West Formentera Boat Route

One of the most popular activities to take advantage of the great opportunities that the Pitiusas Islands offer us is, without a doubt, renting a boat. There are many possibilities that our islands give us, so today we will take a walk along the busiest route, the west coast of Formentera.

Leaving the port of Marina Ibiza or Marina Botafoch, the route to Formentera is the most frequented by far. With predominant winds of Levante (East), the beaches of Espalmador, Trocadors, Illetas or Cala Sahona enjoy calm waters and almost no waves in which to spend a great day. The presence of several top-level restaurants, many internationally recognized, on these beaches makes them a place to be during the summer season.

Our route starts from the port of Ibiza with a south-southwest direction, towards the Es Freus pass. Taking a picture when passing in front of the cathedral of Dalt Vila is almost essential. We will continue with good starboard views of the beaches of Figueretas, Playa De’n Bossa, Sal Rossa and Es Cavallet. The pass of Es Freus will not be a problem, as long as we pass between the two lighthouses (one on Isla dels Penjats and another on Espalmador). It is not the only pass that exists, but it is the safest if the area is unknown. Once bordering on the island of Espalmador, we must also be careful with a rock underneath called Es Gorrinets, between Espalmador and the small island Gastaví. After this point we can make our first stop in the southern area of Espalmador.

Espalmador

There are two key points in this emblematic islet. The best known is Caló de s’Alga, a natural bay with an incredibly beautiful beach. This area has an ecological buoy anchoring system, so we will have to make sure we have a reservation. You can inform yourself here.

The other key point of Espalmador is in its southernmost part, just at the point where Espalmador and Formentera almost come together. And we say almost because, depending on the currents and the tides, it is possible to walk crossing from one to the other. The sandbars that form there, with their currents colliding with each other, will delight the little ones at the time of bathing.

Illetas

Our next stop cannot be other than Illetas beach. It has been declared this year 2019 as the 4th best beach in Europe and 2nd in Spain, only behind La Concha of San Sebastián, by the users of the travel portalTripadvisor . In this magnificent beach there are five high quality restaurants (Es ministre, Juan & Andrea, El Pirata, El Molí de Sal and El Beso Beach). All of them have transfer service to the beach with a RIB (remember to tip the boatman). It is a great opportunity to get tasty dishes, characteristic of Mediterranean cuisine, such as the essential paella (mixed, fish, blind or black), the lobster stew,  or baked fish of the day or served in imaginative presentations such as sea bass baked in salt ...

The water of Illetas happen to be one of the most beautiful in the world, with an intense and crystalline turquoise color, thanks to its white sand and the cleanliness provided by the Poseidonea seaweed meadow that guards it. The shore has the peculiarity of bein (g shallow even several meters away, which allows children to bathe very safely.

Caló des Moro

After lunch,  we will continue along the coast towards the south. After the port of La Savina and the bay of Caló de s’Oli, we will make our recommended secret stop in an isolated and lonely corner called Caló des Moro. It is a small bay, very sheltered, with stunning views of the rock walls that surround it. The seabed is excellent for snorkeling due to the large number of fish that are concentrated there. A few bread crumbs will make a huge bank of fish come to your boat.

Cala Sahona

The last point of our recommended route is Cala Sahona. Its waters, as clean and crystal clear as those in Illetas, are deeper, which makes its turquoise blue more intense. The largeness of its anchorage area makes it a little quieter. 

Any of the points that we have recommended have the peculiarity of being West-oriented, so all of them have spectacular sunsets, which you'll never forget.