Formentera advice

We decided this will be the year we'll make it to Formentera too! For years we have scrapped it from the plans every trip because...well because Ibiza happens.

When are you going @Thomas Cliche ?
My originals dates were the last week of July, like always. But this year, because my GF is pregnant and giving birth mid-september, we'll make it from July 9 to 14, if possible (Canada is still imposing a 14 days quarantine on our way back that would make my trip impossible).
 
it's not prohibited. we've done it once a few years ago.

if the conditions are perfect, you can actually walk/wade over rather than to swim. on a quiet day (without wind and waves) and avoiding high tide, the water is only chest high (for an adult). the mediterranean hasn't got much of tidal difference, it's only half a meter difference usually, but it still exists and in this specific case it actually matters quite a bit.

keep in mind, for this to work the conditions need to be ideal. if it's windy, there will be waves which will make it uncomfy. if you don't hit low tide you'll have to swim and as @CasaNegron correctly said, there can always be currents (in the end it's a small strait and those are prone to currents) so it definitely shouldn't be underestimated. we wanted to do it a few times over the past few years but only once we were lucky with the conditions, the other three times it didn't look safe.
Thank Stivi
 
Best trip to Formentera from San an, along 1 day along end july early august ?

price of boat? wich brand? time of 1rst departure from san an bay ,close to Linekers-Villa Mercedes and last one in Formentera? (hard to attend a sunset (around 8pm ) there when last boat is 5-6pm max?is there a boat with last departure from formentera around 10pm?)
Best renting bikes? price?
Best beaches ? i ve already been to Savinas and illetes , How many baches you advice to visit when having a regular bike?
Best restaurant for a paella with regular price?
what to bring in your sea bag except suncream an water? 2 frozen water liters? when not raining Formentera it's hot as Feuck 35°c ? wthout shady places
Supermarkets to buy water?
 
Best trip to Formentera from San an, along 1 day along end july early august ?

price of boat? wich brand? time of 1rst departure from san an bay ,close to Linekers-Villa Mercedes and last one in Formentera? (hard to attend a sunset (around 8pm ) there when last boat is 5-6pm max?is there a boat with last departure from formentera around 10pm?)
Best renting bikes? price?
Best beaches ? i ve already been to Savinas and illetes , How many baches you advice to visit when having a regular bike?
Best restaurant for a paella with regular price?
what to bring in your sea bag except suncream an water? 2 frozen water liters? when not raining Formentera it's hot as Feuck 35°c ? wthout shady places
Supermarkets to buy water?

I like Playa Migjorn, there are two distinct stretches of it. Biking from the port, the first part you hit has Lucky Bar, and that's fun, but the second part further down (starting at La Fragata and going all the way down to Es Calo des Mort) is truly beautiful. It's a long bike ride though.
 
Are Illetes and Levante beaches on Formentera really as good as they look on photographs?

My experience on Formentera is limited to one daytrip from Ibiza. I rented a Renault Clio at the port, had a dip at the nearby Es Pujols beach. Then slowly drove to the Far de la Mola lighthouse at the far end of the island, taking photos along the way and visiting two more beaches (Es Migjorn and Es Calo, I think).

The next stop was the famous Illetes beach. Here, I saw people far away from the shore still waist deep in the water, thought "too shallow", turned around and drove to Cap de Barbaria instead (which was totally amazing, it's like driving on Mars, a total contrast to the rest of the Pityuses).

Years later, I see videos of the Illetes beach from the drone like this one. Bloody amazing.

Is that stretch of sand on the north end of Formentera between Illetes and Levant beaches worth visiting? If it's really as great as it looks on drone photos, why isn't it totally packed with people? What's the catch? ;)
 
Are Illetes and Levante beaches on Formentera really as good as they look on photographs?

My experience on Formentera is limited to one daytrip from Ibiza. I rented a Renault Clio at the port, had a dip at the nearby Es Pujols beach. Then slowly drove to the Far de la Mola lighthouse at the far end of the island, taking photos along the way and visiting two more beaches (Es Migjorn and Es Calo, I think).

The next stop was the famous Illetes beach. Here, I saw people far away from the shore still waist deep in the water, thought "too shallow", turned around and drove to Cap de Barbaria instead (which was totally amazing, it's like driving on Mars, a total contrast to the rest of the Pityuses).

Years later, I see videos of the Illetes beach from the drone like this one. Bloody amazing.

Is that stretch of sand on the north end of Formentera between Illetes and Levant beaches worth visiting? If it's really as great as it looks on drone photos, why isn't it totally packed with people? What's the catch? ;)

while everything always looks better from above filmed with a drone, yes, both ses illetes and llevant are both beautiful. in a normal summer, if you wanna see it without thousands of others, go either in the morning or then late afternoon.

generally - on formentera more than on ibiza because formentera is so flat - between the best few beaches, there's always one or two that are fantastic on a given day and others that aren't - because of the wind (unless you get a total windstill day). in peak summer you also might not mind the breeze (and rather be happy about it), but obviously, less wind and waves means even more crystal clear water and 'caribbean' feeling.

you mentioned migjorn and es caló above - that's a good example, depending on the wind we're on either of both in the morning usually. and then towards the afternoon we drive down to cala saona (another one I really like) and then up to illetas/levante. illetas is mostly busier than levante, also because in summer levante often has a bit of waves and illetas is quieter.

can't wait to go to formentera soon, I think we're going in two weeks.
 
there's always one or two that are fantastic on a given day and others that aren't - because of the wind (unless you get a total windstill day).
Actually I like swimming in waves, and I will often head to the beach with the biggest waves if there is strong wind (provided it's still safe for me of course). So having some waves at Levante and crystal clear water at Illetas across the sand bar would be perfect for me :cool:

then towards the afternoon we drive down to cala saona (another one I really like)
Can you swim a reasonable distance out at Cala Saona? From the videos, there seem to be a lot of boats moored quite near the shore.

I still haven't been ? coming up on my 42 visit to ibiza....
I can highly recommend it - it's different from Ibiza, quieter, less populated, and close enough for an uncomplicated daytrip.
 
Actually I like swimming in waves, and I will often head to the beach with the biggest waves if there is strong wind (provided it's still safe for me of course). So having some waves at Levante and crystal clear water at Illetas across the sand bar would be perfect for me :cool:


Can you swim a reasonable distance out at Cala Saona? From the videos, there seem to be a lot of boats moored quite near the shore.


I can highly recommend it - it's different from Ibiza, quieter, less populated, and close enough for an uncomplicated daytrip.

I like waves too (love catching them as they break). I just mentioned it because most people have a certain image in mind when it comes to formentera and that usually doesn't include waves ;)

yeah you can swim out cala saona no problem. it's true there are some boats around sometimes but I never thought it was bad.
 
e29!!!!!! And they call themselves "low cost...."

Think I'll stick with Pitiusa or Balearia - I know the latter used to have day returns for 20e on certain sailings and that included a free drink. That's from the port of course, dunno what competition Aquabus will have from the pier @ Playa den Bossa, but if they are all e29 then there's not much competition, more an agreement. Doesn't help the businesses in Formentera either if tourists, many whom will have been furloughed, think "I'm not paying THAT" and don't go.

Rant over!!
 
e29!!!!!! And they call themselves "low cost...."

Think I'll stick with Pitiusa or Balearia - I know the latter used to have day returns for 20e on certain sailings and that included a free drink. That's from the port of course, dunno what competition Aquabus will have from the pier @ Playa den Bossa, but if they are all e29 then there's not much competition, more an agreement. Doesn't help the businesses in Formentera either if tourists, many whom will have been furloughed, think "I'm not paying THAT" and don't go.

Rant over!!
Used to 29euros if you didn't go back the same day.
Best way to go is through VisitFormentera, and book from one of the two companies with discount. Some depatures are cheap and you have many more options to select from
 
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Think I'll stick with Pitiusa or Balearia - I know the latter used to have day returns for 20e on certain sailings and that included a free drink.
Is Balearea a fast catamaran, or a slow ferry?

The "Formentera jet" catamaran cost 29,80€ return back in 2004... no free drink either.
 
Do island residents get subsidized tickets on the Aquabus? Could explain the price hike - fewer tourists around, but probably more island residents underway (since they cannot go elsewhere).
 
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