Most people driving to the southern tip of Ibiza follow the rental cars straight to Ses Salines. Take the unmarked dirt road just before the main beach instead. It drops you at Es Cavallet. A long, wild stretch of sand just sitting there behind the pine trees. The drive in takes you right through the active salt flats where the water turns a weird, vivid pink in late August thanks to the microorganisms living in the shallow ponds. Roll your windows down. You will smell the salt instantly.
The Watchtower and the Wind
A rocky headland blocks out the noise from Salinas. Torre des Carregador sits right on top of it. You can walk up to the 16th-century watchtower in ten minutes for a decent look at the coastline. And the water on this side is totally clear. Since the beach faces east it catches the morning sun perfectly but gets breezier around two in the afternoon, which is a massive relief if you happen to be dragging your bag around when the temperature hits 35 degrees. You will probably see dark piles of dry Posidonia seagrass washed up on the sand. The local council leaves it there on purpose to stop winter storms from eroding the beach.
The seabed stays shallow forever. You can wade out fifty meters and the water only reaches your waist.
The Nudist Area
Es Cavallet operates as one of the oldest official nudist beaches in Spain. The layout is simple. People in standard swimsuits usually stick to the northern end near the parking lot. Walk south toward the restaurants and the crowd becomes predominantly nudist and very gay-friendly. I’ve seen families with toddlers setting up their umbrellas right next to fully naked guys reading thick paperback thrillers. Nobody cares. Pick any spot that looks good.
Getting There and Finding Shade
You’ll need some patience to actually get there. The turnoff from the main Salinas road bounces you down a dusty unpaved track for a solid kilometer. The official dirt lot usually charges 8 euros for the day, and you should bring coins because the card machine loses signal constantly. If you arrive after 1 PM in August that lot is full. People just abandon their cars in the brush along the road. Do not do this. The local police absolutely will leave a 200 euro ticket under your wiper.
So take the L11 bus from Ibiza Town if you plan to arrive late. It drops you near the salt flats and you just walk the last twenty minutes.
Finding shade is your next problem. The natural pine trees sit far back behind the protected dunes where you aren’t allowed to pitch a tent. Down at the far end, Chiringay rents out heavy wooden double sunbeds. They book up weeks in advance. Walk in without a reservation on a Tuesday in peak season and you are probably eating your paella standing at the bar. Bring your own umbrella. Buy a five-liter jug of water at the Eroski supermarket in town beforehand because the beach kiosks charge six euros for a tiny plastic bottle.
Walking the Dunes
The sand dunes here rely on a fragile root system of coastal plants to stay together. That is why the park authority built raised wooden walkways. Walking straight through the brush kills the vegetation and the sand just collapses under you. Stick to the wooden paths for the two-minute walk from your car to the water.
When the late afternoon sun dips behind the salt flats, the day-trippers pack up. The whole beach empties out. It gets incredibly quiet.
Recommended experiences
A few bookable experiences related to this topic:
Photo: JanManu, via Wikimedia Commons