Cala Mesquida - Sand dunes and turquoise water

There is a very small resort that has sprung up here, composed of a handful of big resort hotels catering for masses of tourists, some are adult only and some are family friendly. Along with these resort complexes there are a smattering of local convenience shops, pharmacy, supermarket, beach items, there’s a doctor and there’s just three or four bars/restaurants. When you come here it certainly isn’t to take advantage of the shopping or gastronomical offerings, it is purely because this 300m stretch of beach is stunning.

There is parking available in the centre of the resort or if you turn right immediately upon entering the resort, drive past Bar Willie’s and there is ample off road parking, though do be careful with your rental car as it is quite a bumpy track. Walk down towards the beach and you will see before you a magnificent vista that comes into focus. The water is turquoise and totally clear, the waves can get up a bit here, which is great fun to play in and you can feel safe as there is a lifeguard station at the beach, along with their flags to alert you to sea conditions and other potential hazards such as Jellyfish. The waters off the coast are part of a marine reserve and there is an information board alerting you to what activities are allowed within these protected coastal waters and which species are protected.

As you’re approaching the beach you’ll notice that on your right there is a protected area which is cordoned off. This is to protect and regenerate the fragile sand dune ecosystem. This environmental consideration is one of the reasons that Cala Mesquida is a Blue Flag beach. There is a raised wooden walkway that will take you through the dunes and onto the far side of the beach if you fancy getting a closer look at the species that dwell amongst the dunes. From the walkway you can see the Talaia de Son Jaumell, which is an old watch tower perched on top of the hills at the back of the beach. If you do use this walkway and enter the beach from this side, take note that this is designated as the nudist area.

At the end of the promenade you’ll find the Mirablau restaurant which has an extensive menu catering for all tastes, lots of typical Spanish food, fresh fish, grilled meats, tapas, paella and a good selection of kiddy friendly food too. Down on the beach there’s a little shack selling snacks, cold drinks, and as a nod to the mainly German clientele of the area, you can get a ‘Wurst with mustard’.

There is an area with Balinese beds at the very top of the beach, if you fancy reclining in style, surrounded by billowy white curtains and for the princely sum of €36 you can get the bed, a bottle of Freixenet cava and some fruit. If that’s not really your thing head down to the beach itself where there is plenty of room to chuck your towel down, put up your parasol and claim your little piece of paradise. There are plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas too, with the added bonus of safety boxes attached to the umbrellas where you can stash small items like keys, wallets and phones.

The water is fabulous, absolutely spectacular for snorkelling around the rocky sides of the cove and if you fancy taking out a kayak or stand up paddle board then you can, there is a little hire outfit just at the top of the beach steps. Around the corner from this beach is the Cap des Freu, which is the island’s biggest colony of gulls and cormorants, on a previous visit one of those cormorants came to fish for its supper in the crystalline waters and swam with us tourists, a very amusing interlude to the day, seeing the surprised faces of swimmers as the cormorant would pop up right in front of them.