Boat trips from Palma Nova, Magaluf and Santa Ponça

If you're looking for boat trips from Palma Nova (Palmanova on the signs) or Magaluf, the good news is you don't have to go to Palma: the Cruceros Costa de Calvià boats pick people up at three beach jetties, Magaluf, Son Matias and Palmanova. There's less choice than in Palma, but it covers the essentials: underwater viewing with children, a boat for a day out in Palma and, further west, dolphins and Sa Dragonera.

What you won't find is a party boat leaving Magaluf legally. If you'd rather take the bay's big catamarans, they leave from Palma: see the guide to boat trips from Palma port.

Which boats leave from Palma Nova and Magaluf

The scheduled trips from these beaches are run by Cruceros Costa de Calvià, a family firm from Magaluf with three different boats (my Costa de Calvià review). It's worth knowing which is which, because resale websites mix up the names.

The Day at sea leaves Magaluf at 11:10, Son Matias at 11:20 and Palmanova at 11:30, and returns around 16:45. It includes lunch and soft drinks, beer or sangria. The Limitless speedboat leaves Magaluf at 12:00 and 15:00 (Son Matias ten minutes later) and anchors off the Malgrats for a swim: the best option for a couple short on time.

Tickets are sold in Magalluf, Torrenova, Palmanova and online at cruceroscostadecalvia.es. The website doesn't publish season dates: check your boat is running before you go.

Glass-bottom boat: the Esmeralda Dos

The 2-hour underwater-viewing trip runs on the Esmeralda Dos, a three-deck semi-submersible catamaran: a sun deck on top, a main deck with a bar, toilet and seats by big windows, and an observation lounge below the waterline. It follows the western shore of the bay, past islets, coves and beaches.

The operator sells it as "Dolphin", but the name isn't a promise: it follows the coast and dolphins aren't guaranteed. And some websites advertise it as "Britannia Jet", which is another of the company's boats.

Daily times: Magaluf 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00; Son Matias 11:10, 13:10 and 15:10; Palmanova 11:15, 13:15 and 15:15. It costs €30 per adult and €20 per child, the same on resale sites (Click-Mallorca charges the child fare from 3 to 10; under-3s free).

Capacity isn't published and a swim isn't always guaranteed: ask when you buy. More trips like this in the guide to glass-bottom boats.

Going to Palma by boat: Palma City and the daily ferry

There are two different products, and it's worth not mixing them up.

Palma City (Magaluf to Palma and back). Runs only on Tuesdays and Saturdays on the Britannia Jet: Magaluf 10:00, Son Matias 10:15, Palmanova 10:20. You land around 11:30 at the Escala Real (the "Royal Steps"), opposite the Llotja, below the cathedral, and the boat picks you up there around 15:30 to get back at about 16:15. That's roughly 4 free hours in Palma for €32 per adult and €22 per child, return included. Times on the official Palma City page.

Ferry Palma → Magaluf. Runs the other way: it leaves Palma's Paseo Marítimo every day at 09:30 and 11:00 and comes back from Magaluf at 17:00 or 18:00, depending on the boat and jetty. It costs €20 per adult and €10 per child (ferry timetable). It's only useful if you're staying in Palma.

My advice: on a Tuesday or Saturday the boat is worth it for the arrival opposite the cathedral. Any other day, or if you want dinner in Palma, take the TIB 104. To make the most of your hours, see things to do in Palma.

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Dolphin watching from Santa Ponça and Paguera

West of Magaluf, Santa Ponça and Paguera have their own dolphin-spotting trips. On GetYourGuide the most reviewed are the glass-bottom cruise from Paguera (2.5 h, from €40, 4.6 out of 5 from more than 3,800 reviews) and the dolphin-watching cruise from Santa Ponsa (2 to 2.5 h, from €40, 4.5 from more than 2,200 reviews). Before booking, read how GetYourGuide cancellations work.

The other route is Palma Cruises, which sails from Palma (Muelle de las Golondrinas) and picks up by coach around Calvià: the morning run starts in Camp de Mar at 08:15 and goes via Paguera, Santa Ponça, Magaluf and Palmanova. It's 3 hours on the boat with a swim if the sea allows. It costs €55 if you make your own way to the quay and €65 with the transfer, with 10 % off online (palmacruises.com; my Palma Cruises review). It claims dolphin sightings on 90 % of trips, its own figure with no external audit.

If you get seasick, book a morning trip. Operators compared in dolphin watching.

Sa Dragonera from Santa Ponça and Paguera

Sa Dragonera is the 3.2 km island off Sant Elm, at Mallorca's western tip. From Santa Ponça and Paguera there's a boat trip to Dragonera with a swim stop of 3 hours, from €45, rated 4.3 out of 5 from more than 600 reviews.

If you have a car and want to set foot on the island, it's cheaper on your own. The Cruceros Margarita scheduled boat crosses from Sant Elm in about 15 minutes, Tuesday to Sunday, with departures at 09:45, 10:15, 10:45, 11:15, 11:45 and 12:15. The latest weekday return is at 15:50 (Saturdays and Sundays also 16:20 and 16:50). A return ticket costs €19 plus a €1 fee for adults and €11 for ages 4 to 8 (crucerosmargarita.com).

Jet skis, kayaking and snorkelling in Santa Ponça

In Santa Ponça there's a jet-ski racing track of 30 to 40 minutes from €100, a 30-minute jet-ski ride from €100 and a tour with an instructor of 1 hour to 75 minutes from €170. For something calmer, the marine reserve kayak tour (3 h, from €60) and snorkelling in the marine reserve (3 h, from €60) are rated 4.6–4.7.

On Magaluf beach there's also a centre for jet skis, parasailing from age 4 and banana boats, open 12:00 to 16:30; it doesn't publish prices and may cancel at short notice if the sea is rough.

Ask whether the price is per jet ski or per person: two sharing one makes it much cheaper. More detail in jet skis and water toys; and if you want a boat for your group, see private boat with skipper.

Party boats: what the law bans in Magaluf

The Balearic Govern's Decree-Law 1/2020 bans boats that run parties with alcohol and music from picking up or dropping off customers in Magaluf (the Punta Ballena area), Playa de Palma and S'Arenal, and from coming within 1 nautical mile of those shores. Breaking it is a very serious offence, with fines of €60,001 to €600,000, and the decree is in force until 31 December 2027.

It's not an empty threat: Calvià has already fined one company €161,000 for running party boats from a Magaluf jetty, and operators that run parties lose the key to the controlled-access gate on the pontoon.

In practice, if you want a party at sea, you have to go to Palma. At present the DJ boats, such as the Barca Samba, leave from the Muelle de las Golondrinas on the Paseo Marítimo opposite the Auditòrium. The Port Authority put that quay out to tender excluding party boats; the tender has been challenged in court and is awaiting a new call, so check before booking. I explain it in the guide to party boats. Costa de Calvià's Day at sea includes drinks, but it's a family trip, not a party.

Things to do in Palma Nova and Magaluf besides the boat

If you're looking for things to do in Palma Nova beyond the beach and the boat:

• Pirates Adventure, in Magaluf: a pirate dinner show for families, in English, from €24.99 on its official website. The TIB 104 stops outside and a taxi from Palmanova costs about €8. At the end of the season there are few shows a week: check the calendar on its website.
• Puerto Portals, in Portals Nous, 10 km from Palma: a marina with 701 berths for boats from 8 to 60 m. Around Portals Nous there's flyboarding from €65 (15–20 minutes, from age 9).
• A day in Palma: by boat on Tuesdays and Saturdays, or by bus any day (see above).
• Nearby beaches: Illetes and Cala Comtesa are a short ride on TIB line 123, and Portals Vells can only be reached by car or boat. All in the guide to beaches near Palma.

For longer trips round the island (Sóller, Valldemossa, Formentor), see day trips from Palma.

Getting to the jetties and when to go

The boats leave from jetties on the beach itself at Magaluf, Son Matias and Palmanova. Son Matias is between Magaluf and Palmanova and is the handiest if you're staying in Torrenova.

Timetables on the TIB website.

When to go: mornings are calmer. Around midday the embat blows in, the south-westerly sea breeze that kicks up a short chop in the bay and peaks at about 14:00. For the glass-bottom boat, the 11:00 sailing is the calmest and the 15:00 coincides with the embat. More in the best time for a boat trip.

Frequently asked questions