Formentera Full-Day All-Inclusive Boat Trip from Ibiza

Playa d'en Bossa and the crossing

Playa d'en Bossa is the longest beach on Ibiza, a three-kilometre stretch of sand just south of Ibiza Town, with views of the walled old town of Dalt Vila on its hill. Your boat leaves from here in the morning, making it easy to reach from the capital and the hotels along the beach. A Playa d'en Bossa boat trip also avoids the busy ferry terminal.

The crossing to Formentera takes about 45 minutes. The boat passes the salt flats and dunes of the Ses Salines Natural Park and then threads through Es Freus, the narrow channel between Ibiza and Formentera dotted with small islets, lighthouses and sandbanks. The water changes colour as it becomes shallower, a first sign of what is waiting on the other side.

Espalmador

Espalmador is a small, privately owned islet just north of Formentera, protected as part of the Ses Salines Natural Park. It has no roads or villages, only dunes, juniper bushes and the long white beach of S'Alga, where sailing boats anchor in calm, clear water. Because it is protected, boats cannot dock, so the boat anchors offshore for your first swim.

Jump in from the boat and enjoy about 30 minutes of swimming or snorkelling over the sandy seabed. An Espalmador boat trip is one of the few ways to see the islet, since there is no ferry service. The water here is often calm even when the open sea is choppy, making it a perfect introduction to the day.

Ses Illetes beach

Ses Illetes is the beach that made Formentera famous. It lies on a narrow tongue of sand at the northern tip of the island, with shallow water on both sides in shades of turquoise and emerald that look almost tropical. It is regularly named among the best beaches in Europe, and its clarity comes from the meadows of posidonia seagrass that cover the seabed, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The boat anchors in front of the beach for about two hours. You can snorkel, try the paddleboards, float on the inflatables or simply relax on deck while lunch is cooked on board: roast chicken, pasta salad, a vegan salad and fresh fruit. Boats cannot dock at Ses Illetes, so the swimming is from the boat, which keeps the experience calm and uncrowded.

Free time on Formentera

Around early afternoon the boat docks on Formentera and you have about five hours to explore the island your way. Close to the harbour you can walk to quiet beaches, while taxis, local buses and rental scooters or cars take you further afield. The small capital has a whitewashed 18th-century church that once doubled as a fortress, and the resort of Es Pujols has a lively seafront.

Further south, the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse stands on a wild, rocky plateau with views over the open sea, and the cliffs of La Mola rise on the eastern side of the island. Near the harbour, the salt lagoon of Estany Pudent often attracts flamingos. How to get to Formentera from Ibiza without the stress of ferry timetables? This day trip combines the crossing, the swim stops and free time in one booking.

The return to Ibiza

At 18:00 the boat leaves Formentera for the return cruise, with music on board and unlimited soft drinks and water. As the light softens, you sail back through Es Freus with views of the islets and the salt flats, and the silhouette of Dalt Vila appears on the horizon as you approach Ibiza.

The boat arrives back at Playa d'en Bossa about 45 minutes later, ending a full day of about 10 hours at sea and on land. The best time to visit Formentera is from late May to early October, when the sea is warm and the boat runs daily; June and September are especially pleasant, with fewer visitors on the beaches.