Saturday, August 1, 2009

Mallorca’s most appealling beaches, part 2

And here are some more of Mallorca's most stunning beaches (my favorites anyway), where you can soak up some sun, work on that tan, and have a wade in the calm sea; continued from part 1 (below):

* CALA TORTA – a beach beloved by locals and expats and popular with travellers on driving holidays, Cala Torta is reached by a winding road through a national park; turn-off just out of Artà on the road to Capdepera. Although the road was recently sealed, there’s still a very rocky, dirt section near the end. There’s a small beach bar and lifesavers, but no toilets, so watch where you step
when walking over the sand dunes!

* CALA MONDRAGO – in the south near Santanyi, these two adjoining sandy coves boast perhaps the clearest water of any of Mallorca’s beaches; while the first one gets crowded, the second cove is quieter.

* CALA D'OR - you'll find one of Mallorca's prettiest beaches, with aquamarine water that looks especially lovely in the late afternoon, just in front of the hotel of the same name. Surrounded by low cliffs and white Ibiza-style houses belonging to affluent Spaniards from Barcelona and Madrid, aside from hotel guests, it's pretty much local-owners and wealthy holiday-makers. This is a beach that's worth checking into the hotel for.


* CALA SANT VICENÇ – several coves surrounded by rocky sandstone cliffs where the local teens like to lay their towels on the rocky ledges, flirt, and dive from the rocks. Far from unspoilt though, and the characterless town is comprised of little more than hotels and holiday houses. Don’t stay here, do a day trip instead.

* PORTO CRISTO – this fine beach has one of the loveliest settings, in a bay embraced by low cliffs, and on a day when the sea is sparkling diamonds, and kids are diving off the swimming pontoons, it can seem like one of the most stunning beaches in the world. This is a touristy town, though, with the road running along the beach lined with takeaway food places, generic restaurants, and souvenir shops. There are far worse places to spend a holiday on Mallorca though.

What have I left out? What are your favourite Mallorcan beaches?