Formentera East

This route is suitable for days when the wind blows from the south or west as we are going to cross the eastern part of Formentera. It will allow you to enjoy the most unknown places of the island with long white sandy beaches and little built up as the Levante beach or areas of protected cliffs and perfect to spend the night as Es Calò or Es Pujols. You can also enjoy the local delicacies in some of the best restaurants in Formentera. It is a very worthwhile route and if the wind allows it you should not miss it. 

Ibiza - Playa de Levante

Leaving the port of Marina Botafoch, the first stop is Levante beach (Formentera), less well known than the island of Ses Illetes but just as beautiful. In fact, it is on the other side of the isthmus that Formentera forms in its northern part. A strip of land that at some points is no wider than 50 metres. From the port of Ibiza to this beach is only 25 minutes of sailing and the best thing is that there is no danger or stone that can damage our boat. In the attached map we show you the route to follow until you reach this point. 

The seabed is sandy and you can anchor at any point along the beach, which is several kilometres long. We recommend you to anchor near the Tanga restaurant for the beauty of the landscape and the crystal clear waters. Always remember to anchor behind the yellow buoys that indicate the swimming area for bathers on the beach. You can anchor from 3 to 6 or 7 metres deep. 

Before Levante beach you have the island of Espalmador, an obligatory stop on routes that sail along the western part of Formentera. If you wish, you can make a stop beforehand at the so-called El Paso, a sandbank that divides the island of Espalmador from the island of Formentera. This sandbank allows you to cross from one island to the other on foot, so you must be careful not to get too close to avoid stranding your boat. If the conditions are suitable you can swim to the sandbank and walk to the beach. However, it is possible that if the wind is moderate, the sea conditions may not allow it and there may be swell at this point, so we would advise against anchoring here. The skipper should be aware of this. The bottom at this point is sandy and rocky and the anchorage is between 3m and 6m deep. 

In this area of Levante beach the only restaurant with a pneumatic service to go down to the beach is the restaurant Tanga. You can find information about it on the attached map. If you want to make a reservation, do it in good time as it is usually very busy in the summer months. Its specialities are fish and seafood rice dishes and fresh fish from the island such as grouper ("mero") and amberjack ("sirvia"). 

Playa de Levante - Es Pujols

From Levante beach to Es Pujols the sailing is pleasant and very short, only 10 minutes approximately. We have to be careful with a shallow rock located before Es Pujols and about 100 metres from the beach. This rock is indicated on the map and the water usually breaks up into foam. Also the bay of Es Pujols is dangerous to enter with many rocks and shallows within it. 

We will anchor in the final part, in a bend and under cliffs about 10 metres high that will protect us from the south or south-westerly wind. This anchorage is made in sandy bottoms at a depth of between 6 and 8 metres. Due to its protection and tranquillity, it is a common anchorage for sailing boats and catamarans. It is also common to see locals or tourists jumping into the sea from these cliffs. 

Another good restaurant at this point is Chezz Gerdi, which specialises in Italian food. This anchorage is also a good place to go snorkelling to the shore and see the marine fauna, usually a good place to see local fish such as damselfish or if you are lucky an octopus in the nooks and crannies of the rocks. 

Es Pujols - Es Caló

After enjoying a swim in Es Pujols we will raise the anchor to begin the navigation to the next and last anchorage, the beach and cliffs of Es Caló, for us, one of the most beautiful places in Formentera. 

We start by skirting Punta Prima and we will sail at a prudential distance of 50 metres from the cliffs, which will give us an incredible view of them. After the cliffs you will find a rocky beach several kilometres long that will take you to the village of Es Caló. In this village you will find the first harbour that was built on the island and which is still used by the local restaurants and the fishing boats of the locals. 

We can anchor in front of the village if we want to have lunch in one of the two restaurants with a pneumatic service: Restaurant Es Caló and Can Rafaelet with fish and paella specialities. The seabed is an intense turquoise blue, very beautiful due to the shallow depth and the white sandy seabed. We will anchor at depths of 3 to 6 metres. When anchoring always remember to leave enough space with other boats and a suitable length of chain to avoid the boat hitting other boats or losing the anchorage and sailing off to Ibiza. 

If you are not going to eat in one of the restaurants, we recommend you to anchor at the end of the beach and after the village, in a bend where the cliffs of La Mola begin. It is a really beautiful spot with crystal clear waters and cliffs dotted with pine trees and bushes of an intense green.  The seabed is sandy and the depth is between 4 and 10 metres. In the attached map you will find the anchoring point marked and a small video of the place made by us. 

It is also a good place for snorkelling close to the shore because of the many fish and crevices in the rock. 

Es Caló - Ibiza

Finally, we set course for Ibiza. Bear in mind that the sailing time from Es Caló to Ibiza is approximately 45 minutes, so you should leave in plenty of time. The navigation is almost in a straight line and we will only have to avoid the island of Espardell, a highly protected island and integral maritime reserve, which means that it is not possible to go down or anchor close to the coast without permission from the authorities. 

Once in the port of Marina Botafoch, one of our staff will be waiting for you at the petrol station to refuel and take the rental boat back to its mooring. Remember that the busiest petrol station opening hours are usually at weekends and every day in July and August between 19h and 20:30h. Be patient and wait your turn to refuel. 

I hope you enjoy your day! For more information about our boats you can see our special offers section.

Edited: 20-02-2022