Mana Mana Youth Hostel

Manà Manà Hostel is an adults-only base for divers who would rather spend their money on the coast than on a polished room they barely use. You stay in dormitory accommodation, with the practical bits covered: linen, lockers, a socket by the bed, a clothes rack and free WiFi throughout the hostel.

The atmosphere is built around shared spaces rather than formal hotel ceremony. You have a lounge, a shared kitchen, an outdoor seating area, a games room and a rooftop terrace, with communal dinners creating an easy way to meet other travellers. The staff speak Spanish, English and French, so you can deal with the basics in English without resorting to hand signals before breakfast.

Carrer de Sant Telm places you in the centre of Tossa de Mar, on Spain's Costa Brava, in a coastal town known for its medieval walls and castle. Platja Gran is about 300 metres away, while Platja d'es Codolar is also roughly 250 metres on foot. The sea is close enough to make a spontaneous swim entirely realistic, rather than a plan requiring military logistics.

Tossa de Mar Castle is around 300 metres away, and several places to eat are within a few hundred feet. You can reach Platja de la Mar Menuda in about half a mile, or walk farther to Cala Sot d'en Boada and Cala Bona. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is roughly 22 miles away by road; Barcelona El Prat is about 61 miles.

This is dormitory living, with bunk beds rather than private hotel rooms. You can choose between mixed and female-only dormitory arrangements, and between rooms with shared bathroom facilities and an option with its own bathroom. That makes the choice fairly straightforward: pick the setup that suits your travelling style, rather than expecting a quiet private suite with room for three dive bags and a drying rack.

Each room has linen, a hairdryer and a shower, while lockers give you somewhere to put the essentials and the bedside socket keeps your phone alive for the next day's alarm. A fan is available for warmer nights. Upper floors are reached by stairs only, so a heavy bag after a full day of diving is worth considering before you book.

The common areas matter here. You can retreat to the lounge, use the shared kitchen, or take your book outside to the terrace. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving, but the hostel's character is social and shared rather than hushed and hotel-like.

Breakfast is continental, with warm dishes, fresh pastries and juice, and it starts at 9am. The stated board formula is room only, while breakfast is included in the stay's offering, so check the exact arrangement attached to your chosen booking. There is also a shared kitchen when you want to handle food yourself rather than wait for a restaurant table.

The main evening focus is Terraza Mana Mana, the rooftop bar. The terrace opens from 9am to 11pm, with bar service from 6pm to 11pm, and communal dinners at 8.30pm. After a day underwater, that gives you somewhere to sit with a drink, eat with other guests and compare the day's adventures without having to leave the building in search of dinner.

A snack bar and a bar are also available, while Tossa's restaurants sit close by when you want something different. Bayleaf Indian Restaurant & Take Away is around 200 feet away on foot, with El Barril and La Cantina also roughly 300 feet away.

The rooftop terrace comes with city views, outdoor furniture and a solarium, which is about as complicated as post-dive relaxation needs to be. You can move from the lounge to the terrace, find a game in the games room, or simply sit down and allow your legs to remember that they belong to you.

For a more active afternoon, the hostel can arrange or offer bicycle hire, bike tours, hiking, canoeing and snorkelling. The nearby coast gives you beaches to explore, while the Camino de Ronda and routes around Tossa de Mar provide a change of scenery without requiring a full day away from the water.

You can also join local-culture activities, cooking classes, workshops and themed or communal dinner evenings. The social programme suits couples and solo divers who want some company after diving, but it remains easy to keep things simple: terrace, shower, food, bed.

Check-in runs from 3pm to 8pm, and you need to tell the hostel when you expect to arrive. Bring photo identification and the card used for the booking. Online check-in is available, and a reception box allows you to leave keys and padlocks for an early departure. Check-out is by noon.

The hostel is for adults, with a minimum check-in age of 18, and children cannot stay. Dormitory guests under 18 are not accepted either. Towels can be rented, and luggage storage is available if you need to leave your bags before settling in or after checking out. Laundry is available as well.

The accommodation is non-smoking throughout, with a designated smoking area, and upper floors are accessible by stairs only. Bicycle parking and bicycle hire are useful additions for a Costa Brava stay, while the tour desk can help shape the days when you are not diving. For airport access, you will need to arrange your own journey to Tossa de Mar.