Cala Tarida Beach Review
A beach designed for adventurers, explorers & deep sea divers
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.
As you arrive to Cala Tarida you’ll spot signs pointing you to Tarida North or South but once you’re on the beach you’ll find it’s not an arduous journey from one end to the other; their distinction only really matters for access. If you arrive at Tarida North you’ll be descending to the beach via some fairly steep stone steps, there’s a slope running next to them but I wouldn’t recommend wheeling anyone you care about down it. If you need sensible easy access follow the signs for Tarida South where the road descends to beach level and a wooden walkway leads out across the sand.
Once on the beach there’s no bad place to stop but where you choose to set up camp will probably have more to do with the water than the sand. The sea here is exceptional, not quite so glass clear as some others along this coast but it makes up for it with is range of colours; in some places a bright turquoise and in other deep emerald green, the sea here is going to tempt you to spend most of your day submerged.
Rising out of the water all along the coastline are intriguing rock formations that make excellent spots for explorers to clamber over and snorkelers to investigate. Most of these rocky rises have to be swum or waded to but at the centre of the beach there is a little point of land like a small jut of headland and here you can climb directly up from the sand onto the flat rock. Around its base is a perfect rock-pooling area where you’ll find apprentice fishermen poised with their nets and buckets ready to scoop up tiny crabs and fish.
If you arrived without your fishing tackle don’t worry there are shops along the main road that are well stocked with fishing nets and snorkels as well as food, cold drinks and all the other beach necessities, and if you want to experience the sea on a deeper level you’ll also find a few dive shops located here too.
You might prefer to float on the water, rather than swim below it. If that's the case then you’re covered too by a range of water sports activities, including a Stand Up Paddle board place which encourages people to try out SUP Fitness including on board yoga, racing, and touring.
If that all sounds too energetic for you then worry not, this is a beautiful beach on which to just chill out and people watch, rent a sun bed and parasol for €10 a day or just lounge on the sand and watch the world go by. When the stress of this hard lifestyle gets to you and all that snorkelling works up an appetite then it’s time to visit one of Tarida’s excellent eateries, but which one?
For White Isle elegance go for fancy and famous Cotton Beach Club with its Asian fusion rooftop, Mediterranean terrace and beach lounger service. For hippy chic head to quirky Aisea chill out lounge with its reclaimed pallet seating, colourful floor cushions, fresh fruit cocktails and intriguing fruit tapas. For a rustic aesthetic visit Ses Eufabies, a restaurant half perched on, half carved from a mound of rock on the beach that looks like it’s been serving beach-goers since Ibiza began. The price is suitably rustic too, here you can get a coffee for €2, beer or soft drink for €2.50 and a glass of sangria for €5, as well as some truly delicious seafood.
Good luck making your decision but like the choice of where to sit there really is no bad option on this beach, every spot comes with a great view out over the deep green sea and this south facing outlook means you can enjoy the sun until late in the evening.
Visit Cala Tarida beach for a stunning family day out that’ll have explorers young and old exhausted by the end. A beautiful beach with stunning water, excellent eateries, beach clubs and all the amenities you’ll need near-by, including a lifeguard on duty all summer. You can access this beach easily from San Antonio by car, bus or water taxi and there really is no reason not to visit. Put Cala Tarida on your list for a beach day to remember.
