best metal detecting beaches outside the USA

spanishgold1

Jr. Member
Mar 3, 2011
33
21
Utah
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I am trying get other peoples experiences on what beaches outside the USA they have found to be good for detecting while on a metal detecting vacation. Im wanting to plan my winter vacation time. Also to add in the mix what beaches outside the USA are the best possibility of finding Spanish Coins with ones luck and hard work. These areas would be my first choice for my metal detecting vacation.

Out here in the west in the desert where I live not to many beaches, but plenty of sagebrush. I would like to plan my trip well to get away.
 

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Mr.T

Hero Member
Sep 10, 2010
661
292
France
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ACE 250,
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Go to France or Germany - in the countryside near a forest and a river.. Trip of a lifetime if you planned it right. Research- Google earth- get advice-Good luck!
 

CASPER-2

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Jan 3, 2012
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NEW ENGLAND
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Go to a beach in Spain.

but let it be known - though some have gotten away with TH'ing in Spain - it supposedly is against the law
some will allow it because they need the tourist dollars - others may not
 

Acquisitor

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2011
302
126
but let it be known - though some have gotten away with TH'ing in Spain - it supposedly is against the law
some will allow it because they need the tourist dollars - others may not

last summer I was detecting by night in Spain, deep in the sea, and the cops saw me, so they came to the beach and shined to me with a very powerful and annoying lamp which literally hurt my eyes

I exited the water, they checked my ID card, the finds (gold was hidden in a special pocket), they saw some coins, some trash and left. They also asked me to throw the trash into a trash bin.

I have detected all over spain and have never had a problem.
 

Mr.T

Hero Member
Sep 10, 2010
661
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France
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Spains cool - PORTUGAL is not-be warned!
 

MikeDahms

Jr. Member
Jun 25, 2008
59
0
Jacksonville, NC
Years ago(20+yrs) I worked two beaches in Okinawa. My problem there was they require a license to use a dive mask. Because most of my water detecting was done in Hawaii I used a make to recover my finds. The water in Okinawa is nearly as clear(at those beaches) and I used a dive mask no scoop. Well I got tossed off the beaches by the life guards who would just point at the dive mask and make the Japanse sign for no(arms crossed in front of the body).

The few minutes I did work it was productive with coins and a couple of rings. Mike
 

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spanishgold1

spanishgold1

Jr. Member
Mar 3, 2011
33
21
Utah
Detector(s) used
Pulse Star 2 Pro, Fisher CZ-21, Whites duel field, MineLab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
Other
ahh Spain or the Mediterranean has been on my radar. France or Germany I have always knew I would dig up some WWII live un exploded device. I don t know how likely. I have water hunted in the Dominican Republic and Colombia on vacation in the past. I had hit Peru a lot but not beach hunting but in the mountains and struck out with not much success. Beautiful huge mountains their and locals always following and watching you. Its hard to have fun when your always watching over your shoulder.

Some locals in the Dominican Republic seem to kick butt metal detecting and not to much success but junk in Colombia. Its good to hear other peoples experience good and bad as well as an ideal of the laws. I just assumed that in Spain it was ok on the beach. The island of Bermuida look promising as well but tang expensive from what I have read. I looked at Casper-2 finds on the net. He is one dedicated guy that looks like he is having fun at this great hobby.
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,159
19,963
NEW ENGLAND
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Spains cool - PORTUGAL is not-be warned!
I almost got arrested in Portugal for water hunting -- Ive seen some guys that have gotten away with it = be warned
Im in their data base and will be arrested if I try again - I managed to get my machine back and get out of the $500 fine
guys hitting historical spots yrs ago - ruined it for all
 

Tom_in_CA

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Mar 23, 2007
13,837
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Salinas, CA
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but let it be known - though some have gotten away with TH'ing in Spain - it supposedly is against the law .....

Casper, perhaps you are referring to sources like this? :

Law

But you have to take-into-account, how such resource lists got made/started/assembled IN THE FIRST PLACE. Someone (bless their little hearts) went country by country asking. I mean, doh, who better to ask, than the countries themselves, right? And you "can't be too safe", right? And it "doesn't hurt to ask", right? But when such questions get posed to border consulate lawyer bureuacrat types, it gets sent up-the-chain for review. So archies will no doubt chime in with their take on this "pressing question". And the answer comes back down the line couched in things like shipwreck salvor laws, or things about cultural heritage/historic stuff, blah blah blah. So you'll notice that nearly all the "dire sounding" countries on that list, never actually *specifically* say "no metal detecting". It's usually just someone's morphed opinion of ancillary wording to your "pressing question".

So it gets put into print, on a wonderful link like this. And then 20 years later, it's just taken as gospel fact that "such & such country is off-limits". Meanwhile, as you can see from others posts here, it's not really an issue, so long as you're not snooping around obvious historic monuments.

There was a British hunter who posted, years ago, 15 or 20 gold rings he'd gotten on his vacation trip to a beach resort in Spain. After a few "atteboys", others, like your post Casper, came on to reprimand him for breaking the law. The poster however responded by saying that before he'd started, he'd checked in at the little village's police dept, and with the lifeguards, and everyone just shrugged their shoulders, and no one cared. (it was as if they were wondering why he was even asking). And so he went out every day, in broad daylight, and no one cared.

But sure, the quickest way to bring an end to this, would be to go to the highest levels of Spain's government, "seeking clarification". And then sure, I'm sure you'll find someone, like in that link, to say "no you can't".
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
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Spanish-gold, I have heard that hunters in Japan are doing well on their beaches. Because the Japanese are fond of 24k gold. Also they have coins in denominations of $1, $5, and $10 if I'm not mistaken. And carry them just as frequently as we carry quarters, for instance. So that means your clad count would accumulate quick quickly, even if you're not finding gold rings, doh. And the hobby has not taken off in Japan. It's simply not in their culture. To those few who are doing it there, report odd-stares from passerbys, as if they think this is an utter waste of time. I have seen this reaction of Japanse tourists here in CA, who cautiously approach me on the beach to ask what I'm doing . And when you tell them, they still can't understand why someone would do such a thing. When you tell them "for fun...", they look at you like your from outer space, haha

But just wait, I'm sure someone will come on saying that "detecting is illegal in Japan". And, heck, maybe even find some minutia to back it up. So too if you asked enough archies or desk-bound-bureaucrats here in the USA, would you probably be precluded from sandboxes or anywhere as well.
 

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gunsil

Silver Member
Dec 27, 2012
3,863
6,204
lower hudson valley, N.Y.
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I'd go wherever Hamid is, he seems to find more gold than anybody else here. Haven't seen any posts from him for months though.
 

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spanishgold1

spanishgold1

Jr. Member
Mar 3, 2011
33
21
Utah
Detector(s) used
Pulse Star 2 Pro, Fisher CZ-21, Whites duel field, MineLab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
Other
Tom in CA I think I would rather be eaten by the sharks in Florida than be there. LOL..... That is nuts!!!!!!!!!!!
crowded_beach east.jpg
 

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