I always tell people to look past the superclubs when they head south. The municipality of Sant Josep de sa Talaia covers the entire southwest corner of the island. You drive past ancient salt flats and suddenly you hit jagged limestone drop-offs. The scale is huge. It feels completely different from the rest of the island.
Legends in the Limestone
The region gets its name from the highest point around. Sa Talaia sits exactly 475 meters above sea level. You get a clear panoramic view of the Mediterranean from the top. I usually try to make the hike right before sunrise. Down at the water level sits Es Vedrà. Local lore surrounds this sheer limestone rock completely. People talk about sirens and strange magnetic anomalies. Some even claim UFO sightings out over the water. It sits in a protected nature reserve alongside a smaller rock formation called Es Vedranell. The best place to look at it is from the sand at Cala d’Hort. You swim out into the turquoise water and this colossal grey shape just fills your entire line of sight.
Sand and Stone
Sitting at a traditional chiringuito on Cala d’Hort with a plate of fresh seafood is an absolute necessity. The beach bars right on the sand get very busy. If you want something quieter you should head to Cala Molí or Cala Codolar. These two coves sit tucked away from the main roads. The water is shallow and exceptionally clear. And then you have Platja d’en Bossa completely changing the pace just south of Ibiza Town. This is where the famous superclubs operate. The promenade is packed with restaurants and huge beachfront hotels right next to the water.
The Flamingos of Ses Salines
The wetland ecosystem stretches across the border into Ibiza Town. Ses Salines Natural Park holds UNESCO World Heritage status. Migratory birds stop here by the hundreds on their routes. If you visit between late summer and autumn you’ll see flamingos wading through the salt ponds. They feed in the shallow water next to giant piles of white salt that sit drying under the sun while the heat comes off the ponds in visible waves. You can rent a bike and ride the dirt trail network through the green pine forests. The contrast of the bright salt against the deep blue sky is striking.
Navigating the Southwest
Public transport rarely makes it out to the more remote coves. You need to rent a scooter or a car to actually get around. The parking around Cala d’Hort fills up entirely by midday. I learned to avoid arriving between 1 PM and 4 PM to save myself the headache of circling the lots. So going inland solves the lunch problem anyway. The traditional villages of Sant Agusti and Sant Josep serve heavy plates of authentic Ibizan stew. You sit at a wooden table in the square and eat fresh fish caught that morning. Later you can drive back to the coast near Cala d’Hort and grab a dinner table facing the sunset.