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Majorca Beaches

There's a great little beach at Cala Major just outside Palma (handy) which has urr sports installations. Majorca beach hotspots down from Andratx include the superb beaches of Camp de Mar and Sant Elm. Sant Elm is a charming cosy little beach, sheltered by Dragonera island. Beaches in this area are noted for their pinewoods. Both Palma Nova and Magaluf have excellent clean blue flag beaches, with more character than the East side beaches which are larger and longer. Palma Nova has fine sand and pine groves and all your bars, cafes and restaurants close by, with lots of people if that's your bag. A host of beach front apartments and hotels are available in the Balearic Islands, and some all inclusive Majorca complexes have access to their own private beaches or beach area.

Magaluf also has a superb beach with fine sand and crystal clear waters and many amenities. If you've time, check out Illetes not far from Palma. Illetes is a beautiful spot with two coves some 75 and 150 metres wide, and again is noted for it's pine trees which reach as far as the shore and there's superbo sand. Santa Ponca has another good beach over this way, and for something a little quiet choose Peguera with fine sand and pine trees, and easy on the crowds. Move to North Majorca and family friendly beaches with easy access abound. Northern Majorca resorts like Port de Pollenca and Port de Soller have particularly beautiful beaches, not just because of crystal clear waters and sandy level beaches, but because the Tramuntana mountains come all the way down to the sea here to great dramatic effect. Somehow this natural drama encasing beaches in this area makes you feel like you're not in a resort at all!

Majorca beaches on the East Coast have a split personality. There's a choice pick of long and large fine sandy beaches stretching for mile like the one at Port d'Alcudia or little bays like Cala Mesquida which is rocky in parts and gets the waves, so popular with the surfers. At both Port de Pollenca and Port d'Alcudia the Tramuntana mountains run right down to the sea, for great dramatic effect and views, hitting the long idyllic fine sandy beaches. You get cooling winds down from the mountains up here as well. Move down the east coast to spots like Cala Rajada and you've a mix of rocky shore, and small bay beaches. Further down are the more traditional beach resorts all with fine sandy beaches such as Cala Millor and Calas de Mallorca, a relatively new resort. Cala d'or has a choice of a few beaches, all idyllic little bays with fine sand.

Menorca Beaches

You can't beat Menorca beaches for peace, quiet, with many in hidden coves, and all with white gleaming sand and most pretty untouched by development. Some of the best are in the south, such as Cala Binibeca or Els Canutells. Some beaches to the west are being developed, including resorts like Son Xoriguer and Cala en Bosch. The sands on the southern beaches is soft because of the soft sandstone in Menorca. Beautiful colours are on the menu, with cliffs broken by idyllic beaches.

The longest and one of the most beautiful beaches on Menorca is Son Bou, an idyllic stretch of white sands about 2 miles long. Menorca's beautiful southern coastal stretch is scattered with numerous coves all of which have crystal clear water and sandy beaches. There's a key environmental reason why these beaches are so beautiful. It's partly because of the large amount of Posidonia Oceanica marine plant which acts as a natural filter and is a source of food and shelter for a huge variety of marine life. It's protection is crucial.

Beaches on Menorca tend to be small and idyllic, hidden away in coves. Son Bou is a bit of an exception and spans 3 km/2 miles. It's situated about half way up the south east coast of Menorca. There's an interesting twist to this beach, it has the ruins of an early Christian basilica at the eastern end. Cala Binisfulla beach sits quite far down the south coast and is about 40 metres/130 ft long. Move further down south for Cala Binibeca beach, a wide beach quite near Binibeca Vell. This beach is beautifully untouched, albeit a small restaurant and a car park.

Ibiza Beaches

Ibiza beach and beach party culture Ibiza extradinaire. Expect this of course in Ibiza, but also move to the North of Ibiza for hidden Ibiza beaches often all to yourself. It's easy to hop in the hire car and find these hidden cove beaches, especially around Portinatx to the North. Ibiza beaches come in all varieties, from nudist beaches, to watersports beaches, to Ibiza club beaches, Ibiza hidden coves and unspoilt beaches, or how about Ibiza's longest beach Playa d'en Bossa/Platja d'en Bossa to the southeast of Ibiza.

Modern day Ibiza hippies usually frequent Benirras beach in the north of Ibiza, and Salines Beach in south Ibiza, just past the Ses Salines saltpans is also particularly popular as there's lots of great bars here. Like idyllic sunsets? Then head for the west coast and try Cala Salada beach located just north of San Antonio, and very popular. Alternatively, check out Cala Tarida, a sublimely beautiful beach near Sant Josep.

If you're looking for an Ibiza beach pretty much all to yourself, try Cala Conta or Cala d'Hort beach which offers magnificent sunsets and spectacular views over to Es Vedra rock. Nudist beaches Ibiza style are dotted about the island. Check out Es Cavellet, a popular nudist beach with gay visitors to Ibiza. Figueretes further up the east coast of Ibiza is also a popular nudist beach, again especially with gay visitors to Ibiza.

Formentera Beaches

Formentera beaches, you've arrived at earthly paradise. Beaches around Formentera Island have their own character but all have turquoise waters and are unspoilt by development. Fantastic news for beach lovers, and there's plenty of low key watersports as well along the lines of snorkling. In the north the flavour is influenced by the salt marshes, now nature reserves. To the south Platja de Migjorn is the most well known, and the longest practically stretching from Cap de Barbaria to La Mola.

Formentera's Illetes beaches, including Platja de ses Illetes, are at the furthest north part of Formentera Island, near Espalmador Island. As you'd expect, with Platja de ses Illetes being the closest beach to arrival port La Savina, these beaches get the highest number of visitors to the island. Illetes is easily reached with any form of transport, but why not get there by foot and do your bit for eco-tourism, or hire a bicycle at La Savina when you arrive. Formentera has a few idyllic offshore islets. The most popular is Espalmador just north of the Natural Park of Ses Salines. You can get to Espalmador by boat or if you're brave and a competent swimmer you can swim it (eek) when the tide is low. The most popular and well known beach on Espalmador is Platja de S'Alga.

Platja Migjorn is one of the biggest beaches on Formentera, and the sand practically extends across the whole south of Formentera Island from promentary to promentary, Cap de Barbaria to La Mola. You'll get great views of these high points on Formentera from Platja Migjorn. If you're looking for a very quiet idyllic beach then this is for you, as it gets much fewer visitors compared to Illetes. You're not completely out in the wilderness though, and you'll find a small number of restaurants and kiosks at the water's edge.