Formentera & Espalmador: Full-Day Private Sailboat Trip

Espalmador is the star here: a protected, car-free island reached only by sea, with flat water, a natural sandbar, and no hotels, bars, or restaurants. From there, you’ll cruise through Formentera’s clearest bays on a private 35-foot sailboat, stopping for swimming, snorkeling, and paddleboarding rather than rushing from one viewpoint to the next.

I like the freedom of having seven hours for five very different coastal stops, and I like that the group is limited to your own party of up to seven. The catch is simple: lunch is not included, and Espalmador has no place to buy food or drinks, so you need to plan ahead.

Key points

• Five stops in seven hours: Visit Espalmador, Ses Illetes, Cala Saona, Es Pujols, and Es Calo in one day.
• Private boat for up to seven: You set the rhythm with your own group rather than sharing the trip with strangers.
• Two paddleboards included: Calm bays around Espalmador and Es Pujols are especially suited to easy paddling.
• Lunch needs planning: Eat at a restaurant in Ses Illetes or Es Pujols, or bring arrangements for lunch on board.
• Swimming gear is supplied: Snorkeling equipment, bottled or filtered water, a restroom, WiFi, and fuel are included.
• Weather matters: The trip requires good conditions, with a date change or full refund offered if poor weather cancels it.

A private day on Formentera’s open water

This is not a short boat hop to one beach. It is a full coastal circuit designed around swimming stops, changing scenery, and time on the water. You begin at Platja de Ses Illetes and return to the same meeting point after roughly seven hours.

The private format changes the feel of the day. With only your own party aboard, you can decide how much time to spend swimming, paddling, eating, or simply sitting on deck. That matters on Formentera, where the best part of the coast is often the pause between destinations.

The price is $941.32 per group of up to seven people. For a full boat, that works out to about $134 per person before lunch and any drinks. That is not a cheap day out for one or two people, but it becomes more reasonable when divided among a group that values privacy, a full-day schedule, and the use of the boat for the whole outing.

The boat is 35 feet long and includes an onboard restroom. You also get two paddleboards, snorkeling equipment, fuel, WiFi, and water. Alcoholic drinks and brunch are extra, so treat the quoted price as the cost of the boat and basic equipment, not an all-inclusive package.

Espalmador, the quiet first stop

Espalmador is only accessible by sea, which helps explain its quiet, undeveloped character. There are no hotels, bars, restaurants, or buildings on the island. It is protected as part of a natural park, so you should arrive ready to spend the hour outdoors with what you already have aboard.

The main attraction is El Paso, a natural sandbar that acts as a bridge toward Formentera. The water around here is described as flat and well suited to paddleboarding. With two boards included, this is one of the most useful stops for anyone who wants to try the sport without committing to a separate lesson or rental.

I would use this first hour to get comfortable on the water. You can paddle, swim, or simply take in the open setting before the day grows warmer. The lack of facilities is part of the appeal, but it also creates a practical limit. Bring any sun protection, snacks, or personal items you will need, because there is nowhere on the island to buy them.

Do not treat the sandbar as a guaranteed dry walking route in all conditions. The information provided describes it as a natural bridge, but conditions can affect how it feels to cross or approach. Your skipper can help you judge what is sensible on the day.

Two hours at Ses Illetes

Ses Illetes is the longest stop, with two hours set aside for swimming, snorkeling, walking, and paddleboarding. It is also the most flexible point for lunch because you can leave the boat for one of the beach restaurants or eat on board.

The setting gives you broad views across Formentera, toward Ibiza, and toward Es Vedra. That wide outlook is a good reason to linger rather than treat the beach as a quick photo stop. The clear water is suited to snorkeling, and the start of Formentera offers room to walk around before returning to the boat.

I like this stop as the practical center of the day. You have enough time to do more than one activity, and the restaurant option means you do not need to carry a full meal if you prefer to eat ashore. Still, lunch is not part of the tour price, and the exact restaurant experience is not specified, so budget separately and allow time for the meal.

If your group has mixed interests, Ses Illetes may be the easiest stop to manage. One person can snorkel, another can paddle, and someone else can sit down for lunch. That flexibility is valuable on a private trip, where you are not trying to keep pace with a large group.

Cala Saona’s red rock and sea caves

Cala Saona shifts the scenery from open beach to Formentera’s rocky side. The stop lasts about an hour and a half, giving you time to swim around the coves, paddle near the rocks, and look for sea caves.

The combination of clear water and reddish rock makes this a useful contrast with Ses Illetes. You are not seeing the same pale beach repeatedly. Instead, the route moves through different coastal settings, each with its own reason to get off the boat.

The caves are best understood as a chance to explore from the water, not as a formal cave tour. The supplied details do not promise a guided cave walk or special equipment, so keep your expectations focused on paddling and swimming around the rocky edges.

This stop may be less comfortable for anyone who prefers a broad sandy beach. If you like rocky coves and a more enclosed setting, it should be one of the day’s stronger sections. Snorkeling gear is included, though the exact marine life you see will depend on the conditions.

Es Pujols for calm water and lunch options

Es Pujols offers a mix of rock and sand, with a bay that is usually sheltered from the wind. That makes it another useful place for paddleboarding, especially if you prefer calmer water or are still finding your balance on the board.

There is also a second lunch option here. You can eat on board or visit one of the area’s restaurants. Since the stop lasts about an hour, you should decide in advance whether lunch is part of this stop or Ses Illetes. An hour passes quickly if you are ordering, eating, and trying to swim afterward.

The cliff jumps near the bay are aimed at the more adventurous members of your party. They are mentioned as an option, not as a required part of the tour. I would treat them cautiously and follow the skipper’s guidance. The experience includes water activities, but it does not promise supervised cliff jumping or safety equipment for it.

Es Pujols can work well for groups with different energy levels. Some people can paddle in the protected bay, while others choose lunch or a slower swim. That variety is one of the advantages of a private itinerary.

Es Calo, the quieter final stop

The final stop is Es Calo, where the emphasis is on less crowded water, swimming, and the contrast between bright sea colors and rocky shore. The scheduled time is about an hour and a half, enough for a final swim without making the day feel like a quick succession of stops.

Ending here makes sense. After the busier choices of lunch and beach time, Es Calo is presented as a place to relax. You can use the last part of the day for a final paddle, a swim, or a quiet spell aboard before returning to Platja de Ses Illetes.

The word less crowded should not be read as a promise of complete solitude. Formentera is a popular destination, and conditions can change. Still, if your priority is a slower final stop rather than another major beach, Es Calo fits that purpose.

What the seven-hour timing really gives you

The five planned stops add up to seven hours exactly: one hour at Espalmador, two hours at Ses Illetes, an hour and a half at Cala Saona, one hour at Es Pujols, and an hour and a half at Es Calo. Travel between stops is part of the boat day, so the schedule is full without being designed around long stays at any one beach.

That pace suits people who want variety. You will see sandy bays, rocky coves, a protected island, sea caves, and several places for swimming. It is less suited to someone who wants to plant a towel on one beach and stay there all day.

A private boat also gives you some room to adjust the rhythm, though the listed time allocations provide the basic structure. If your group wants more paddling, you can make good use of Espalmador and Es Pujols. If lunch takes priority, Ses Illetes or Es Pujols are the logical choices.

The weather requirement is important. A day on open water depends on suitable conditions, and poor weather can lead to cancellation. If that happens, you are offered another date or a full refund. I would avoid placing this trip on the final day of a tightly scheduled holiday, since a weather change could affect your plans.

Equipment, food, and comfort aboard

The boat includes two paddleboards, snorkeling equipment, fuel, WiFi, water, and a restroom. Those inclusions remove several small costs that can otherwise creep into a boat day. The restroom is especially useful during a seven-hour outing, and the two boards allow more than one person to paddle at a time.

The equipment list does not include a meal, brunch, or alcoholic drinks. You have the choice of eating at a restaurant in Ses Illetes or Es Pujols, or arranging lunch on board. Espalmador has no food service, so do not plan to wait until that stop to buy supplies.

Water is provided, described as bottled or filtered water. You should still think about your personal needs for a long day in the sun. The supplied details do not specify towels, sunscreen, or a particular meal service, so do not assume those are part of the package.

The boat has WiFi, though the strongest reason to book this experience is the coast rather than internet access. Use it as a useful extra, not as the main feature.

Who will get the best value

This trip makes the most sense for a group of friends or family members who can share the $941.32 cost. At seven people, the per-person price is easier to justify. For only two people, the same private boat costs much more per person, even though you still receive the same seven-hour outing.

You will get the most from it if you like active beach days. Swimming, snorkeling, and paddleboarding are central to the plan, and several stops are chosen for calm water or rocky coastal exploration. The experience may be less satisfying if you want extensive sightseeing on land, because the time is built around the boat and short shore visits.

The tour can suit most participants, and service animals are allowed. The provided information says most people can take part, but it does not give detailed mobility information for boarding, beach access, or moving around the boat. If that matters to you, ask the provider before booking.

Augustin is named in the available feedback as a kind skipper who took a group to beautiful beaches. Since the assigned skipper can depend on the date, I would not assume Augustin will be aboard unless the provider confirms it. Still, the mention is useful when you contact Nomad Sailing Trips with questions about the crew.

Booking, meeting point, and cancellation

You meet at Platja de Ses Illetes, 07871 Formentera, and return there at the end. The activity is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. Confirmation normally arrives when you book, although reservations made within one day of departure are confirmed as soon as possible, subject to availability.

The trip is private, so only your group participates. That is the main difference from a shared excursion and the strongest reason to book this particular format.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations inside that 24-hour window are not accepted for a refund. The weather exception is favorable: if poor conditions force cancellation, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

Should you book this Formentera sailing trip?

Book it if you have a group of up to seven, want a full day on the water, and prefer several swimming locations over a single beach stop. The route gives you a good spread of Formentera scenery, while the private setup lets you shape the day around your own group.

Think twice if your budget is tight, you want lunch included, or you would rather spend the whole day on one sandy beach. The cost is easiest to defend when the boat is nearly full and everyone plans to use the swimming and paddleboard stops.

For the right group, this is a strong way to see Formentera from the sea. Bring a food plan, allow for weather changes, and use the private format to slow down at the places you like best.

FAQ

How long is the private sailing trip?

The experience lasts approximately seven hours.

How many people can join the private boat trip?

The private boat can accommodate a group of up to seven people.

Where does the experience start and end?

The trip starts at Platja de Ses Illetes, 07871 Formentera, and ends back at the same meeting point.

Is lunch included?

No. Brunch is not included. You can eat at a restaurant in Ses Illetes or Es Pujols, or have lunch on board.

What equipment is provided?

The tour includes two paddle surf boards, snorkeling equipment, fuel, an onboard restroom, WiFi, and bottled or filtered water.

What happens if bad weather cancels the trip?

If poor weather causes the experience to be canceled, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.