The best way to truly enjoy Mallorca’s 555km of coastline is around it!
Exploring this wonderful island by Yacht will enable you to experience a wonderful variety of landscapes and a wide choice of places to visit in a way that travelling by road simply doesn’t offer, and chartering your own boat will give you the ultimate freedom to explore. But if you’re considering chartering a boat in Mallorca for the first time, it can be a daunting prospect, so here’s five things to know to ensure you get the best possible experience:
1. The first thing to consider is the type of vessel you want to charter and this mainly depends on how many people will be travelling.
2. You will need to decide how long you want to charter the vessel for. Typically they are available on a daily rate but this is often flexible.
3. Unless you, or a member of your party is a qualified skipper (you will need to produce an International Certificate of Competence to prove this) or you will need to hire a skipper for your trip. Also just to be aware most boats are hired on the basis of a skipper being necessary on the boat, but some of the smaller boats can be hired without a skipper if you or a member of your party have the relevent qualification/experience to drive the boat.
4. You’ll need to plan your trip, taking care to check where and when you can stop off if you plan to.
5. Another thing to plan for is the weather. The best time of year to enjoy Mallorca’s water is between April and October, although it is also possible to experience good calm weather in any season.
With all that covered, you’re ready to explore Mallorca. Here’s just five of the many beautiful places you can visit on your charter (we’ll cover much more and in greater detail in another post):
1. Illetas – Close to Palma and Portals, a short sail from these two established ports, Illetas benefits from three shielded bays with beautiful clear blue waters, outstanding restaurants, renowned beach club and a colourful holiday resort built in the style of a Mediterranean village called The Anchorage.
2. Cala Deià – on the often-overlooked west coast, Cala Deiàis a well known celebrity hotspot due largely to its discreet location and its famous fish restaurant.
3. Cala Bóquer – set on the north-west coast of the island near Port de Pollença, Cala Bóquer is a perfectly secluded spot, accessible only by foot or boat. Its clear waters are ideal for swimming, snorkelling and crabbing in its rock pools. Close by is the Roman city of ‘Bochoris’ where remains of the ancient town’s walls and gates remain.
4. Colonia de Sant Jordi – In the calm waters of the south-east, Colonia de Sant Jordi enjoys some of the finest beaches on the island – with Es Trenc one of the most famous places to anchor in the area with its long expanse of sand and crystal clear blue sea. The Port de Sant Jordi offers temporary moorings for those intersted in nautical and fishing activities.
5. Cala Santanyí – in the south-east of the island, Cala Santanyí is a small cove and home to the renowned Es Pontas (The Bridge) a rocky arch carved out over thousands of years by the waves. Cala Santanyí enjoys calm, clear seas, perfect for swimming and snorkelling with even a diving school close by.