Beaches in south Mallorca: Es Trenc, the Santanyí coves and Cala d'Or

How do Es Trenc and the Santanyí coves differ?

Es Trenc is a long, open sand beach inside a natural park, with large car parks and shallow water. The Santanyí coves, such as Caló des Moro, Cala Llombards and Cala Santanyí, are short strips of sand at the head of deep bays, often reached by steps or a walk from the car.

Official figures for the length of Es Trenc range from about 2 km to 3 km of fine white sand. The regional tourism site calls it the island's last undeveloped sandy beach. Entry to the park is free, and nudism is allowed on one stretch of the beach.

Sa Ràpita, at the far end of the park from Colònia de Sant Jordi, adds about 1.1 km of sand with large dunes and a pine wood behind. At Es Trenc the water is shallow over fine sand.

The coves are a different kind of day. Caló des Moro is about 30 m by 20 m, and Cala s'Almunia about 30 m by 10 m, mostly taken up by fishermen's sheds and boat ramps. Cala Llombards has about 55 m of fine sand between cliffs, and Cala Santanyí about 70 m. Turespaña rates occupancy as high at both of these.

Choose Es Trenc for space and sand. Choose the coves for rocks to explore with a mask; Cala Santanyí even has a diving school.

Es TrencSa RàpitaCaló des MoroCala s'AlmuniaCala LlombardsCala Santanyí

Which are the beaches near Colònia de Sant Jordi?

Colònia de Sant Jordi has its own town beach, Es Port, about 160 m of sand beside the harbour. Es Carbó is a 1 km walk from the town, Es Trenc can be reached from it, and Es Caragol is a walk of about 1.5 km from Ses Salines lighthouse.

Es Port is a town beach with restaurants and shops close by. You can hire sunbeds and parasols, and there are showers and rescue floats. Boats leave from the harbour for the Cabrera archipelago. The beach is on the 2026-2027 Blue Flag list, jointly with Es Dolç, and the Govern's tests rated its water excellent in 2024 and 2025.

Es Carbó is about 1.4 km of very fine white sand that you reach only on foot or by boat. It lies in the Migjorn de Mallorca marine reserve, where snorkelling is permitted throughout. Litter bins are the only service, so bring your own water, shoes and a mask. Posidonia leaves often cover parts of the beach.

Es Caragol has no road access. You walk along the shore from Ses Salines lighthouse, or come by boat. The regional tourism site calls it the southernmost beach of Mallorca. About 500 m of white sand backs onto a dune system. Turespaña notes moderate waves, and there is no official water-quality sampling point.

Colònia de Sant JordiEs CarbóEs CaragolEs Trenc

Which beaches are near Santanyí?

The beaches near Santanyí are coves: Cala Santanyí, 5.3 km from the town, Cala Llombards at about 7 km, and the small walk-in coves Caló des Moro and Cala s'Almunia, reached on foot from Cala Llombards. Mondragó Natural Park, 8.7 km away, has two more: S'Amarador and Cala Mondragó.

Caló des Moro is usually very busy. The regional tourism site lists it among the most popular beaches in the south and advises you to come early in the morning. In 2024 the mayor said thousands of people pass through every day. You walk in about 1 to 1.5 km.

Cala s'Almunia has no services and a steep staircase unsuited to wheelchairs. Wear bathing shoes: the rocks at the shore are often slippery with green algae. Cala Llombards is simpler, with a car park near the beach, sunbed and umbrella hire and a bus 517 stop. The Govern's tests rated its water excellent in 2024 and 2025.

Cala Santanyí has showers, and bars and restaurants around it. It has an accessible platform, as do Cala Gran and Cala Llombards. Bus 516 stops at Cala Santanyí.

Mondragó Natural Park has been protected since 1992. S'Amarador and Cala Mondragó, also called sa Font de n'Alis, are both on the 2026-2027 Blue Flag list. A 400 m coastal path links them. Dogs must stay on a leash and off the beaches, and drones are not permitted.

Caló des MoroCala s'AlmuniaCala LlombardsCala SantanyíS'AmaradorCala Mondragó

Which are the beaches near Cala d'Or and Porto Colom?

The beaches near Cala d'Or are five small sand coves in and around the resort: Cala d'Or, Cala Gran, Cala Esmeralda, Cala Ferrera and Cala Serena. Between Cala d'Or and Porto Colom lies Cala sa Nau, then Cala Marçal by the harbour entrance and s'Arenal near the lighthouse.

Cala Gran is the largest beach in the resort, with fine white sand and shallow, calm water. Restaurants and a playground sit behind it, and lifeguards are listed in summer. Cala Ferrera, about 100 m by 60 m, lies at the head of a deep bay. The Felanitx council lists a lifeguard, toilets, showers and a bar, and many families come here.

Cala Esmeralda has about 25 m of fine sand below cliffs, with parking next to the beach. Turespaña calls Cala Esmeralda and Cala Serena perfect for children. Cala Serena, about 40 m long, is reached by stairs from parking about 400 m away, and the beach has no services. Cala d'Or itself is a small cove with sunbathing terraces.

Buses 428 and 515 stop at Cala Ferrera-Cala Serena, and bus 515 starts at Cala Esmeralda.

Cala sa Nau, Cala Marçal and s'Arenal in Porto Colom are all on the 2026-2027 Blue Flag list. The Felanitx council calls Cala Marçal the largest beach in Portocolom, about 150 m by 120 m. Its water is shallow over sand, with ramps down to the shore. Cala sa Nau sits at the head of a 350 m deep bay, where pine forest gives shade in summer.

Cala d'OrCala GranCala EsmeraldaCala FerreraCala SerenaCala Sa NauCala MarçalPorto Colom

How hard is parking at Es Trenc and the coves?

Parking at Es Trenc is in two large car parks: the public Sa Barralina, with about 526 spaces and a daily charge, and the private Na Tirapel, for about 400 cars. The coves have smaller car parks, often a walk or a staircase away from the sand.

You can enter the Es Trenc park from sa Ràpita, ses Covetes, Colònia de Sant Jordi or the Na Tirapel car park. In the busiest months, a roadside panel on the Ma-6040 shows free spaces at Na Tirapel. The Govern asks visitors to come by bus where they can: lines 508 and 518 run to sa Ràpita, and 517 to Colònia de Sant Jordi.

In sa Ràpita and ses Covetes, the Campos council's 2019 rules charge for street parking from 1 June to 30 September. Cala Pi has a free car park, then signposted steps down to the sand.

Mondragó Natural Park has a public car park at each beach, with toilets, tables and benches nearby. In summer a contracted company charges for them; off season they are free. The 2022 park plan caps the two car parks at 394 cars. Bus 521 runs from Cala d'Or via Portopetro to the Cala Mondragó stop.

Near Santanyí, cars are the hard part. Since 2018 the council has limited the s'Almunia village to residents' vehicles, so you park at Cala Llombards and walk. Cala sa Nau has a car park 500 m from the beach, reached by a stone staircase.

Es TrencSa RàpitaCala PiS'AmaradorCala MondragóCaló des MoroCala s'AlmuniaCala Sa Nau

Which wind is calm on the south coast of Mallorca?

On the south coast of Mallorca, a north wind (tramontana) leaves most beaches sheltered. An east wind spares Es Trenc, Es Carbó, Es Caragol and s'Arenal in Porto Colom. A west wind spares Mondragó, Cala Llombards, Cala Marçal, Cala sa Nau and the coves from Cala Esmeralda to Cala Serena. No beach here is sheltered from a south wind.

The shelter we describe here is our estimate from the direction each beach faces, not a forecast. Cala Pi faces south down a deep inlet, and the regional tourism site names it as a place for days when the tramontana or the llevant (east wind) blows. Rocks placed across Cala s'Almunia close it in further, and Turespaña says this shelters it well.

The two halves of the coast face different ways. Es Trenc, Es Carbó and Es Caragol face south-west, so an east wind blows from behind them and a west wind blows onto them. Cala Mondragó, S'Amarador, Cala Esmeralda and Cala Ferrera face south-east or east, so the pattern turns around. On an east-wind day, head for Es Trenc, Es Carbó or Es Caragol; on a west-wind day, head for Mondragó, Cala Llombards or Cala Esmeralda.

In Porto Colom, the regional tourism site notes that s'Arenal is sheltered from winds from the north-east and south-east quadrants. The water there is about 4 m deep 200 m from the shore, over sand. For today, check the live swim scores at the top of this page and the flags on the beach.

Cala PiCala s'AlmuniaEs TrencEs CarbóEs CaragolCala MondragóS'AmaradorCala EsmeraldaCala FerreraPorto ColomCala LlombardsCala MarçalCala Sa NauCala Serena