Palma Bay Boat Tour with Snorkelling from Can Pastilla Mallorca

Can Pastilla, the starting point on Playa de Palma

Can Pastilla sits at the western end of Playa de Palma, a few minutes from Palma airport and about ten kilometres from the city centre. It began as a small fishing settlement and grew into a seaside district with a marina, a long promenade and quiet streets of cafés and shops. From its waterfront you look along the whole curve of the bay towards the cathedral and the hills of the west.

Your boat departs from the boarding pier in Can Pastilla, which makes this one of the most convenient Bay of Palma boat trips for anyone staying on Playa de Palma or in S'Arenal. Boarding closes 20 minutes before the 15:00 departure, and parking nearby can be scarce, so taxis, city buses or a walk along the promenade are the easiest ways to arrive.

Playa de Palma from the water

Playa de Palma is one of the longest beaches on Mallorca, a ribbon of fine pale sand running about four and a half kilometres from Can Pastilla to S'Arenal. Along its promenade the beach kiosks, known as balnearios, are numbered from one end to the other, and locals use them to give directions. Behind the sand, the plain rises gently towards the inland villages.

From the boat you see the beach in one sweep, with the turquoise shallows where the seabed is sandy and the darker patches of seagrass further out. The skipper follows the shore east, and the change of scenery as the sand gives way to low cliffs and pine woods is one of the pleasures of this Palma snorkeling tour.

The Bay of Palma Marine Reserve

The Bay of Palma Marine Reserve protects the coast between Cala Blava and Cap Enderrocat, on the eastern side of the bay, and was created in 1982 to let fish stocks recover. Its seabed is covered by meadows of posidonia, a Mediterranean seagrass that filters the water and keeps it remarkably clear, while the rocks shelter bream, wrasse, damselfish, octopus and young groupers.

Fishing is restricted here, which is why snorkellers see so much life close to the surface. The crew shares what they know about the reserve and its ecosystem, subject to the time available, so you understand why these meadows matter for the whole island and how to snorkel without disturbing them.

Cala Vella and the swimming stop

Cala Vella is a small, sheltered cove below pine-topped limestone cliffs, reached easily by boat and much quieter than the main beaches. On calm days its water turns a bright turquoise over sand and rock, and the visibility is often excellent. When the sea allows, the boat stops in this cove or a similar hidden spot along the reserve.

This is the moment to dive in, swim around the boat or put on the mask and snorkel provided and explore the rocks. A refundable deposit is taken for the snorkel equipment, and life jackets are available for anyone who wants extra confidence in the water. Afterwards you can rinse off in the shower on board and sunbathe on deck before the return to Can Pastilla.