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Welcome to Avis
Where to find the quietest coves and sandy spots
An easy drive from Palma Airport
Majorca is famous for its beaches, and you can drive around the entire coastline in around six hours. So you wouldn’t expect there to be an inch of sand going spare.
Yet, with many tourists sticking to the resorts around Magaluf, Palma Nova and Alcúdia, driving a little further afield can take you to quiet calas (or coves), and dreamy sweeps of sand concealed by cliffs and pine trees.
Here are some of the best off-the-paddled-path places for sunbathing and swimming in Majorca.
Cala Llombards
Pack a picnic before heading to this cove in the south eastern Santanyí region. You won’t find patio restaurants and beach bars here. But then, you wanted seclusion, right?
The beach, with rose-tinged sand and shallow waters, is enclosed by chalky bluffs and thick pine forest. It’s so dramatically perfect, it feels like an incredibly tasteful resort or a theme park pool. The clear, calm waters of this bay are perfect for snorkelling and diving, too.
How to get there: From Palma Airport, the fastest route is via the Ma-19, and takes about 50 minutes.
Es Trenc
This long, skinny stretch of sand is almost blindingly white. With limpid turquoise waters lapping at its edges, it wouldn’t be out of place in the Caribbean. Which makes it even more surprising that, on this tiny island, such a flawless beach remains relatively uncrowded.
The beach is a locals’ favourite, partly because it isn’t attached to any resorts and partly because it’s just so utterly lovely. It’s even backed by a pine forest and nature reserve. More modest bathers might be advised to avoid this one, though – it’s become something of a nudist spot.
How to get there: From Palma Airport, follow the Ma-19 south. There is access from both Ses Covetes and through the salt flats to the south. Park up at the Ses Covetes entrance
Playa es Caragol
This far-southern beach is an hour’s drive from Palma Airport and, from the nearest parking by the lighthouse Far de Cap des Salines, at least a 20-minute walk down a rock-strewn path. But, if it was any easier to reach, we guarantee it would be one of the most popular spots on the island.
Barely touched pale-gold sand water ripples down to incredibly clear water, while staggered red rocks add to the dramatic scenery. If you want even more space to yourself, many of the rocks are flat and smooth enough to lay your towel out on.
How to get there: It’s a 55-minute drive on the Ma-19 and Ma-6110 to the lighthouse, park on the road and look for the sandy path down to the beach. Cala D’or is about 35 minutes’ drive away.
Cala Varques
It’s only a 15-minute walk down a gently sloping, tree-lined path to reach Cala Varques, whose sand is the pale, biscuity colour of uncooked crumble topping.
Yet, perhaps because it’s hidden by the surrounding cliffs or because it lacks modern facilities – or both – it’s one of the quietest beaches on Majorca’s eastern coast.
The shimmery, teal water is very inviting but it can get choppy further out, with waves funnelled in from the cove. The natural rock arch, north of the beach, is popular with climbers, and you can also hike up to the top.
How to get there: If you’re staying on the eastern side of the island in Cala D’or or Cala Millor, you’re close by. You’ll find Cala Varques 12 km south of Porto Cristo
Caló des Moro
Just 15 metres wide and 30 metres long, this beach really is teeny-tiny. Its champagne-hued sand and shallow, aquamarine water are flanked by shrubby, tree-covered cliffs, providing shelter from wind and waves. Climb to the top of the bluffs and you can see where the sea deepens abruptly to a dark, inky navy.
It does take a bit of a steep ramble to get to the beach but, if you get here early, it’s worth it. And don’t roll up your towel before sunset. Watching the golden-pink glow wash over the sky is just breathtaking.
How to get there: It’s about a 25-minute drive from Cala D’or via the Ma-19. Head for Sant Antoni de Portmany, and look out for the makeshift car park on the road.
Cala Bóquer
This one is really tucked away, reachable only via a 45-minute hike from Port de Pollença. Some might be put off by that, but we prefer to see it as a positive.
The path winds through a shrubby valley hemmed by two mountain ridges, reaching an overlook (where you can get a glimpse of the bay, to spur you on) before dipping down towards the sand.
The beach itself is an impeccably clean, unspoilt pebble and sand curl sheltered by limestone cliffs, so the clear water retains heat like a comfortably warm bath. There may be a couple of boats bobbing nearby, but few people make the walk to this cove, pictured beside the intro abvoe, especially at the height of summer.
Trekking back can be a little more painful, especially after a few hours of sunbathing. But you may spot a few coffee-coloured mountain goats en route, which should help make up for it.
How to get there: It will take about 50 minutes to drive to Port de Pollença from Palma Airport, park up and start the hike, it’s well worth the effort.