
Services and Features
Description
Cala Carbó is a rock and pebble beach located next to the town of Cala San Vicente, in Pollensa, in the north of Mallorca. This cove is about 30 m long and the maximum width is about 20. Unlike the other coves that make up Cala San Vicente (Cala Barques, Cala Clara and Cala Molins), Cala Carbó remains practically virgin. The only buildings near the beach are a dry dock next to a small refuge for fishing boats, practically in disuse, and the wall that supports the road that borders it. Although there are buildings in the vicinity they do not spoil the wild and wild environment of the beach, which provides a small oasis of privacy and tranquility.
Being a rocky beach, it is advisable to wear sandals to avoid damaging your feet. It is also not very suitable for children, and there is no access for people with reduced mobility. At the right end of the cove there are several rock esplanades, in addition to the dry dock itself, where it is more comfortable to extend the towel to lie in the sun. Although it is not recognized as a nudist beach, it is also not strange to see people practicing nudism at that end a little further from the beach.
The difficulties of access and the absence of services mean that it is not a very crowded beach, although the little free surface to lay our towels makes it advisable to go early on weekends or in high season. During the week the influx of visitors is low.
To the east of Cala Carbó stands Cavall Bernat. The name of this small hill is supposed to come from the fact that at sunset the mountains to the southwest cast the shadow of a horse on the cliff.
As it happens in the other coves of Cala San Vicente, you have to be aware of the possible presence of jellyfish in summer.
How to get to Cala Carbó
From Palma and the south of Mallorca we will take the Ma-13 motorway to the north, until exit 40, where we will take the Ma-22 towards Pollensa. We will follow the indications towards Puerto de Pollensa taking the Ma-2200 road, which borders Pollensa. When we take the road that leads us to Puerto de Pollensa, we will continue for 1.5 km, until the intersection of Cala San Vicente. There we will take the Ma-2203, and 3 km we will have reached Cala San Vicente.
From the north of the island we must take the Ma-12 road, which connects Artá with Puerto de Pollensa, and which crosses Can Picafort, Playa de Muro, and Puerto de Alcudia. We will follow the signs until we reach Alcudia where we will link with the Ma-2220 in the direction of Puerto de Pollensa. At the entrance roundabout we will take the second exit, to stay on the same Ma-2220, until we arrive at a roundabout with a structure of a seaplane (tribute to the seaplane base located in the same Port of Pollensa). There we will take the third exit to follow the Ma-2200, heading for Pollensa. After 3.6 km we will reach the junction of Cala San Vicente, where we will turn right.
At the entrance to Cala San Vicente we will immediately turn right towards Torrent de Can Botana street. We will follow it to the end, staying Cala Molins on our left, until we leave the urban core. After about 200 m we will reach Cala Carbó. We will have to park on the side of the road. If there is no place we can park in the car park near Cala Molins and continue on foot.
Regarding public transport, there are several lines that reach Cala San Vicente and leave us near Cala Carbó.
From Palma we will take line 340, to Puerto de Pollensa, which stops at Cala San Vicente. If we are already in the municipality of Pollensa, the line between Pollensa and the Port, 345, also stops at Cala San Vicente. During the summer months, line 355 that goes from Can Picafort to Sa Calobra, and passes through Playa de Muro, Puerto de Alcudia, Alcudia and Pollensa, among other places, also stops at Cala San Vicente. The bus stop is next to Cala Molins. From there we will have a short walk of about 300 m to Cala Carbó.
We can also easily get there by bike. The roads that reach the vicinity of Cala San Vicente are highly appreciated by cycling fans, and in Cala Carbó we will have no problem parking bicycles.
We can also get to Cala Carbó by boat, but it is not recommended. At 200 m from the coast, the depth on a sandy and gravel bottom is more than 3 m, but the opening of the cove to the north makes anchoring dangerous, and it is recommended to anchor in the nearby Cala Barques.
Services
As we have already mentioned, Cala Carbó remains practically virgin. The only human constructions (dry docks, boat shelter and access stairs) are almost a natural part of the landscape. It does not have toilets or showers, nor a lifeguard service, much less a beach bar.
Activities
Despite the lack of services, Cala Carbó and its surroundings give us many opportunities for leisure.
Its clean and crystal clear waters are perfect for a good swim. If we are fans of snorkeling we can enjoy its rocky bottoms. It is also a good place to start diving, since its waters are very clear and usually calm. The depth of the sea reaches 12 m, and we can enjoy a diverse underwater fauna. Among other species, it is very likely that we will find octopuses hiding among the rocks while looking for food or shelter.
As we have said, if we want to practice any of these sports we must bring our equipment, but being able to park next to the cove will not be a great inconvenience. If we do not have equipment in the nearby Cala Molins it can be rented. There are also companies that organize diving trips to the Cala Carbó area from Cala San Vicente and from Puerto de Pollensa.
If we prefer a land activity we have several hiking trails nearby. From Cala Carbó we can take a route that takes us to Cavall Bernat, Puerto de Pollensa, and back to Cala Carbó. It is a demanding but very rewarding excursion. There are also cycling routes that pass by Cala Carbó.
Once our day is over and if we have not brought our food we can enjoy the local gastronomy in one of the restaurants in the nearby Cala Molins.
Lodging
In the urbanization next to Cala Carbó we can find vacation rentals. To have more options, we should already look in Cala Molins and the rest of Cala San Vicente, where there are hotels from two to five stars, villas and chalets for rent, and apartments.
If we do not find accommodation in this area we can find more offer in the nearby Pollensa and Puerto de Pollensa.