Boat tour from Cala Figuera to Caló del Moro and S´Almonia

Notes from a Local Photographer

My name is Rafa Velazquez. I am a landscape photographer and a long-time resident of southeastern Mallorca. I spend my days documenting the traditional Balearic fishing culture and the changing light along the limestone cliffs. The coastal route from the working port of Cala Figuera down to the remote inlets of Caló del Moro and S'Almonia is a stretch of water I know intimately. It is an area defined by steep stone, deep Mediterranean water, and quiet mornings. This four-hour boat journey is the most direct and visually striking way to understand the geography of the Santanyí municipality.

Before we get to the water, we need to clear up a massive geographical error that ruins many travel itineraries. There are two places named Cala Figuera on this island. One is a remote pebble beach on the northern Cap de Formentor peninsula in Pollença. The other is this destination: the historic, active fishing port in the southeast, managed by the Santanyí Town Hall. Standard GPS searches often route drivers to the north by mistake. You need to head to the southeast, postal code 07659. The northern route has strict summer vehicle bans. This southern port has no such bans, just the reality of narrow streets and limited parking.

The port of Cala Figuera is an open-air marine harbor. There are no ticket booths at the village entrance, and there are no gates. The harbor and the pedestrian boardwalks are accessible all year round. The visual character of the port is entirely rocky. There is no sandy beach here. The lack of sand is exactly what protected this village from the high-rise hotel developments that swallowed other parts of the island. You walk down steep clifftop stairs to reach the water level. The historic core descends directly to private boat docks and slipways, locally called escars. These stone ramps are the working surfaces for the fishermen and the exact slipway you need to walk down to.

The Route and the Light

The boat departs from the inner harbor of Cala Figuera. The best light happens early. Between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, teh water inside the harbor is flat and acts like a mirror for the whitewashed facades of the fishermen's houses. The local fleet usually heads out around 6:00 AM from Caló d'en Busques, one of the two main arms of the inlet. As your tour boat pulls away from the docks, you pass the wooden fishing vessels and the men mending their nets along the stone edges.

Leaving the protected inlet, the boat turns out into the open sea and follows the coastline south. The first major landmark is the Torre d'en Beu. This is a stone watchtower built in 1569 to defend the local population against pirate raids. A functioning lighthouse, constructed much later in 1953, sits right next to it on the cliff edge. The boat gets close enough to the cliff face that you can see the texture of the weathered limestone and the sparse pine trees clinging to the rock.

Continuing along the Santanyí coast, the tour passes near Es Pontàs. This is a massive natural stone arch rising directly out of the water. It is a famous landmark for climbers and photographers. From the deck of a small boat, the scale of the arch is obvious. The water around the base of the rock is deep and usually a very dark blue, shifting to lighter cyan near the submerged stone ledges.

The final destinations of the outward leg are Caló del Moro and S'Almonia. These are two neighboring coves heavily restricted by land access due to private property lines and conservation efforts. Approaching them from the water is the only practical way to see them without hiking down steep, unmarked dirt paths. Caló del Moro is a narrow corridor of water flanked by high, pine-covered cliffs. The water transparency here is at its peak during the summer months. S'Almonia is slightly wider and features a few old fishermen's huts built directly into the lower rock shelves. The boat anchors in this area, giving you time to observe the marine environment and swim in water that is completely clear to the sand bottom.

Logistics, Transit, and Parking

Reaching Cala Figuera requires some planning. Public transportation is managed by the regional TIB network. Route 516 is the bus line that connects the main transit hub in Santanyí (the La Verge stop) directly to the harbor village. The bus drops you at stop 57029, located right in the village. Departures from Cala Figuera run at roughly three-hour intervals during the summer. Fares range between €4.00 and €6.00 depending on where you board. The earliest direct departure from the village toward the inland town of Campos is at 6:45 AM.

Ride-hailing apps like Uber are heavily concentrated near the Palma airport and are mostly useless in this rural southeastern corner. If you need a taxi, you must call the official local dispatch lines. Radio Taxi Santanyí is available at +34 971 657 058. You can also use the officially recommended smartphone app, Mallorcab, to book licensed local drivers.

Most independent travelers arrive in rental cars. All public parking in Cala Figuera is free. There is a spacious public car park at the harbor entrance and unrestricted street parking along the main entrance avenues. During the peak months of July and August, these spaces fill completely by late morning. You must arrive before 10:00 AM to secure a spot without driving in circles. Do not attempt to drive down the narrow alleys leading to the water. They slope downward sharply and end in pedestrian stairs. Park on the upper street level and walk down.

Cultural Context and Seasonality

The timing of your visit dictates the atmosphere of the port. June brings highly stable weather with daily temperatures around 25°C. It is the best balance of warm sea temperatures and moderate crowds. July and August push temperatures past 30°C and bring the highest volume of international travelers. This is when parking is tightest and the local Ecotasa (Sustainable Tourism Tax) for overnight stays is at its peak rate.

If you are here in mid-July, the village hosts the Festes de la Mare de Déu del Carme. This is the primary maritime celebration honoring the patron saint of fishermen. The schedule includes evening classical concerts by the sea, community dinners featuring regional pork loin, and a massive water procession where the local fleet decorates their boats and parades out of the harbor. It is a loud, crowded, and highly authentic display of local culture. If your boat tour aligns with these dates, expect the harbor to be completely full of pedestrians and musicians.

From November to April, the village shuts down. The sea gets rough, the temperatures drop to 10°C, and most seasonal restaurants close their doors. The boat tours stop running entirely. It is a quiet time reserved for hikers walking the clifftop trails to the watchtower.

What is Included and Schedule

• A 4-hour navigated boat journey along the southeastern coast.
• Direct views of Torre d'en Beu and the Es Pontàs natural arch.
• Anchoring and swimming time at Caló del Moro and S'Almonia.
• Local skipper providing navigation and basic area orientation.
• Fuel and all maritime port fees.

Warnings and What to Bring