We spent 3 months during the summer of 2018 exploring the beaches of Mallorca. We tried not to go to the same beach twice, but there were a few that we loved and just had to go back. In the Mondragó Natural Park, located on the southeast coast of Mallorca just east of Santanyí, there are 3 beautiful beaches within walking distance of each other. They are Playa S’amarador, Cala Mondragó, and Cala d’en Borgit.
There are 2 ways to arrive. The first is to type S’amarador into Google Maps. This will lead you to the parking lot located to the west of the 3 beaches. You will need to walk about 5 minutes from the parking lot to S’amarador beach, the first, and largest of the 3 beaches. At the time of writing, Google Maps was leading us to a fork in the road where the road on the left was closed to non-residents. You will also get there by taking the road to the right but the route that Google Maps uses to get to S’amarador is definitely not the most direct route. The second option is to type Mondragó Natural Park into Google Maps. This will lead you to another parking lot, and from there you can walk down to Cala Mondragó in about 7 or 8 minutes (pictured above).
Mondragó Natural Park is about a 1 hour drive from Palma de Mallorca, but it’s worth it. The water is a beautiful blue and is great for taking photos. There are 3 food outlets on the beach. At the first beach, S’amarador, there is a small snack bar that sells sandwiches and ice cream. At Cala Mondragó, the middle beach, there are 2 full service restaurants right on the beach. The menu is extensive and includes typical Spanish tapas, pastas, pizzas, pork cutlets (chuletas) and much more. There are also many options for drinks, slushies, and ice cream. While the prices are slightly higher than what you might pay elsewhere, they really are quite reasonable.
As you approach the first beach (S’amarador) from the parking lot, you can cross the beach and reach a walk way along the rocks to reach Cala Mondragó. It only takes about 10 minutes to walk from Playa S’amarador to Cala Mondragó but the views of the blue water are stunning and there are many great photo ops along the way.
This photo to the right was taken on another day as we were walking back along the path from Cala Mondragó toward Playa S’amarador. While it might be tempting to jump off the rocks into the water, it is prohibited and there are a few people walking around to ensure nobody does it (during the summer months at least). It is quite difficult to judge the depth of the water from above.
The waves at S’amarador are sometimes a little more rough than the other 2 beaches because they roll in from the sea directly to the beach, versus Cala Mondragó or Cala d’en Borgit where the waves have to make a turn to hit the beach. In this photo to the left, Playa S’amarador is to the right, and Cala Mondragó is the the left. At Cala Mondragó, you can rent paddle boats with slides which are fun for kids (and adults!). They are surprisingly inexpensive. $15 for 30 minutes or $20 for 60 minutes.
Out of the 3 beaches, our favorite is actually Cala d’en Borgit (pictured to the right). It is the smallest out of the three beaches, but it is the least crowded because you have to walk for about 5 minutes from Cala Mondragó on a path through the woods. It is not a difficult path at all, but it is not clearly marked and I think many people don’t even realize it’s there.
If you try to reach Cala d’en Borgit, there is a sign that indicates the path to get there. Be aware that there is a long path that takes you along the coast line so that you can take in the views, and a short path that cuts through the woods and goes straight to the beach. If you pass by all of the picnic tables, you are on the right path (the shorter one). Also, there is no food available at Cala d’en Borgit, so if you plan to spend the day there, either take some food with you or be prepared to walk back to Cala Mondragó where there are two very good full service restaurants.
There are so many beaches and calas to visit in Mallorca that the number of options can be overwhelming. But Mondragó Natural Park is definitely worth a visit. Here is a short 1 minute video below with some views of the beaches. Enjoy!