Sailing & Boats in Mallorca

Boat Trips around Mallorca

With so many sights to see around Mallorca's coastline, there is no better way to see them than from a boat.  If you don't fancy chartering your own boat, you can take a trip with one of the many boat companies based in most of Mallorca's main resorts. There is a wide choice of small boats, large boats and catamarans (which is reflected in the price you will pay) and some have glass-bottoms so you can admire the fish and sea vegetation below.

You can take a day trip which usually encompasses lunch and a stop-off at one of the remote island beaches, and try some snorkelling if you fancy. Or take a sunset cruise in the evening and enjoy the views with a glass of bubbly.  If you are looking for something a little more edgy, you could consider a ride on a speed boat to get the heart pumping!

Note that most of the boat trips around Mallorca are seasonal, starting from April or May, and finishing in October.

From Palma de Mallorca, you can explore the Bay Area with its resorts and glamorous marinas, or head further east to the unspoilt beaches of Es Trenc and beyond. Boat companies in Magaluf & Santa Ponsa will take you to the far south west, exploring pretty coves and remote beaches. To visit the island Natural Reserve of Sa Dragonera in the south west of Majorca, you can take one of the regular boats from St Elm or Port d'Andratx.

On the west coast, the main starting point for boat trips is in Port de Soller. The most popular trip from here is to Sa Calobra, one of Majorca's best natural attractions. Sa Calobra is a beautiful cove which has the Tramuntana mountains as its background. Around the corner from Sa Calobra is the Torrent de Pareis gorge - a stunning canyon that runs through the mountains. There are a couple of shingle beaches here that you can enjoy as part of your day trip.

Up towards the north west of Majorca, most of the boat companies are based in the ports of Pollensa & Alcudia. Trips include sailing to Cap Formentor - one of the most beautiful & rugged parts of Mallorca - stopping off at the gorgeous beach at Formentor. Or try a gentle cruise over to the charming resort of Cala San Vincente on the west coast. Either way, the scenery is spectacular.

The east coast is filled with resorts that offer boat trips around the numerous coves and beaches on this calmer (sea) side of Majorca. Glass bottom boats are popular here, ideal for those who dohn't want to try snorkelling (which we would recommend!) - you cab buy/rent snorkel masks & flippers in the resorts. Boat trips operate in Cala Ratjada, Porto Cristo, Cala Millor, Cales de Mallorca, Cala Romantica & Sa Coma. These boat trips are a great way to see & explore the other east coast resorts for your next holiday to Majorca!

Just around the south east corner of Mallorca is Colonia Sant Jordi. It's from here that you need to catch the boat to visit the wild & unspoilt islands of Cabrera. You can take a leisurely boat (about an hour) or a speed boat (significantly quicker!) to visit these gorgeous islands.

Not exactly a boat trip and more of a ferry, but if you'd like to visit Menorca from Mallorca, there are ferries that depart from Port d'Alcudia (Port Commercial) & Palma the crossing is only two and a half hours from Alcudia. Balearia and Iscomar both offer this service.

Find a company offering Boat Trips in Mallorca.

Boat Charter in Mallorca

Mallorca is big on sailing and for good reason. Beautiful aquamarine seas, and hundreds of beaches and coves that are only accessible by sea. For those of us without a boat, there are many companies on Majorca that offer yacht charter. You can hire a boat for days, weeks or even months! There are two kinds of yacht charter - bareboat or crewed. Bareboat charter is for those who have a qualified skipper in their group, who can sail the boat and instruct others to act as crew. He/She will need to produce an International Certificate of Competence - an equivalent to the RYA Day Skipper qualification. You can obtain this certificate from the RYA (if you are a member), and some charter companies will issue you a certificate once they have evaluated your ability.

If no one in your group knows how to sail, you will need to take a skippered yacht (and crewed depending on the size of the boat). The advantage of taking a skippered vessel is the local knowledge that they will have. There is such a lot of choice in places to sail to in Mallorca that it does help to have a guide. Your choice of itinerary may depend on the weather & sea conditions, and remember to schedule in some relaxation time as well as sailing time!

Chartering a boat or a yacht in Mallorca is pretty straight-forward. All you need to know is the number of people you plan on taking on the boat, whether you want a skipper or not (and if you do not have a qualified captain amongst your party, you will need one), and plenty of cash! Boat charter does not come cheap (expect to pay at least €100 per person per day), but it really is the best way to see the island. And for a special occasion, it's a really wonderful treat.

Find a company offering Boat & Yacht Charter in Mallorca.

Marinas in Mallorca & Palma de Majorca

The sailing community in Mallorca is huge, so it's only right that there should be plenty of marinas for all shapes and sizes of boats. There are berths available for your small fishing boats, right up to the growing sector of the superyacht category.  Some of the really swanky marinas are situated on the south coast close to Palma, and are worth dropping in on just to admire the mutli-million pound vessels.

The biggest marinas are in Palma - home to Club de Mar and Real Club Nautico. Another large marina is the one in Alcudia, in the north west of Mallorca. Alcudiamar is well equipped and has 744 moorings but it is fairly shallow. On the other side of the headland is Real Club Nautico Puerto de Pollenca which offers 375 moorings. The marinas dotted along the east coast are much smaller but are very attractive, positioned as they are in sheltered coves. Club Nautico La Rapita on the south coast is a modern marina with an acclaimed restaurant. Over to the west of Palma is the exclusive marina of Puerto Portals - it's also known as 'millionaires' marina'. Beyond lies the newly developed Port Adriano which is especially deep so as to accommodate the new breed of superyachts. To the far south west lies Port d'Andratx - one of the loveliest natural harbours in Mallorca - Club Vela marina has moorings for 475 boats and a sailing club.

Find a Marina in Mallorca.