South-east Mallorca calas by private yacht
A private yacht charter along Mallorca's south-east calas opens up a coast that is hard to enjoy by land: narrow turquoise inlets between pine-topped cliffs, from Cala Llombards and Caló des Moro to the Mondragó Natural Park, Cala Figuera and Portocolom. From the water, each cove comes to you on your own schedule.
The south-east coast of Mallorca, from Cala Llombards in Santanyí up to Portocolom in Felanitx, is lined with calas: narrow inlets cut into limestone cliffs, with Aleppo pines growing almost to the waterline, a pocket of pale sand at the head and water that shifts from turquoise to deep blue. Between the coves sit harbours with character, from the Y-shaped, fjord-like inlet of Cala Figuera to the compact quay at Portopetro and the wide natural harbour of Portocolom. Near Cala Santanyí, the sea has carved Es Pontàs, a limestone arch standing just off the cliffs that is best appreciated from the water.
By land, many of these coves mean steep paths, limited parking and, in peak season, a long wait. Caló des Moro is the famous example: a sliver of white sand below pine-topped cliffs that fills early in the day. Arriving by private yacht changes the experience entirely. Your captain plans the route around the wind and the crowds, pausing off the quieter coves for a swim, then moving on for lunch in Cala Figuera or Portopetro. Because the coast lies well east of Palma, a fast motor or sport yacht suits a full day, while a multi-day charter lets you stay overnight in Cala d'Or marina or Portocolom and add the Cabrera National Park, where permits allow.
Around Cala Mondragó lies a natural park, declared in 1992 and part of the Natura 2000 network, with a dune system at s'Amarador, two coastal ponds and marked footpaths through wild olive scrub, juniper and Aleppo pine. Anchoring over the protected Posidonia seagrass is banned, so your captain looks for sand or an authorised mooring. The coves face south and east, which makes them calmest when the wind blows off the land. June and September usually bring warm water and quieter coves. Whichever yacht you choose, every charter runs with a professional captain.
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Caló des Moro
A tiny wedge of white sand framed by steep, pine-clad rock, with the ledges of Cala s'Almunia next door. Busy on foot in high summer, it is at its most striking seen from the deck.
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Mondragó Natural Park
A protected stretch of dunes, coastal ponds, Mediterranean scrub and pines around the twin beaches of s'Amarador and ses Fonts de n'Alis.
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Cala Figuera
A working fishing harbour in a narrow, forked inlet, lined with boathouses whose doors open straight onto the water.
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Cala Llombards and Es Pontàs
A narrow, cone-shaped cove of fine sand between pine-clad slopes, with fishermen's boathouses on its rocky shore and rock shelves around it that suit snorkelling. The water is clear and shallow over a gently sloping seabed, and the arch of Es Pontàs stands a short way along the coast towards Cala Santanyí.
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Caló des Moro and Cala s'Almunia
Two neighbouring coves on the same stretch of coast. The first is a small pocket of white sand, while s'Almunia offers rock ledges and little sandy patches, rewarding for snorkelling. Your captain stops on a sandy patch clear of the seagrass, where the rules allow, and guests swim in.
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Cala Mondragó
The beaches of s'Amarador and ses Fonts de n'Alis share a sheltered bay inside the natural park, backed by dunes and pines. It is a calm swim stop on settled days, with clear water along the rocky sides and no fishing permitted along the park's coast.
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Portocolom
One of the largest natural harbours on Mallorca, well sheltered from the swell, with traditional llaüts moored beside yachts. Mooring buoys in the bay can be requested online through Club Nàutic Portocolom, which is worth doing ahead of a summer visit, and the sandy coves of Cala Marçal and s'Arenal lie close by.
Ashore
- Walk the waterfront of Cala Figuera, where boathouses known as escars open onto the water and the nets and crates of the local fishing boats are still part of the scene, then lunch on a harbour terrace there or in Portopetro.
- Follow one of the five signposted footpaths through Mondragó, from short loops to walks of about an hour, past dunes, wild olive scrub, pines and the coastal ponds, in a park that has released Hermann's tortoises to help their numbers recover. The information centre stands by the ses Fonts de n'Alis car park.
- Browse the Wednesday or Saturday market in Santanyí, a short drive inland, where honey-coloured marès sandstone, the church of Sant Andreu, the old gateway of Sa Porta Murada and a cluster of art galleries surround Plaça Major.
- In Portocolom, stroll past the painted fishermen's houses along the harbour and out towards the black-and-white lighthouse at the entrance, or drive up to the hilltop Santuari de Sant Salvador near Felanitx. For days ashore, SERMAN RENT, our sister company in the SERMAN group, offers premium car rental.
Charter experiences
Day charter
A full day at sea in Mallorca: quiet coves, long swims and lunch on deck, with a captain at the helm.
Week charter
A week across the Balearics on a crewed yacht, waking each morning in a different bay.
Celebrations
Birthdays, anniversaries and proposals on a private yacht, with the sea as the venue.
Questions South-east calas
/ 01Can we visit the south-east calas on a day charter from Palma?
Yes, on the right yacht. It is a long run along the south coast, so a fast motor or sport yacht leaves time for a few swim stops and lunch, for example Cala Llombards, Caló des Moro and Cala Figuera. On a slower yacht with cabins, the calas are better suited to a multi-day charter with an overnight in Cala d'Or or Portocolom. Cruising time always depends on the yacht and the sea state.
/ 02Can a yacht stop at Caló des Moro?
Yes, where the seabed and the rules allow. The cove is very small and Posidonia seagrass is protected throughout the Balearics, so your captain anchors on sand off the cove or off neighbouring Cala s'Almunia, outside any buoyed swimming area, and guests swim in. In peak season the beach fills early, so a morning visit or a quieter cove nearby is often the better choice.
/ 03When is the best time to visit the calas of south-east Mallorca by yacht?
The season runs from late spring into autumn. May, June, September and October usually bring calmer coves and easier access to the most popular inlets, while July and August are the busiest months. The coast faces south and east, so in any month your captain watches for easterly and southerly swell and adapts the route.
Let's plan your day at sea
Tell us your dates, your group and the kind of day you have in mind. We reply with yacht options and a route idea.