When is the cruising season in Formentera?

May to September. Most charters reach Formentera from Ibiza, as part of a week based there or on a day charter, rather than embarking on the island.

Where do Formentera charters depart from?

Most Formentera charters start in Ibiza, from Marina Ibiza or Marina Botafoch, and spend their days off Espalmador and Ses Illetes. La Savina, Formentera's only port, has marina berths for yachts but is small.

How long is a typical charter to Formentera?

Most charters include Formentera within a week based in Ibiza, or in a longer Balearic route from Mallorca. Two to four nights around the island allows time for Ses Illetes, Espalmador and Cala Saona, with the order set by the wind and the anchorages chosen on sand, away from the protected Posidonia meadows.

Where do yachts anchor around Formentera?

Ses Illetes and Espalmador to the north, on sand clear of the Posidonia meadows, and Cala Saona on the west coast for the late afternoon. Where a yacht may anchor, and for how long, depends on the Posidonia rules and the buoy fields in force, so the captain chooses the spot each day, and most charters rotate through all three.

What does a Formentera yacht charter cost?

Formentera follows Mediterranean rates: from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week for a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht, and from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000 for 30 to 45 metres, before running costs. Yachts above 50 metres start from around EUR 250,000, quoted individually. The APA, VAT and a customary gratuity bring the all-in cost to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.

What are the anchoring rules around Formentera?

Anchoring on the Posidonia meadows is prohibited, so yachts anchor on sand or take a mooring buoy where a seasonal field is laid. The meadows are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and lie within the Ses Salines natural park, and the regional government's Posidonia app shows where anchoring is permitted. A bill before the Balearic Parliament would also limit vessels over 12 metres to 10 knots within a mile of the coast.

Is there an airport on Formentera?

No. Guests fly into Ibiza Airport, about 7 kilometres from Ibiza Town, and usually join the yacht in Ibiza's marinas for the short crossing south. Those who arrive later can take the ferry from Ibiza to La Savina, Formentera's only port, in about 30 minutes, and meet the yacht there or at anchor.

Can Formentera be visited on a day charter from Ibiza?

Yes. Formentera lies six kilometres south of Ibiza across Es Freus, so a day charter from Ibiza Town can spend the morning off Ses Illetes or Espalmador and still return for the evening. Arriving early matters in July and August, when day boats from Ibiza fill the sandbanks by late morning.

Is Espalmador part of a Formentera charter?

Usually, yes. Espalmador is a small, privately owned island just north of Formentera, separated from it by a shallow sandbar, and it lies within the Ses Salines natural park. Yachts stop in its clear water on the way between Ibiza and Formentera. Its small mud lagoon, once used for mud baths, is off limits, with fines for those who use it.

Balearic Islands · yacht charter

Formentera.

Formentera from the water: the sandbanks of Ses Illetes, the islet of Espalmador and the Posidonia meadows of Es Freus, a short crossing south of Ibiza.

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Overview

What to expect.

Formentera is a day-anchorage destination from Ibiza: Espalmador, Illetes, Es Palmador. Most charter activity threads through Formentera as part of a wider Balearic loop rather than as a standalone base; the marina infrastructure is small.

Private yacht charter in Formentera

Formentera is the smallest and most southerly of the Pityusic islands, 19 kilometres long and six kilometres south of Ibiza. It has no airport, and its port, La Savina, is the only way in for passengers and goods. A Formentera yacht charter is about the water: the sandbanks off the north of the island, the islet of Espalmador and the clear shallows of Es Freus.

The seagrass beneath that water is protected by law and decides where a yacht may anchor, and the island is best seen early, before the day boats from Ibiza arrive.

Formentera from the water

Ses Illetes. The narrow spit of sand at the northern tip, with shallow water on either side: the island's best-known anchorage, and the busiest in summer.

Espalmador. A privately owned islet just north of Formentera, separated from it by a shallow sandbar that can be waded in calm weather, and part of the Ses Salines natural park. Its small mud lagoon is off limits, with fines for those who use it.

Es Freus. The strait between Ibiza and Formentera, with its scattering of islets, lies within the same natural park, and its seabed holds Posidonia meadows that are among the best conserved in the Mediterranean.

Cala Saona. The main cove of the west coast, a sand beach facing the sunset and a good afternoon anchorage in settled weather.

La Savina. The port on the north coast, with marina berths for yachts and the ferries from Ibiza. It is the smallest port run by the Balearic port authority, and over a million passengers pass through it each year.

Cap de Barbaria and La Mola. Two lighthouses mark the island's ends: Cap de Barbaria at the southern tip and the Far de la Mola on the La Mola peninsula to the east, both reached by road from the port.

Posidonia and the anchoring rules

The seabed around Formentera holds meadows of Posidonia oceanica, a protected seagrass. They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture, inscribed in 1999, and the waters of Es Freus lie within the Ses Salines natural park, created in 2001 with some 13,000 hectares of sea.

Balearic rules prohibit anchoring on the meadows. Yachts drop anchor on sand, which the regional government maps in its Posidonia app, or take a mooring buoy where a seasonal field is laid. A bill before the Balearic Parliament in autumn 2026 would also limit vessels over 12 metres to 10 knots within one nautical mile of the coast. We check the rules in force when the itinerary is set.

When to go

The season runs from May to September. June and September are the months for space at the anchorages; in July and August, day boats from Ibiza fill the sandbanks of Ses Illetes by late morning, so the early hours count. The anchorages face different winds, and the captain chooses each day's side of the island by the forecast. Ibiza's club season, from the end of April to mid-October, is a short crossing away.

Marinas and arrival

Formentera has no airport. Guests fly into Ibiza, whose airport lies about 7 kilometres from Ibiza Town, and either join the yacht in Ibiza's marinas, as most Formentera charters do, or take the ferry to La Savina, a crossing of about 30 minutes. La Savina has marina berths for yachts, but it is a small port.

Yachts and what a week costs

Formentera rewards a shallow draught. Catamarans can lie in shallower sand closer to the beaches, while deeper-draught yachts anchor further out and use the tender.

Weekly rates follow the Mediterranean pattern. Before running costs, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000, a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, and yachts above 50 metres from around EUR 250,000, quoted individually; sailing yachts usually sit below motor yachts of the same length. The APA, typically 25 to 35 percent of the base rate, VAT at a rate set by the country and cruising area, and a customary gratuity of 5 to 15 percent bring the all-in cost to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate. Our guide to charter costs explains each line.

How a Formentera charter is arranged

Most Formentera charters begin in Ibiza and spend part of the week around Formentera; longer Balearic routes continue to Mallorca and Menorca. We shortlist the yachts that suit your group and plan the anchorages around the Posidonia rules and the forecast. Our Ibiza and Balearics guide explains the timing of the sandbanks, and the Balearic Islands page covers the archipelago.

Tell us your dates, the size of your group and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a shortlist. Start the conversation.

Fleet

Yachts available in Formentera.

Available on request

The current selection for Formentera is shared privately on request. Speak to a yacht advisor for a curated shortlist.

Request the selection

Season

When to cruise.

Best months: May to September
Prevailing winds: Sea breeze · Tramuntana
Typical base ports: Port de la Savina

May to September, with June and September the most rewarding. Ibiza and Formentera fill from mid-July; Mallorca and Menorca offer wider, calmer cruising all season. Summer days run on the sea breeze, and when the tramuntana blows from the north, the route moves to the sheltered southern coasts.

Ports

Marinas and anchorages.

Port de la Savina

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

When is the cruising season in Formentera?: May to September. Most charters reach Formentera from Ibiza, as part of a week based there or on a day charter, rather than embarking on the island.
Where do Formentera charters depart from?: Most Formentera charters start in Ibiza, from Marina Ibiza or Marina Botafoch, and spend their days off Espalmador and Ses Illetes. La Savina, Formentera's only port, has marina berths for yachts but is small.
How long is a typical charter to Formentera?: Most charters include Formentera within a week based in Ibiza, or in a longer Balearic route from Mallorca. Two to four nights around the island allows time for Ses Illetes, Espalmador and Cala Saona, with the order set by the wind and the anchorages chosen on sand, away from the protected Posidonia meadows.
Where do yachts anchor around Formentera?: Ses Illetes and Espalmador to the north, on sand clear of the Posidonia meadows, and Cala Saona on the west coast for the late afternoon. Where a yacht may anchor, and for how long, depends on the Posidonia rules and the buoy fields in force, so the captain chooses the spot each day, and most charters rotate through all three.
What does a Formentera yacht charter cost?: Formentera follows Mediterranean rates: from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week for a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht, and from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000 for 30 to 45 metres, before running costs. Yachts above 50 metres start from around EUR 250,000, quoted individually. The APA, VAT and a customary gratuity bring the all-in cost to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.
What are the anchoring rules around Formentera?: Anchoring on the Posidonia meadows is prohibited, so yachts anchor on sand or take a mooring buoy where a seasonal field is laid. The meadows are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and lie within the Ses Salines natural park, and the regional government's Posidonia app shows where anchoring is permitted. A bill before the Balearic Parliament would also limit vessels over 12 metres to 10 knots within a mile of the coast.
Is there an airport on Formentera?: No. Guests fly into Ibiza Airport, about 7 kilometres from Ibiza Town, and usually join the yacht in Ibiza's marinas for the short crossing south. Those who arrive later can take the ferry from Ibiza to La Savina, Formentera's only port, in about 30 minutes, and meet the yacht there or at anchor.
Can Formentera be visited on a day charter from Ibiza?: Yes. Formentera lies six kilometres south of Ibiza across Es Freus, so a day charter from Ibiza Town can spend the morning off Ses Illetes or Espalmador and still return for the evening. Arriving early matters in July and August, when day boats from Ibiza fill the sandbanks by late morning.
What is there to see ashore on Formentera?: The island is 19 kilometres long, and a car from La Savina covers it in a day. Two lighthouses mark its ends, Cap de Barbaria on the southern tip and the Far de la Mola on the La Mola peninsula to the east, and the salt pans of Ses Salines lie between La Savina and Es Pujols. Ses Illetes and Cala Saona can be reached by road as well as from the water.
Is Espalmador part of a Formentera charter?: Usually, yes. Espalmador is a small, privately owned island just north of Formentera, separated from it by a shallow sandbar, and it lies within the Ses Salines natural park. Yachts stop in its clear water on the way between Ibiza and Formentera. Its small mud lagoon, once used for mud baths, is off limits, with fines for those who use it.