Snorkelling Heaven

Tucked under a steep cliff below the village of Banyalbufar this small stony Cala makes the perfect choice for a day of swimming and #snorkelling. Caves, crystal clear water and even a couple of natural freshwater showers seal the deal!

There are a 1001 places to swim here in Mallorca but if I have a morning or afternoon free in summer then this is where I head... even though the walk back up to the village kills me every time!

Getting there

Driving from Palma is easy enough and will take 30 to 50 minutes depending on traffic. The road is narrow in places and groups of cyclists can slow things up. Once you hit the turn off for Esporles the scenery changes and the road becomes narrower as it winds its way through the mountains - keep an eye out for places to stop and capture some pretty cool views. If you don't have a car on the island then you can take the number 200 bus from the main station at Plaça d'Espanya which runs approximately every hour.

Above Port des Canonge

Parking

There are a limited number of parking spaces on the main street but like everywhere here you will have to be lucky! There is a car park at the end of the high street which is more or less opposite the road that goes directly down to the Cala and another largish one 2 minutes further on. Drive past the Restaurant Son Tomas on your left and look for the sign on the right hand side. If you choose to park here you will be rewarded with some stunning views of the town with the mountains as a backdrop.

Looking across at the town

Finding the Cala

You can drive down to the Cala via Cami des Moli but there is no parking here (just a turning area) and I would only advise it if you have some kind of watersports equipment that is difficult to carry. The road is pretty steep and only the width of one car so unless you really need to drive down I would give it a miss. If you choose to walk straight down Cami des Moli it will bring you to a small pathway with steps at the end and you will enter the Cala from the left side as you face the sea.

Option 2 which I prefer and find more interesting is via Carrer Major and then Carrer Marina. This little road winds it way down through the tiny streets of the town and after 10 minutes you will find yourself at the right hand side of the cove. The steps at the end as you drop down into the tiny harbour are delightful and photographers will love this spot.

My preferred route

At the Cala

There is no sand here....the area in front of the cliff is a mix of stones and dried seaweed which is surprisingly comfortable to lie on! Fresh water runs out of a couple of places in the cliff creating natural freshwater showers - great for washing off the sea salt before you leave.

At the little harbour side of the Cala is a huge slab of rock which is a great spot for chilling, reading and sun baking and getting into the sea here is easy via the little boat launching ramp. It can get pretty hot here and you might well struggle in July and August to find a spot in the thin strip of shade at the back so take a beach umbrella if you burn easily and are planning a full day in the sun.

If you are going to stay down at the Cala for a while remember to take a picnic and plenty of water - there is nothing here in the way of bars or restaurants and walking back up into the town when it is 35 degrees is no fun!

Swimming shoes are a good idea and don't forget your snorkel and mask....the water here is as clear as it gets anywhere on the island and you will see a huge variety of fish. Weekends it can be busy so try visit during the week. Happy snorkelling!