With clear, crystalline waters and beautiful sandy coves backed by lush green hillsides, It’s no secret that the west coast beaches are some of the finest on the island.
Whilst on your Ibiza holiday, exploring these stunning paradise points should always be on your list. Of course, you can spend your day waiting on buses or taxis to ferry you around, but why not hand your travel over to a boat cruise that can take charge of it all? That's where Float Your Boat beach hop cruise comes in.
But don’t just take our word for it; read on to dive into our fantastic adventure touring the beautiful west coast of the island with them.
Kicking off at 11:00 from San Antonio harbour, our catamaran chauffeur was easy to spot thanks to the Float Your Boat flags waving in the breeze. A double-decker (with a little extra space below for its glass bottom), it’s a big vessel whose size is ideal for the experienced sailor, or those finding their sea legs for the first time.
Once on board, we headed straight to the top deck to grab the best seats and make sure we didn't waste any tanning time. The trip is six hours in total, with our route taking in the beautiful golden sands of Cala Bassa and Cala Conta beaches, not forgetting a stop near Cala Tarida beach for lunch and fun on the open water.
While this isn’t a party boat as such, with the great tunes, an open bar, and Ibiza energy surrounding you, it's hard not to get into the spirit of it all as we embarked on our journey.
We know that everything looks better in the sunshine, but truly, the landscape and coastline of Ibiza are impossible not to marvel at. The contrast between the rugged stone cliffs, lined with lush green trees, and the bright blue sky is something to behold.
As we glided across the open waters, we spotted rock formations that gave way to small, pebbly inlets, secret, tiny coves accessible only by small boats, and large caverns - just about big enough for us to squeeze into.
It was a tight fit, but our captain expertly manoeuvred us into the cave with ease.
In no time, we had our first sandy destination of Cala Bassa beach in sight.
Just before reaching it, the tannoy rang out with two vital pieces of information. Firstly, the bar closes shortly, so make sure your cup is filled before hitting the beach, and secondly, we were to return for 13:00 sharp - because this boat won’t wait.
We were given roughly an hour on Cala Bassa, which was plenty of time to settle into our spot at the water's edge.
Although the September temperatures had a cooler edge, it was still a blazing hot day, and the crystal-clear water offered some relief. Surrounded by beautiful sabina trees, the long sandy beach boasts a great collection of restaurants and boutiques. However, the stunning, glass-like water is the star attraction. It was dazzling.
Make sure to bring your own goggles so you can dive into the underwater world and watch the sun sparkle from above.
Back on the boat at 13:00 (yes, we were top-star passengers), we were soon sailing towards the bay of Cala Tarida for our lunch stop and time in the Mediterranean playground.
On the way, we passed Es Picatxos, a family of naturally sculpted limescale formations, just at the tip of the island; s’lla des Bosc.
Lunch was then served, with a great selection of salads, pizza slices and fruit, with the instructions to fill our stomachs and enjoy this time as we pleased. Sunseekers hit the top deck, while others relaxed downstairs with a leisurely lunch and a little fish spotting through the boat's glass bottom.
For the water babies - that would be me - this was our time.
With body boards, paddle boards, snorkels, and even a water slide, there’s no excuse to not jump in. The turquoise blue water was incredible to play in, whether diving down to meet the fish or attempting to find some balance on the paddleboards. Here, the white sandy seabed makes it seem like shallow water, but dive in, and you’ll soon see how vast and deep it is.
While this may make some feel slightly nervous, there is no need, as the crew is out amongst the group in kayaks, so everyone can feel comfortable and safe.
After some time splashing around, we were hailed back on board to make our way to our final destination, Cala Conta beach.
Cala Conta is another beloved bay, and as such can get quite busy. However, as it’s made up of two pretty beaches and a ‘secret’ cove (Es Racó d'en Xic) just a few moments' walk away, you can always find a spot to squeeze in your towel. Different to Cala Bassa, Cala Conta is backed by dunes and natural whitewashed rock formations; however, the water is just as divine and inviting.
Here we dozed, sunbathed, and splashed about in the sea for our final hour before our glorious day came to its end.
The homeward stretch of the journey took us back to the San Antonio harbour, granting us one last glimpse of Ibiza's beautiful coast and natural beauty. We arrived back sun-soaked and salty-haired, and with nothing but good memories to share about our day with Float Your Boat.
We hope you enjoyed reading about our day as much as we did experiencing it. In truth, this article could have been double the size; there was so much of the day we loved. This is an Ibiza Adventure we must insist you embark on.
Departing twice a day from San Antonio, from April until the end of October, the Float Your Boat Beach hop offers two different trips daily. Choose between a day on a catamaran cruise taking Cala Salada and Cala Saladeta, with an Aquarium and swim stop included, or Cala Bassa and Cala Conta (in the day or at sunset) with a swim stop to break up your beach time.
