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| SPOTLIGHT | | Tropical
beaches and jungle, Wildlife, natural heritage and sun-kissed islands. |
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| To the east of Cala Jondal and reached by unsurfaced
road, with a sign to Restaurant Sa Caleta. Absolutely beautiful sandy beach with
very shallow water, making it ideal for families and younger children. Very popular
with the locals at the weekend, it can get very full.
The beach itself
was made by cutting through the rocks a few years ago, making for some stunning,
rugged coastline
Activities: Relaxation
Size: 100 metres long,
10 metres wide.
Reached only by car, on the road from Ibiza Town, past
the airport towards Cala Jondal.
In between the airport and Cala Jondal,
this beach is found by following the road from the airport towards San José.
After 1 kilometer there is a left turning signposted Cala Jondal, follow this
road for about 4 kilometers to the signposted left turning. The beach is apparently
called 'Playa Es Bol Nou', but the only signposts refer to it as 'Sa Caleta' which
is actually the name of the beach restaurant.
The beach is a natural
stretch of fine sand about 100 metres long sloping gently down to the shallow
sea which makes it particularly popular with the locals. Those with young children
choose it as it is well protected from the wind by cliffs which wrap around both
sides to meet the horizon and is shallow enough for the kids to swim safely.
The restaurant 'Sa Caleta' specialises in fish - of the 73 dishes on offer,
almost a dozen do not include fish! It is open all year round for lunch till 5
pm and busy with locals.
Our third tour takes us from Ibiza Town to
the 'mountain' village of San Jose taking in some of the island's finest beaches,
spectacular views, and of course, just the odd bar or restaurant to stop off for
refreshments.
San Jose is the largest of the five municipalities on Ibiza
and the one with the most beaches and coves along its 80-km of coastline, so allow
plenty of time for relaxing breaks along the way.
On your trip, look
out for the pink signs which point the way to important historic monuments and
the camera signs which highlight sites with spectacular views.
Ibiza
- Es Cavallet/Las Salinas
Hit the airport road out of Ibiza Town
and within a few minutes you've left the noise and traffic of the big city far
behind. Just after the village of San Jordi turn left at the roundabout by the
hippodrome pony trotting track in direction of the salt pans , which can already
be seen. You'll find two of the island's coolest beaches here. Turn left before
the small bridge to the beach of Es Cavallet, which is famous for being a nudist,
and at the end, ever so gay beach.
If you go straight over the bridge,
you reach the beach of Las Salinas, which has more than its fair share of holidaying
footballers and celebs on duty throughout the summer. With safe, crystalline waters
and a phalanx of trendy bars it's no wonder that they're so popular.
If the beach isn't your scene then fear not, because this area is full of alternative
pastimes. It's a natural park, an important stopover for migrating birds, and
flocks of flamingoes can be seen in the salt pans. It's historically important,
with the production of salt still carried out much as it was 2000 years ago. In
addition there are two fascinating churches, built in the 1780's for the salt
workers, and the defence tower of Ses Portes, which controlled the sea-lanes with
the aid of three giant canons.
Las Salinas - Cala Jondal
Doubling back from the beaches we take the coast road after the airport to take
a look at how Ibiza's first tourists lived at the remains of their first seaside
settlement at Sa Caleta (at the beach Bol Nou. turn left before the slope down
to the beach), a World Heritage site. The small beach of es Bol Nou, surrounded
by rich red cliffs, is just round the corner for those in search of tranquility.
For a livelier scene, head to Cala Jondal, a long pebbly beach surrounded
by millionaires' villas and with a line of bars and restaurants open day and night.
Try our favourite Tropicana, for a sumptuous paella or a dance to some live Brazilian
music on Sundays.
Cala Jondal - Es Cubells
Off along the country
lanes we go, through Aleppo pine woods rich in the scents of rosemary, lavender
and thyme, until we resurface at Es Cubells. A cliff-top village with a church,
the world's smallest cinema, and a couple of bars. The views, a magnificent panorama
of miles of coast, are to die for, and there's a tiny beach way down at the bottom
of the cliffs.
Es Cubells - Cala d'Hort/Cala Carbo
No trip
to Ibiza is complete without a visit to Cala d'Hort. Along the way history buffs
might wish to detour to the Punic-Roman settlement of Ses Païses de Cala
d'Hort and the defence tower of Cap des Jueu which contrary to popular belief
was not built to protect the hippie hideaway of Atlantis, far below the cliffs.
The beach at Cala d'Hort is truly breathtaking simply because of the SPECTACULAR
view of the craggy Es Vedra rock out to sea. A couple of restaurants and clear
blue seas complete, but can't compete with, the experience.
Further round
the coast Cala Carbo is a small seclude cove with an excellent restaurant
Cala Carbo - Cala Vadella
Winding country lanes take us to Cala
Vadella, a beautiful bay surrounded by holiday homes, with a soft sandy beach
and enough bars and restaurants to shake a stick at.
Cala Vadella
- San Jose
If you like climbing, take time out on the way to San
Jose to scale S'Atalaia which at 274 m above sea level - it is a long walk but
the views of the entire island from the summit make the ride worthwhile.
San Jose is a picturesque village with some lovely bars and restaurants, an historic
church, speciality shops, and a laid back relaxed atmosphere, ideal for winding
down at the end of the day.
Spain Beaches Facts and Safety TIps
Geography
The island Ibiza has a surface area of only 572 km².
This means that the greatest distance to be covered by road is 40 km; which in
turn means that all of these beautiful beaches are within an hour's comfortable
drive, wherever you are staying.
Accessibility
The easiest
way to explore the coastline and beaches is with a rental car, although, many
of the beaches can be reached by regular bus services, and / or local ferry services
from the major resorts. (The ferries are a favourite of ours!)
Safety
Although many of the beaches will rent sunshades and parasols, you are
best advised to take your own. The sun is very hot here in summer, and we can't
stress enough the importance of shade for young children, babies and the fair-haired.
Never leave bags unattended!
Most of the beaches boast soft, sandy floors.
Perfect for splashing around near the shore. Do be careful before rushing and
plunging headlong into the water - there are beaches with stones and underwater
rocks. Look before you leap!
Water Temperatures
May 18.5ºC
June 21.5ºC July, August and September 26ºC October 24.5ºC Refreshments
Almost all of the beaches have bars or restaurants. So do take a few Euros with
you. We have selected some of the best ones for you.
Things
to do at Ibiza
Beaches in Ibiza Town and the South
Talamanca
Figueretas
Playa
d'en Bossa
Es
Cavallet
Las
Salinas
Cala
Jondal
Sa
Caleta
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Top Beaches |
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 Santa
Eulália |
| This beach, awarded
with the blue flag, begins immediately after Es Riu de Santa Eulalia and ends
at the marina. It has all kinds of facilities and services, such as jet skis and
parasailing. |
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| Alcúdia
(Majorca) |
| There is a pine grove behind
the beach that runs parallel to it until it meets an urban area. All kinds of
water sports are possible here. It has a car-park, restaurants, a Red Cross post
and sunshade and sun lounger hire. |
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| Ferreries (Minorca) |
Shell-shaped beach
situated in Galdana Cove Housing Estate. Shallow water.
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| Cala Torta |
| The surroundings are entirely
unspoiled. Scuba-diving and snorkelling are highly recommended in this area. |
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| Cala Mondragó |
| Situated within
Mondragó Natural Park. It is equipped with several services and facilities,
making for a very cosy beach. It is possible to walk to S'Amarador and Caló
des Borgit from this beach. The cove is set in pleasant surroundings, full of
vegetation and a pine grove. Easy parking. |
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| Cala Santayí |
| This beach is
easy to get to, as it is well signposted throughout the town. Sunbed and restaurant
services are available. The sand is top quality, while water is extremely clean
and clear. Many sports are available, like windsurfing and scuba-diving; the necessary
gear is for rent. |
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| Cala Basset |
| Ideal spot for anchoring
boats. The seabed and crystal-clear water are favourite attractions amongst those
who know this beach. It is also highly recommended for snorkelling. |
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| Cala Blanca |
| This is one of the three
biggest beaches in Palmanova and is very well equipped. A pleasant promenade joins
Son Maties and Es Carregador beaches. |
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| Mojacar Beach |
The beach itself is
excellent and the waters (like all in Almeria) are warm and brilliantly clear.
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| Ses Salines |
| A beach of clear water
and fine sand. Several sports can be played here. All kind of equipment can be
hired: pedalos, jet-skis, windsurf boards, kayaks or bicycles. Easy access |
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