Malgrats Islands Boat Trip with Swimming and Snorkelling Mallorca
- Duration3.5 hours
- Daily
- Group
- Pickup available
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Overview
This Mallorca boat trip is a shared three-and-a-half-hour catamaran cruise along the south-west coast, with a return transfer from Playa de Palma to the boat in Santa Ponsa. Our default option collects you at 12:10 on the seafront of Playa de Palma. Once on board, you relax on the spacious sundeck while the boat heads for the protected waters of the marine reserves around the Malgrats Islands, where it stops for swimming and snorkelling over colourful underwater landscapes. Masks and snorkels are provided against a refundable deposit, and food and drinks can be bought on board. It suits families, couples and friends who want a relaxed day at sea. Other options with transfers from Can Pastilla, S'Arenal or Magaluf, or boarding directly in Santa Ponsa or Paguera, are available.
Highlights
- Return transfer from Playa de Palma to the boat in Santa Ponsa
- Three-and-a-half-hour catamaran cruise along Mallorca's south-west coast
- Protected waters of the Malgrats Islands marine reserve
- Swimming and snorkelling stop over colourful underwater landscapes
- Masks and snorkels provided against a refundable deposit
- Spacious sundeck and restroom on board
- Food and drinks available to buy on board
Full Description
From Playa de Palma to Santa Ponsa
Your day starts on the seafront of Playa de Palma, the long sandy beach east of the city, where our transfer collects you at the corner of Carrer Marbella. The drive follows the ring road around Palma and the motorway west through the municipality of Calvià, with views of the bay and the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana in the distance, and the vehicle may stop for other guests on the way.
Santa Ponsa, about 20 kilometres west of Palma, sits at the head of a deep, sheltered inlet framed by pine-covered headlands. From its pier the catamaran sets out along the coast. This combination of transfer and cruise makes it one of the easiest Santa Ponsa boat trips for anyone staying in the east of the bay, with no need to drive or find parking.
The Malgrats Islands marine reserve
The Malgrats Islands are a pair of small, rocky islets just off the headland between Santa Ponsa and Port Adriano. Uninhabited and covered in low scrub, they are a nesting place for seabirds, and since 2004 the surrounding waters have been protected as a marine reserve, where fishing is strictly limited.
The result is a seabed full of life: meadows of posidonia seagrass, rocky reefs and sandy channels where shoals of fish gather in water that is often clear to a depth of many metres. A Malgrats Islands boat trip is one of the best ways to see this side of Mallorca, as the islets can only be reached by sea and the reserve rules keep the area unspoiled.
El Toro and the south-west coast
Next to the Malgrats lies El Toro, a single rocky islet off the village of the same name and another marine reserve created in 2004. Together the two reserves protect one of the richest stretches of seabed in the Balearic Islands, and the coast between them alternates between low cliffs, small coves and the modern marina of Port Adriano.
From the catamaran you follow this coastline at an easy pace, with the open sea on one side and the pine-covered hills of Calvià on the other. It is the moment to settle onto the sundeck, enjoy the sun and the breeze, and watch the colour of the water change from deep blue to turquoise as the boat approaches the shallows.
Swimming and snorkelling in the reserves
The highlight of the trip is the swimming stop in the protected waters of the reserves, where the captain anchors in a calm spot chosen according to the wind and the sea. You can jump in from the boat, swim around it or float on the surface and look down at the seabed.
Masks and snorkels are provided against a refundable deposit, and even beginners can see fish close to the surface: damselfish, wrasse, bream and, with luck, an octopus hiding among the rocks. For anyone wondering where to go snorkelling in Mallorca, the marine reserves of the south-west are among the most rewarding places on the island. Afterwards you dry off on the sundeck before the cruise back to the pier and the transfer to Playa de Palma.
Itinerary
- Transfer from Playa de PalmaPickup at 12:10 at the corner of Carrer Marbella on the seafront, then a drive west to Santa Ponsa.
- Boarding in Santa PonsaBoard the catamaran at the pier and find a spot on the sundeck.
- Cruise along the south-west coastA relaxed cruise along the cliffs and coves of Calvià towards the protected waters.
- Malgrats Islands and El Toro reservesThe boat reaches the marine reserves around the islets.
- Swimming and snorkelling stopTime to swim and snorkel over colourful underwater landscapes, then sunbathe on deck.
- Return and transfer backThe boat returns to the pier after about three and a half hours, and you are back in Playa de Palma about an hour later.
What's included
- 3.5-hour boat trip along the southwest coast
- Swimming stop in the marine reserves
- Masks and snorkels (refundable deposit)
- Spacious sundeck
- Restroom on board
Not included
- Food and drinks (available to buy on board)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Is this right for you?
Great for
- Families with children — a child price for ages 3–11
- Travellers without a car — hotel pickup is included
- Anyone who wants to see it from the water
- A half-day plan — about 3.5 hours
Think twice if
- You want a private tour — this one is shared with other travellers
- You get seasick easily
Not suitable for
- People with mobility impairments
- Wheelchair users
Meeting point
With the default option, our transfer collects you at 12:10 at the corner of Carrer Marbella in Playa de Palma, at the stop by the hotel on the seafront side. Please be there 10 minutes early. You return to the same point about one hour after the boat trip ends. Other options in the booking panel include transfers from Can Pastilla, S'Arenal and Magaluf, or boarding directly at the pier in Santa Ponsa or Paguera without transfer. We confirm your pickup point and time on WhatsApp.
Important information
- Be at the pickup point 10 minutes before the scheduled time
- Bring swimwear, a towel and biodegradable sunscreen
- Masks and snorkels require a refundable cash deposit
- Food and drinks are not included but can be bought on board
- The captain may change the route due to weather and sea conditions
- Allow about one hour after the boat trip for the transfer back
- There is a restroom on board
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private experience?
It is a shared catamaran trip with other travellers, with a shared transfer from Playa de Palma in the default option.
How long does the boat trip take?
The boat trip lasts about three and a half hours, plus the transfer time; you are back in Playa de Palma about one hour after the boat returns.
Is hotel pickup included?
The default option includes a return transfer from a fixed meeting point in Playa de Palma to the pier in Santa Ponsa. Options from Can Pastilla, S'Arenal and Magaluf are also available.
What is included?
The return transfer, the three-and-a-half-hour boat trip along the south-west coast, a swimming stop in the marine reserves, masks and snorkels (refundable deposit), the sundeck and a restroom on board.
Is the price per person or per group?
The price is per person, with a reduced rate for children aged 3 to 11. The booking panel on this page shows the current price of each option.
Where are the Malgrats Islands?
They are two small rocky islets off the coast between Santa Ponsa and Port Adriano, in the municipality of Calvià, protected as a marine reserve.
Is it suitable for children or people with reduced mobility?
Children enjoy the swim stop and the sundeck. The trip is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments.
What should I bring?
Swimwear, a towel, biodegradable sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and a small cash deposit for the snorkel equipment.
What is the best season for this trip?
From June to October the sea is warm and visibility is usually excellent; September is especially pleasant, with warm water and fewer crowds.
What happens in bad weather?
The captain may change the route or the swim spot for safety. If the sea is too rough, the trip may be moved, and we contact you on WhatsApp.
Can I board in Santa Ponsa without the transfer?
Yes. The booking panel offers options to board directly at the pier in Santa Ponsa or Paguera if you are staying nearby.
How do I book and confirm?
Choose your pickup point and date in the booking panel and complete the booking. Our team confirms your place and pickup time on WhatsApp within minutes.
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