Cala Macarella by boat

Cala Macarella is one of those coves you see once and never quite forget. White sand, turquoise water and two walls of pine that drop almost to the shore. It's hard work to reach on land; from the sea you have it right in front of you, with its little sister, Macarelleta, a step away.

How we get there under way

We leave from Es Canutells, on the south coast, and set a course west. Macarella sits to the west, between Cala Galdana and Cala en Turqueta, which makes it one of the furthest coves from our base. It's no short hop: it's worth setting aside time for it, and it almost always sits better within a full-day trip.

I'll be honest with you. This route depends on the sea and the wind. With a strong tramuntana or a southerly swell, you can't always push that far west in comfort. When the day is kind, we sail close to the coast and you see one cove after another until the bay of Macarella opens up. If the sea isn't right, I tell you before we leave and we find a plan that's just as worth it.

My boat is a 9-metre Menorcan llaüt, the island's traditional wooden boat, taking a maximum of 7 passengers besides the skipper. It's just your group, shared with no one.

What you'll find when you arrive

Macarella is a U-shaped cove of fine white sand, with the water turning turquoise as it runs in towards the shore. Behind it, a ravine and the Camí de Cavalls; on either side, cliffs covered in pine. There's natural shade and a seabed straight off a postcard.

Right next to it is Macarelleta, smaller and more tucked away, a few minutes on foot along the cliff. On land it's a spot you can only reach by walking, with no car access. From the boat you see both of them on the same day, and that's the trick: the rock arch and the caves in the cliff only really come into their own from the water.

In summer Macarella fills up. The beach is small and car access is restricted from June to September, so arriving by sea saves you the car park, the shuttle bus with its booking and the walk in the sun.

Snorkelling and swimming

The seabed at Macarella is one of the best on the south coast. In the bay the water is around 5 metres deep, with clear sand in the swimming area and rock beneath the cliffs, which is where the snorkelling gets interesting. Down there you'll see sea bream, saddled bream, salema and rockfish working the cracks. On the left-hand cliff there's even a submerged cave about 150 metres from the shore.

We always anchor with our heads on. You don't drop the hook on posidonia: it's a protected seagrass that keeps the water clean and the seabed alive, and anchoring on it tears it apart. We look for sand or a mooring buoy, as the rules require, and that way the water stays just as clear for whoever comes next.

Bring your mask and snorkel. On a good day the visibility here is huge.

Which trip to choose

Given the distance, Macarella fits best into a full-day trip, with time to swim, snorkel and eat at anchor without watching the clock. A half day is possible if the sea is on your side, but it leaves you a little tight.

The real pleasure is combining it with the coves along the way. Heading back towards Es Canutells we stop at places like Cala Trebalúger or Cala Mitjana, two of the loveliest in the area. Have a look at our boat trips along the south coast to get a feel for how we set it up, and you can check prices by duration and group size.

Frequently asked questions

Can you drive to Cala Macarella in summer?

From June to September car access is restricted. In season you get there by shuttle bus with a booking, on foot along the Camí de Cavalls or, as we do, by sea.

Do you see both Macarella and Macarelleta on the same trip?

Yes. Macarelleta has no road access and is hard work on foot, but from the boat you have the two of them side by side, with the best view of the cliffs.

Do you always make it to Macarella?

I don't promise it. It's one of the westernmost coves in our area and it depends on the sea and the wind. If the day isn't right, I tell you beforehand and we find an alternative that's worth it.

Where do you anchor?

On sand or on a mooring buoy, never on posidonia. It's a protected plant, anchoring on top of it is forbidden and it damages the seabed.

How many people fit?

The llaüt takes 7 passengers at most, plus the skipper. The trip is private, just for your group.