As its own name indicates, this comarca extends over the western coast of the autonomous community, from its border with Asturias by the mouth of the Deva River, to the Saja-Besaya mouth in Suances, although this limits may vary depending on the source, since this comarca, as the rest of Cantabria's, is not regulated, but there are common characteristic elements in the municipalities that belong to it.
This zone has great tourism assets like beaches, nature, gastronomy and culture. Santillana del Mar, Comillas, Suances and San Vicente de la Barquera are the municipalities of greater renown, both in the comarca and in Cantabria, so they are the main destinations for tourists.
Three of the longest rivers of Cantabria flow into the Western coast: The Deva, the Nansa and the Saja-Besaya. In addition to the numerous beaches, the Oyambre Natural Park and Mount Corona stand out as natural attractions.
The Cantabrian West is a mainly touristic comarca, that opposed to the East, it had remained safe from the massive house buildings because of the lateness of the construction of the Cantabrian Motorway, completed in the early 2000s