One of the best things to do in Mallorca in summer is to book a boat trip: the breeze on your face, the amazing views of the coastline and the possibility to swim at secluded beaches or coves. Is it any wonder that boat trips in Mallorca are such a popular activity?
But how to choose the best boat trip in Mallorca when there are so many options? That is the big question! The answer depends on who you are, how many you are, who you are traveling with and, of course, your budget. Here is a selection of the best options for boat trips in Mallorca, starting with the most luxurious, down to the most basic.
Best Boat Trips in Mallorca – Spoil Yourself on Holiday!
Here are our top three high-end boat trips for maximum enjoyment and freedom at sea. These are all private boat trips just for your family or group so you have all the onboard facilities for yourselves and the full attention of your captain, who will be flexible and take you where you want to go.
Full Day Sailboat Excursion from Puerto Pollensa
- Price: approx. 1200€ for the whole boat
- Capacity: 8 pax
- Duration: 8 hours
Take an excursion on a magnificent sailing boat with traditional furnishings in the interior and a modern, recently refurbished deck. Your captain will take you sailing from the Port of Pollensa for an eight-hour excursion. You can book the whole boat for your family, and you can decide the route, the places you would like to visit, or you can leave yourselves in the hands of the captain who will take you to the best places he knows.
There are comfy areas to lounge on deck to enjoy the views of the coastline from Puerto Pollensa and to sunbathe. You can choose where to drop anchor and when and how long for. You will swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of one of the prettiest bays of Mallorca and you can have fun learning to use the stand-up paddle board at your leisure. Food and drinks are included throughout the day.
Personalized Boat Trip with Snacks, Drinks and Activities
- Price: approx. 620€ for the whole boat
- Capacity: 8 pax
- Duration: 3 hours
Spend a morning or afternoon aboard a restored 7.2 metre classic Gobbi 23 from the 90s departing from Cala Gamba. Your expert skipper will take you on a unique route, stopping at interesting coves for swimming, snorkeling and stand-up paddle in this pretty area of the south of Mallorca.
Thanks to the size of the boat and its characteristics, you’ll be able to enter see caves and find different kinds of marine life. A small feast of Mallorcan tapas is served as part of the experience as well as drinks.
Romantic Sunset Sailing Excursion with Snorkeling
- Price: approx. 480€ for the whole boat
- Capacity: 6 pax
- Duration: 3 hours
Take a romantic sunset boat trip from Porto Colom for something extra special aboard a luxurious sailboat with a fabulous deck. Snap some of the most beautiful photos of your holiday, as you watch the sun go down from your privileged location. You’ll get snacks and a glass of cava to toast the sunset.
The Best Catamaran Tours in Mallorca
Catamaran trips are probably the most popular options for people wanting a day at sea in Mallorca. These shared tours are excellent value for money, including around five hours at sea, sailing along the coastline and stopping at different coves or beaches for swimming. Lunch and drinks are often included and gear for snorkeling, kayak or stand-up paddle is normally also available.
5-Hour Catamaran Excursion from Alcudia or Pollensa Bay
- Price: approx. 65€ per person
- Capacity: approx. 70 pax
- Duration: 5 hours
In the summer months the Anacaona Catamaran from Alcudia Bay and the Robinson Cat from Pollensa Bay depart daily at 10am for a five hour tour of the bay and the Formentor area. The coastline in the northern part of the island is spectacular and you can contemplate the gorgeous views as you relax on the nets, sunbathing.
The catamarans make two or three stops for you to jump or climb down into the fresh, blue water and cool off. They have a few kayaks and stand-up paddle boards for general use, and you can snorkel to your heart’s content.
Imagine swimming in the clear sea close to the rocks near Es Coll Baix Cove or Cala en Gossalba, well away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist resort. On the way back to port, you can help the crew to put the sails up and enjoy the peaceful sensation of sailing with the engines switched off.
Lunch is included and prepared onboard the catamaran, and there is a bar onboard where you can get drinks. If you are staying in the northeast of Mallorca, there is a similar catamaran tour departing from Cala Ratjada.
Oasis Catamaran
- Price: approx. 80€ per person
- Capacity: 36 pax
- Duration: 5.5 hours
The Oasis catamaran, which is moored in the Port of Palma, is a much smaller catamaran than the ones mentioned above. This one actually holds 50 pax but they only allow 36 pax per excursion so that there is a more spacious and luxurious feeling.
On this catamaran excursion you will be taken to Cala Vella, one of the pretty coves just outside Palma, where you can swim, snorkel or enjoy being on the catamaran. To get there, they put the sails up and allow the wind to guide the catamaran. Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are provided for your amusement and, weather permitting, you will stop for a swim at the beautiful Green Cave.
Lunch is a bit more high-end than your typical catamaran fare and you will be treated to an onboard barbecue with fresh meat, vegetables and chocolate cake to end.
All-Inclusive Catamaran in Mallorca
- Price: approx. 85€ per person
- Capacity: 12 pax
- Duration: 4 hours
There’s an even smaller catamaran based in Palma de Mallorca’s port, holding just 12 passengers. It’s called the Good Life Catamaran and they offer an all-inclusive catamaran trip for 85€ per person. A selection of drinks and tapas is available throughout the excursion, and they also have kayaks and stand-up paddles.
They sail out of Palma, following the pretty coast, with great views of Palma Cathedral and the Almudaina Palace from the sea. They either stop at Cala Vella for a swim like the Oasis Catamaran or at Portals Vells, depending on whether they head east or west out of the harbor. This simply depends which way the wind blows because they also usually hoist the sail from the outset and allow the wind to decide the course.
Fun and Unusual Boat Trips
The sailing boats, the catamarans and the glass-bottom boats are very popular in Mallorca, so there are many offering daily excursions in summertime. But there are also some boat trips in Mallorca that are truly unique and unusual. Some are expensive, but many are excellent value for money. The following suggestions are shared boat trips.
See Palma from the Sea on a One-Hour Boat Tour around the Harbor
- Price: approx. 13.50€ per person
- Capacity: 70 pax
- Duration: 1 hour
The Port of Palma is so vast that you can take a one-hour boat tour around it to see the whole thing up close. This is the Marco Polo boat that has several daily departures all year round.
The boat sails from near Palma Cathedral, so right from the start you have a magnificent view of the cathedral and the old town from the sea. The trip takes you around the fishing boats, the fabulous yachts and the enormous cruise ships. From the far end of the port at the Dique del Oeste, you get a great view of the San Carlos Castle and the Bellever Castle.
Dolphin-Watching at Sunrise
- Price: approx. 52€ per person
- Capacity: approx. 70 pax
- Duration: approx. 3 hours
There are several companies offering dolphin-watching tours, so there are departures from all around the island. Most of these excursions take place at sunrise because that is the best time to spot these majestic creatures in the Mediterranean.
If you can take the tour from Alcudia or Pollensa, these bays are where you’ll see the best sunrise, as the sun rises from right out of the sea here, giving you amazing photographs – especially if you can get the dolphins in the same shot!
The duration of this boat tour is not as definite as other boat trips because it sometimes takes more time or less time to locate the dolphins, although they are nearly always spotted. The sunrise excursion is normally back in the harbor by around 10am, so you have the rest of the day to chill on the beach or go exploring. Coffee and croissants are given onboard.
Calo des Moro by Boat
- Price: approx. 35€ per person
- Capacity: 11 pax
- Duration: 90 minutes
The boat trip to Calo des Moro is a genius idea because everyone wants to visit Calo des Moro – the current Instagram-trendy cove of Mallorca. The problem is that Calo des Moro is small and gets packed. That’s why the best way to see it is from the sea!
You still get to swim in those famous turquoise waters, and you don’t have to stand in horrendous queues to get down the steps to the beach. Plus, you get to enjoy other views along the coastline from Cala Figuera, where the boat departs from. You’ll also see other coves such as Cala Marmols and Cala Lombards and you will see the emblematic Es Pontas rock bridge.
Take a Boat Trip to Sa Dragonera Island
- Price: approx. 31€ per person
- Capacity: 150 pax
- Duration: 4 hours approx
The boat tours to Sa Dragonera have resumed after being prohibited for two years by the local government for conservation reasons. This is great news for people who want to swim and snorkel in crystal-clear waters with abundant sea life to discover.
The boat to Sa Dragonera Island departs from Santa Ponsa in Mallorca and is just a short hop across the water. Sa Dragonera Island, once used by pirates, is currently uninhabited and much of the island is a protected natural area. This dragon-shaped island boasts pristine beaches and pure tranquility.
If you can tear yourself away from the sea and your snorkel mask, take a walk on the island to one of the lighthouses and search for the island’s “dragon”, a small lizard native to Sa Dragonera Island (this is actually where the name “Dragonera” comes from, not the shape of the island).
Discover Mallorca on a Glass-Bottom Boat
A glass-bottom boat tour is an excellent option for families with children, people who don’t want a long boat trip, or those on a budget. A glass-bottom boat, sometimes called a submarine-vision boat, is a large catamaran with a motor, not with sails. They normally have capacity for around 250 passengers and have three decks.
There is the upper deck where you can enjoy the best views of the coastline, the middle deck where you normally find a bar serving drinks and snacks, and the lower deck where you can go to look through the windows in the bottom of the boat and see into the sea to try and spot fishes.
Visit the Malgrats Islands on a Glass Bottom Boat
- Price: approx. 35€ per person
- Capacity: 150 pax
- Duration: 4 hours approx
There is an excellent value for money boat trip that departs from Santa Ponsa and Peguera and takes you to see the Malgrats Islands. This is not your standard, basic glass-bottom boat trip, as it includes lunch which is served onboard.
The boat excursion takes you to discover the beautiful coastal strip between Santa Ponsa and Puerto de Andratx and then on to the Malgrats Islands marine reserve. There is a stop for swimming in the Port of Andratx as well as at the Malgrats Islands and in Cala Egos.
Explore the East Coast on a Glass-Bottom Boat
- Price: approx. 25€ per person
- Capacity: 200 pax
- Duration: 3 hours approx
There’s a glass-bottom boat that sails up and down the east coast of Mallorca in summer. There are different jetties where you can get on and off the boat at the ports of Cala Ratjada, Font de Sa Cala, Cala Bona, Cala Millor, Sa Coma, Porto Cristo and Calas de Mallorca.
As well as the amazing views you’ll have from the top deck of the rugged coast, you can also go down to the lower part of the boat and look through the glass panels into the sea to see what is swimming around underneath the boat.
Boat Trip to Formentor from Can Picafort
- Price: approx. 30€ per person
- Capacity: 150 pax
- Duration: 5 hours approx
The glass-bottom boat that goes from the harbour at Can Picafort to Formentor departs daily in summertime. The entire excursion lasts five hours but you are not on the boat for the whole duration: you also get to spend an hour at the famous Formentor Beach.
At the beach you can relax on the fine sand, enjoy the views of the bay, the beach and the pine forest, or you can swim and snorkel in some of the clearest and cleanest waters imaginable.
The boat tour takes you out of the harbor at Can Picafort and across the bay of Alcudia with its stunning views of the sea, mountains and the resorts in the distance. After passing the secluded cove of Es Coll Baix, you cross onto the bay of Pollensa and will be dropped off at Formentor Beach, after which the boat tours around the area of Cap Formentor and you see the famous lighthouse from the sea.
Glass Bottom Boat Trip in Alcudia Bay
- Price: approx. 26€ per person
- Capacity: 250 pax
- Duration: 2 hours approx
The glass bottom boat tour in the bay of Alcudia is ideal for families with small children who don’t want to spend too much time on a boat. The boat picks up at the different wooden piers along Alcudia Beach and then takes you for a ride around the bay to see the fabulous views of Aucanada Lighthouse and Es Coll Baix Cove.
There is a 20-minute stop for swimming at Es Coll Baix where you can jump off the boat into the turquoise-coloured sea. The kids can go down to the bottom deck and watch the fishes through the glass windows in the bottom of the boat.
Despite this long list of boat suggestions in Mallorca, there are many more boat tours available, but this list should give you an idea of what is available and how much it will cost you.
