At 08:45, Spotlight’s two lucky seafarers arrived at the kiosk (in front of the Happiness Bar) in Figueretas - the neighbourhood that lies between Ibiza Town and Playa d’en Bossa. There we checked in for the excursion that starts at 09:15 and met Formentera Wonders' friendly boss, Toni.
We were delighted to hear that the company’s prized catamaran was waiting and ready to take us - and some 120 passengers more - on the five-hour cruise to Formentera. On the way, we would stop close to two iconic Formentera beaches: Es Palmador and Ses Illetes (frequently ranked among Europe’s top ten beaches).
On boarding, the eager daytrippers were welcomed by the crew with a smile and a magdalena (a typical Spanish cupcake). Nice touch!
When we were all aboard, we had a look round the boat, a two-deck catamaran. It holds up to 240 passengers, but Formentera Wonders limits the number of passengers on its excursions to just 120, meaning everyone has lots of room to spread out in comfort.
Our fellow travellers were a cosmopolitan crowd made up of couples, groups of friends and families.
Over the tannoy, crew members announced in English, Spanish and Italian our itinerary and schedule for the day ahead. Passengers can either return with the boat to Ibiza immediately on arrival in the port of Formentera or choose to have the day to themselves to explore and return on one of the company’s later excursions.
They also pointed out that the boat is well equipped for aquatic activities with paddle boards, sea scooters, snorkels, kayaks, a trampoline, a slide, and a bathing platform. You could just tell everyone was itching to try them out.
Duly informed, we took the chance to savour the tasty buffet breakfast provided, ranging from pastries and buns to freshly cut fruits.
As for drinks, the open bar serves a variety of fruit juices, soft drinks, teas and coffee as well as beer and several kinds of sangrias.
With the upbeat music in the background, we could immediately see people relaxing, chatting and having a good time.
Our first stop was offshore from Es Palmador - a low-lying islet about halfway between Ibiza and Formentera.
Here we had 30 minutes, plenty of time to take that longed-for first dip in the crystal-clear, aquamarine waters of the Balearic Sea and observe the seabed below with its bright green meadows of Neptune Grass and tiny, darting fishes. What a moment!
Some minutes later we moored at our second stop, at the famed beach of Ses Illetes. Here, the well-organised crew set about dividing the passengers up into those who wished to use snorkels and those who wanted stand-up paddles.
It is not possible to land on Ses Illetes (like Es Palmador, a nature reserve) by paddleboard, so the latter spent their time exploring the waters near the boat. The snorkellers and swimmers, on the other hand, set off for the beach, glimmering in the midday sun.
Kids loved the excursion and the crew took good care of them.
With 90 minutes to themselves on this longer stop, people had time to luxuriate on the beach and soak up the sun rays.
Others took the chance to stroll around enjoying the spectacular surroundings. Whatever you did, you could be sure of creating memories that would last a lifetime.
It’s an amazing place where the elements - sun, sky, sand and wind - come together to leave an indelible impression on those lucky enough to experience this slice of Mediterranean paradise.
Back on board, it was clear everyone had worked up a healthy appetite by now, so it was perfect timing when the crew announced that lunch was ready.
The highlight is a delicious, colourful paella (honestly, you wonder how they manage to prepare such a dish while at sea!). It was cooked just right: the rice was al dente and the seafood, chicken and vegetables were done to a T.
There was also a vegetarian menu with vegetable tabbouleh, hummus, crudités, as well as coeliac and gluten-free options.
The port of La Savina was just a few minutes away from this last stop. The vast majority of passengers chose to disembark there in order to discover the island at their own pace.
The Spotlight team, however, reluctantly set off on the return journey, all the while chatting with the crew and a handful of others as we crossed the waters back to Ibiza, enjoying the sight of a classic sailing boat en route.
To book your adventure at sea and in Formentera, head here.
