Cala s’Amarador; virgin beach in the heart of a natural park
Services and features
Length 150 m / Width 45 m
Access by car
Life guard
Ideal for snorkelling
WC
Natural environment
Paid parking
Sunbed and umbrella rental
Ideal for anchoring
High occupancy
Family friendly
Beach bar
Hiking routesDescription
Cala s’Amarador is one of the virgin beaches found in the Mondragó Natural Park, on the Santanyí coast, in the south of Mallorca
It is the largest cove in the natural park with 150 m in length and up to 45 m in width. It is a beach of fine white sand and waters of a luminous clear blue.
The water is shallow, you have to go a lot to cover it, so it is perfect to go with young children. However, it does not have access enabled for people with reduced mobility.
The beach is surrounded by a protected dune system (the paths to travel are marked) where pines, mastic, wild olive trees, etc. grow
At the back there is a wetland formed by the mouth of the torrent d’en Roig (or s’Amarador). Being included within the Mondragó Natural Park, it has avoided becoming an urban beach and preserves all its natural beauty.
The only drawback is that in the central summer months it can present a somewhat high occupancy
But there is still enough space to avoid the crowds and enjoy some tranquility.
The cove is flanked by low rocky areas also covered with pine and scrubland, and it is highly protected from the wind, so its waters are usually very calm. It is a very good anchoring point.
How to get to cala s’Amarador
We will go first to Santanyí
From Palma we will take the Ma-19 motorway towards Santanyí. As soon as we get to Santanyí, we will find the directions to continue our route to Cala s’Amarador. At roundabouts where it is not indicated we will follow the indications to Cala Santanyí. At 1.4 km from Santanyí we will arrive at a roundabout where we will take the fourth exit, which is already the direct path to the Cala s’Amarador car park.
Parking is paid, the rate is € 5 per day for cars, € 2 for motorcycles. From here there is a walking path to the beach of about 400 m.
Cala s’Amarador is a good place to visit by bike
There are numerous routes that run through the nearby roads. The only delicate point is part of the final section of the access road, somewhat narrow in places and with stone walls on both sides, but it is a short section. Within the park you can cycle by bicycle, but always without leaving the marked paths.
In the summer months there is a bus line
The 507, which allows us to get to Cala Mondragó from Cala d’Or. From there there is a concrete path of about 500 m that runs along the coast to Cala s’Amarador.
To get to Cala d’Or and then head to cala s’Amarador we have enough connections
- Line 501 connects Palma with Cala d’Or, passing through, among others, Santanyí, Campos and Llucmajor
- Alternatively we have the A51 express line that directly connects the airport with Cala d’Or passing through s’Arenal
- In the eastern area we have line 425 from Manacor (although at a different stop than 501)
- In summer from the north we have line 449, which will allow us to get from Puerto de Alcudia and Puerto de Pollensa, among other places
- Line 453, also in the summer months, connects the Sierra de Tramuntana (Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller) with Cala d’Or
As we have seen, Cala s’Amarador is a well sheltered beach, so it is a good place to anchor
As evidenced by the number of boats that usually congregate here. It is only exposed to winds from the east-southeast. The bathing area is marked to avoid accidents. The sandy bottom has a depth between 4 and 6 m.
Services
Although it is in a natural park, s’Amarador beach has a good number of services to serve its visitors
It has lifeguards for greater tranquility of bathers. It also has rental of umbrellas and hammocks, and public bathrooms (although no showers).
It also has a small beach bar where drinks, seasonal fruit and simple meals such as pizzas and sandwiches are served. If we have brought our food, between the parking lot and the beach there is a picnic area in the shade where we can rest.
Activities
In s’Amarador we can enjoy clean and clear waters where we can cool off. The fine white sand will be a perfect mattress on which to lie down to sunbathe.
We shouldn’t forget our snorkeling gear
The great clarity of the waters, and in particular the light that illuminates them in the morning, allows us to enjoy a great underwater show. In the area closest to the cliffs that flank the beach we can contemplate a great variety of marine life.
Going deeper into the sea, Cala s’Amarador and the neighboring coves that make up all of Cala Mondragó are a good place for diving. We must bring the necessary equipment with us since there are no facilities to rent it.
But without a doubt, those who will most enjoy visiting Cala s’Amarador are nature lovers.
Within the natural park there are four self-guided routes. Two of them start at s’Amarador beach, while the other two start from neighboring Cala Mondragó. In this case, it is possible to arrange the visit for people with reduced mobility, who will be provided with a Joëlette chair, in addition to the help of volunteers that may be required.
If we want to explore the park on our own, there is no problem
Provided that forbidden areas (such as dune systems) are respected and the integrity of ethnological elements is respected. The first route will take us to Ses Font de n’Alís and La Guardia d’en Garrot. The second route will bring us closer to the other coves of the Mondragó Natural Park. Outside the park, the third excursion will take us to travel a good part of the Santanyí coastline, to Cala Santanyí. In the opposite direction we can reach the town of Porto Petro.
- Hiking route: Guardia d’en Garrot and Cala Mondragó
- Walking: Mondragó Natural Park
- Hiking route: Torre den Beu – Cala Figuera – Santanyí
- Hiking route: Cala s’Amarador – Porto Petro
If we are somewhat curious about the prehistory of Mallorca
Near the natural park, about 9 km away, is the talayotic site of Ses talaies de Can Jordi. It is a set of talayots whose origin dates back to 1000 BC, but which continued in use until the Islamic period, about 2000 years after its construction.
To end the day on the beach and regain strength we can count on the beach bar on the beach itself, or the nearby restaurant in Cala Mondragó
But if we want to change of scene we have many options. The closest are Santanyí, Cala Figuera and Cala Santanyí on the one hand, and Porto Petro on the other. In any of these locations we will find a good gastronomic offer. A little further away we have Cala d’Or, where the gastronomic offer does cover all tastes and budgets.
Lodging
In the natural park itself there is a small and simple hotel, next to Cala Mondragó. There are also rustic farms for vacation rental.
If we look in nearby towns, in Santanyí we have a four-star hotel, and in Cala Figuera there is a greater offer: hotels between one and three stars, and tourist apartment blocks, as well as some vacation rentals.
A few kilometers further south we have Cala Santanyí, which has an even greater offer of accommodation.
Take a look at Cala s’Amarador in 360º
Do not miss this incredible 360º image from drone of Cala s’Amarador and surroundings
