful down there. Try either side, and watch your depth. This is one of the few places in the area where it gets deep really fast.

On the "too dangerous" side, yes the deaths are tragic, but the signs are pretty emphatic already. Maybe one or two more copies of the same sign would help, but gating it off seems extreme - and ugly.

Picnics? I'd suggest doing your sitting and eating pretty far from the water. If you are at the edge of the steep sand you'd be better off on your feet, facing the water (not with your back to it...

This was my first time going to see Monastery Beach and OMG, the view was amazing! We went there on a Saturday morning around 11 am to 12 noon and there wasn't too big of crowds there.

I never been to Hawaii but this is probably somewhat similar to what I think it would be like. I'm so glad we stopped by, to just look at the scenery. (UPDATE 12/8/22: have been to Hawaii and can confirm this place reminds me of thr beautiful ocean out there - definitely going to cone back out here for a photoshoot during summer)

I did see a few people sitting in the water, but I don't think I would recommend that 😅.

Anyways, I'm excited to visit...