Sea & Beach Reviews from Mallorca

Can you keep a secret?

The sound of clinking glasses, popping corks and champagne bubbles filled the air around the harbour in Palma this weekend as we celebrated the end of the 2010 Superyacht Cup. The Superyacht Cup, which has been running for 15 years, is a race like no other. Twenty privately owned sailing yachts, which are generally designed for cruising rather than racing, set off in a staggered start with the fastest at the back of the pack and the slowest at the front. Over the course, the boats behind catch the slower vessels out in front so that the finish is close one with all the boats meeting at the line. First one to cross is the winner.

The hot August sun is beating down on Mallorca and it is the perfect time to sit back, relax and give your skin the vitamin D it has been craving all year. This baking sun is an extraordinary 30-33 degrees at the moment and so a day at the beach with it's gentle breeze and gorgeous sea is the perfect way to stay cool.

Last Saturday I decided that it was time for a change and I should visit one of the other beaches in Mallorca rather than my beloved Cala Llamp. There are so many beaches in Mallorca to choose from but I had set my expectations of what a beach should offer pretty high with Cala Llamp.

We arrived 15 minutes late. It would have been considered early if we were meeting Spaniards, however Mark and Chris are proud Yorkshire men. They are also the father and son team who run the yacht charter company in Puerto Soller, on the western coast of Mallorca.

We left our lovely home town of Pollensa and set out for the west of the island. One of the great things about the island is that everywhere is so accessible, within 50 minutes we had traversed the island and arrived at Port d’Andratx for a leisurely walk along the sea front. 

Son Serra de Marina is a quite little coastal town in North Mallorca. Laid back and sprawling it covers a 5km stretch of coast and is made up of houses initially built as weekend getaways for city dwelling Mallorcans. 

There are so many great beaches in Mallorca. White sands and clear waters can be found all along the north, south and east coasts and Majorca beach resorts like Magaluf, Illetas & Puerto Portals all have sheltered bays.

The bay of Alcudia is well known for it's endless Playa de Muro beach. Not quite as well known is that the bay is excellent for wind and kite surfing. And just a a little bit further down the coast from Playa de Muro, the wind surfers and kite surfers have laid claim to one of the best places on the island to ride the waves.

I drove down to see what Cala Ratjada was like as a friend had suggested I take a look. It is clear when you arrive that the town is another German stronghold on the island, with specials boards outside restaurants written almost exclusively in German, with the odd bit of Spanish and English.

Living near the sea in the Port of Soller, Majorca, has many advantages. Waking to the sight of the perfect horse shoe bay surrounded by mountains is still a thrill. The beach is coming to life with strategically placed tin bins which are used by the local bar owners to burn the bamboo.

Take a coastal stroll or cycle to little hidden gem Platya des Morer Vermell with its white sand and crystal clear water perfect for snorkelling.

The sheltered bay of Puerto Pollenca features the stunning back drop of the Tramuntana mountains which can be seen from all over the resort. The warm summer evenings are ideal for taking strolls along the pedestrianised promenades along the front which lead towards the famous Pine Walk where you'll also find the D’Albercuix beach running along side.

The Port of Soller is on the North West coast of Mallorca, nestling in the foothills of the Tramuntana mountain range. In my opinion we have got it all here – from the majestic mountains that surround us down to our perfect horse shoe bay. Despite a thirty year association with the place, I would never have envisaged what is happening here today.

Port d'Andratx is one of the many beautiful harbour towns in Mallorca. The bay is a stunning natural cove and the harbour has a quaint charm with little fishing boats and yachts coming and going.