You take the winding road out of San Josep and the pine trees suddenly drop away. Cala Tarida sits right there below you. It is a massive sweep of white sand. The water gets incredibly blue in the shallows. And you actually get plenty of space to lay out a towel compared to those cramped rocky coves further up the northern coast. Low cliffs block the worst of the afternoon wind that usually picks up around 4 PM. I always head straight for the southern end where the sand merges into flat rocks you can just walk off and dive directly into the sea.
Two Different Sides of the Beach
The middle of the bay gets loud fast. Big beach clubs dominate this stretch and waitstaff are constantly running €18 mojitos out to the front row of padded loungers. Bass thumps from the speakers all afternoon. It’s the place to be if you want to sit right in the middle of a massive crowd.
But walk five minutes in either direction and the noise completely disappears. Families claim these outer edges because the water stays ankle-deep for ages. Kids can splash around the sandbanks for hours without getting out of their depth. The water clarity changes dramatically depending on the time of day. By 3 PM all the tourist boat traffic offshore kicks up the sandy bottom and turns the water cloudy.
Food and Getting on the Water
Lunch here goes way beyond a basic foil-wrapped bocadillo. Several restaurants overhang the cliffside and serve fantastic grilled seafood. You need to book a terrace table at least two days in advance if you want to eat during sunset. Paying the ridiculous restaurant markup for a whole sea bass hurts a little less when you are watching the sky turn neon orange over the water from a good vantage point.
Down on the sand you can rent jet skis. Or you can book a parascending trip. I usually just bring a mask and swim out to the rocky outcrops on the far edges of the bay. Snorkeling here is genuinely good when the surface is dead flat. Look closely inside the dark crevices and you will spot an octopus waiting out the daylight.
Parking and Practical Details
Driving to the bay is simple. Parking is a total nightmare. Show up after 11 AM on a Tuesday in August and you are going to leave your Fiat Panda on a dusty verge half a mile up the hill. Do yourself a favor and get there early.
You can rent umbrellas and chairs right on the beach. There are public showers near the main wooden walkways. Avoid the independent Euronet ATM near the parking strip. That machine charges a flat €3.95 withdrawal fee no matter what bank you use. Bring enough cash from town instead.
Timing Your Afternoon
The smartest move is arriving mid-afternoon. Bring a towel and swim for a few hours while the sun is still high enough to keep you warm. Then you pack up your stuff. Move up to one of the bare rocks on the southern edge and grab a drink before the sun actually goes down. You skip the brutal midday heat completely. The whole crowd starts clapping when the sun finally drops below the horizon. You will find yourself joining in.
Recommended experiences
A few bookable experiences related to this topic:
Photo: Gottfried Hoffmann -…, via Wikimedia Commons