Exploring the Island of Ibiza by Moped
Deciding to venture further a field along the south coast of Ibiza I made the choice to hire a moped (scooter) for the day, hoping to find it an easier way to travel around than on public transport.
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Aiyanna is charmingly eclectic, plain-spoken, sea-facing restaurant and beach set in Ibiza’s perfectly formed bay of Cala Nova.
Find loads of top tips and local insights in our Ibiza Beach Clubs.
Deciding to venture further a field along the south coast of Ibiza I made the choice to hire a moped (scooter) for the day, hoping to find it an easier way to travel around than on public transport.
Not to be confused with the ‘hidden’ beach S’Estanyol on the east of the island, this one is much larger, much more accessible and located over on the west coast in the San Antonio bay.
San Antonio’s main beach Playa de S’Arenal, is as close to the main town as you could wish to be. It is a long way from being one of Ibiza’s top beaches but it is central, accessible, youthful and has every amenity you could wish for; lifeguards to lounges, bouncy castles to burger king, S’Arenal has got you covered.
The Top 25 beaches in the world contains, as you might imagine, the idyllic settings of Brazil, Cuba, the Seychelles, the Whitsundays, South Africa and numerous other exotic destinations.
To experience some beautiful areas of Ibiza’s coastline you need to get yourselves up to the north of the island. Far more rugged in nature and much less built up than the populated south, northern Ibiza is home to a collection of small coves hemmed in by rugged cliffs with steep descents and views out to nothing but ocean.
If you’re looking for a little hideaway that’s not too far from the town but feels a world away then head to Serral beach in the Sant Joseph area of the San Antonio bay.
On a quiet Wednesday evening early in the season we decided that it was going to be a peach of a sunset and so heading to Benirras Beach in the north west was a definite on the days agenda.
The two beaches of Cala Conta and Cala Comte need little to no introduction, they are already famed throughout Ibiza and in San Antonio particularly for being two of the most stunning beaches in the immediate area.
Located only half an hour outside of San Antonio, but rarely visited by tourists, this under the radar beach is popular with Spanish families and locals and they are more than happy to keep it their little secret. A beautiful beach dotted with rocks for climbing and jumping off and with a healthy scattering of beach lounges and restaurants, this beach is a great spot to spend a day with the family.
Neighbouring beach Cala Conta tends to get all the hype for being the stunning beach in this area and there’s no denying that it is truly beautiful but with that reputation comes the crowds, so if you’re looking for something a little quieter, a little less well known but just as beautiful then keep on going until you find tiny, perfect Cala Codolar.
Las Salinas beach has long been listed as one of Ibiza’s top beaches, it’s long and wide with powder soft sand, luxury beach lounges and a backing of sand dunes and pine trees, not to mention its best feature – the crystal clear, strikingly blue sea with unhampered views out over the open ocean. Salinas is quite simply stunning.
Our handpicked favourite beach clubs on the island of Ibiza
Cala Corral is not a beach in the traditional sense but is no less beautiful for being a little unique. Located on the south-west coast of Ibiza in a stretch of coastline that is home to some stunning beaches such as Cala Bassa, Cala Conta and Cala Tarida.
Port de Sant Miquel has a lovely main beach that’s large enough to accommodate all the guests of its many imposing hotels and also provides every amenity those guests could require. But if serenity matters to you more than size and service, then you might want to take a wander to one of these two smaller and much calmer little beaches close by.
Many beaches dot the coastline of San Antonio Bay and Punta Xinxo is the very last of them. The furthest away from the main town and consequently one of the least visited in the bay, it’s not very large and its neighbour Pinet beach is noticeably prettier and livelier and so tends to draw more people.
These two pristine beaches are as beautiful as you will find any where in Ibiza, and they are an easy walk from the main town of San Antonio but feel a whole world away.
Playa es Pouet is easy walking distance from the centre of San Antonio and yet infinitely more appealing than its larger neighbour the main beach S’Arenal de San Antonio.
Cala Llentia is tucked into the south-west of Ibiza in a stretch of coastline that boasts some much bigger and much busier beaches. Cala Bassa, Cala Conta and Cala Tarida are all not far away but come the summer months these well-known beaches draw the crowds in a big way.