Palma International Boat Show 2017

On Saturday 29th April the ‘Night of the Sea’ took place and the boat show cranked it up a notch to create a late night party until 23.00. This 'party' evening brings a whole other dimension to the show as visitors and exhibitors gather and enjoy a more social affair. This year I decided to pop along to see what all the fuss was about, having been promised it is the most exciting time to visit

At 7ish I headed to the gates located at the end of the Passeig des Born and purchased my entrance ticket (6€). Soaking up the lively atmosphere and the warm golden glow of the evening sun I thought to myself - this is Palma at its best. Walking through I was greeted by various different marine stalls, with everything from engines and technical equipment to pretty straw bags, sailing clothing, water sports toys and much more.

There was an assortment of boats on display, the smaller ones took their place on the pontoon, whilst the larger vessels stood tall and proud in the water. You can’t help but admire each of the boats - sailing and motor yachts of various different sizes from little tenders all the way through to massive superyachts. The superyacht show took place in their usual spot on the far east of the port, with some particularly impressive boats on display. As the sun went down, there was an epic glow in the clouds which almost felt like it was a direct reflection of the boat lights turning on and illuminating the water.

As the evening progressed, there was a huge transition as the boat show developed a party atmosphere thanks to the different music and entertainment going on around the port. Food and drinks began to flow from many of the exhibitor's stands whilst people gathered to talk yachting and other such nautical things.

Tuesday 2nd May, is the quietest day of Palma Boat Show, so the best day to browse the various stalls without having to fight through crowds.

When I arrived the atmosphere was certainly different to the more sociable 'Night of the Sea'. The sun was shining bright, with not a cloud in the sky and the heat of the sun was beaming down on my shoulders and it was the perfect time to be able to take a closer look at some of the things exhibitors had on display.

The biggest exhibitors at the show were the most renowned yachting brands with some of their latest offerings. These included superyacht leaders Camper & Nicholsons, Fraser Yachts and Burgess Yachts to the middle range luxury yacht brands Princess Yachts, Sunseeker and Fairline.

I wandered around the various pontoons and one of the highlights for me included a designated area for the traditional Mallorquin Llaüts, where you could see the carefully crafted wooden boats both in and out of the water. It’s great to see some of Mallorca’s historical pieces at an event like this. Llaüts are still being used on the island and many are found in the ports around the island still today.

Nautiparts, the most prominent watersports shop on the island, always stands out from the crowd each year at Palma Boat Show. Its vibrant selection of water toys on display certainly didn’t disappoint this year. Yachting fanatics will also be impressed with the more modest technology and marine gadget exhibitors at the show too. Although these tend to be directed at those who are more knowledgeable about all things yachting

There were plenty of places to rest and recuperate around the show, with undercover bar areas, champagne bars and some delicious tapas treats. For a more formal sit down meal there are also restaurants along the east pontoon near the superyachts, so you can kick back and relax at the end of a hard day of walking around the show.

Palma is a growing hub for the biggest and best yachting infrastructure, industries and specialist technical service networks in the whole of the Mediterranean, so we expect this show to get bigger and better each year!

Learn more about chartering a yacht in Mallorca, browse our favourite yacht charters and plan your next boat trip around the island.