Drive 15 minutes north of the Sant Antoni roundabout. The superclubs vanish. You hit a steep road flanked by pines dropping needles straight onto the tarmac. Then you see the sand. I love this spot. It feels like the Ibiza from 1994, before the massive VIP sections took over the south coast.
The Sand and the Rocks
Reddish cliffs sit on the left side. Old wooden boathouses line the right. The water clarity rivals Formentera. It goes dead flat in the morning. By 9 AM on a Sunday the local families already have the flat rocks claimed. They haul down massive blue coolboxes and green umbrellas to set up camp long before the hungover crowds wake up. And they do not leave until dinner.
Getting Past the Summer Gate
Traffic used to be a nightmare here. So the council installed a physical barrier. If you try driving down between June and September you have to park way up the hill near the municipal sports centre. Walking down takes 15 minutes. Walking back up at 6 PM in a wet swimsuit takes a lot longer. Just grab a taxi from Sant Antoni. It runs about 12 euros. The drivers have access to drop you much closer to the sand.
Walking Over to Cala Saladeta
Look across the water. That other strip of sand is Cala Saladeta. Getting there means crossing the rocky headland. People always try the lower path first and end up scrambling over jagged boulders while dropping their towels. Take the higher dirt trail. It saves your ankles. Once you cross over you will find zero facilities. No toilets and no drinks. Just flat rocks and stupidly clear water.
The Restaurant on the Sand
Restaurant Cala Salada is the only food option. It sits right on the edge of the beach. Nobody here cares about trendy decor. They just serve massive pans of seafood paella for around 25 euros a person. You grab a white plastic chair under the awning and eat fresh squid. They usually have a guy writing names on a clipboard near the kitchen door. Call a week ahead in August. Otherwise you are eating warm potato chips for lunch.
When to Actually Go
Check the wind before you pack your bag. East winds mean flat water. A strong westerly breeze traps the waves in the cove and churns up the sand. October is my favorite time to visit. The council removes the parking barrier. The sea holds onto the late summer heat. Stay for the sunset since the beach faces dead west. The sun drops straight into the Mediterranean while the sky turns a bruised purple color. Then everybody packs up their cars in the dark.
Recommended experiences
A few bookable experiences related to this topic:
Photo: Honeymoneybunny, via Wikimedia Commons