Ibiza
Dalt Vila's ramparts by day, a beach-club table by dusk, Es Vedrà on the horizon throughout — the Balearics' loudest name and its most private anchorages, both at once.
April–OctoberIBZ · private jet FBOs on-fieldThe vibe: after dark
Ibiza runs two clocks at once: the fortress town of Dalt Vila, floodlit above the marina, and the sand-and-rock coves of the west coast where the island still looks empty. The fleet gathers at Marina Ibiza and Botafoch, a tender ride from Pacha and a helicopter hop from the villas of the northeast. By evening the anchorages empty toward Cala Jondal and Cala Comte, where the beach clubs have drawn the same crowd for decades and Es Vedrà turns black against the last light.
"You anchor off Es Vedrà once — after that you understand why nobody photographs it the same way twice."
The gallery
Signature anchorages
Six named coves that between them cover every point of the compass and every mood — sheltered lunch stop, sunset theatre, quiet snorkel morning.
- Cala BassaWest coast, sand 4–7m, sheltered from all but NW wind — good to 30m LOA. Beach club ashore runs late; anchor further north for a quiet night.
- Cala d'HortSW coast, sand/rock 6–10m, open to S–SW–W swell. The Es Vedrà anchorage — the photograph every owner wants, weather permitting.
- Cala SaladaWest coast, sand 4–7m, pine cliffs block the tramontana. Narrow inlet — tenders in from an outer anchor for larger yachts.
- Cala ComteWest coast, rocky sand 5–8m, moderate holding. The reference sunset anchorage — sun into the sea over a scatter of islets, Sunset Ashram ashore.
- TalamancaEast coast, sand 3–6m, shallow and calm. The practical overnight for provisioning and crew changes, walking distance to town.
- Cala XarracaNorth coast, small and isolated, clear water prized for snorkelling — a quieter counterpoint to the west-coast scene.
2026 ecological anchoring zones (buoy fields protecting Posidonia, the protected seagrass meadow) now cover Benirràs, Cala Bassa, Cala Salada, Cala Vedella, Es Xarco, Portinatx and Talamanca — confirm buoy availability before anchoring.
The scene
Beach clubs, sunset bars and a club calendar that built the island's global reputation — glamour and name-drops, forty years running.
Blue Marlin
Cala Jondal's private jetty puts tenders at the table. Wagyu and Veuve Clicquot by day; a celebrity roll-call reported to include Beyoncé. 2026 opening weekend 25–26 April with Pete Tong and Saraga.
Nikki Beach
Near Santa Eulalia — panoramic sea-view cabanas, a curated Spanish-international menu, Afro House nights, and a dedicated yacht-tender service.
Sunset Ashram
Cala Comte's reference sundown bar, the sun dropping directly into the sea over the islets — the position every itinerary is built around for one evening.
Opening to closing
IMS Ibiza 22–24 April; Opening Weekend 24–26 April at Pacha and Ushuaïa; Amnesia's main opening 9 May. Closing season runs mid-September to mid-October — Circoloco at DC10, Solomun+1 at Pacha.
Table & stay ashore
Three Michelin tables, one theatrical spectacle, and the three addresses that hold the island's charter guests when they come ashore.
Restaurants
La Gaia
Ibiza Gran Hotel, Ibiza Town. Chef Óscar Molina, Japanese precision meeting Balearic flavours — tasting menus Illa and Horitzó.
Omakase by Walt
Ibiza Town. One of three Michelin stars retained on the island for the 2026 guide.
Unic
Sant Josep. The third of Ibiza's Michelin-starred addresses in the 2026 guide.
Sublimotion
Hard Rock Hotel, Playa d'en Bossa. Paco Roncero's three-hour theatrical tasting menu — one of the world's most talked-about tables.
Hotels
Six Senses Ibiza
Xarraca Bay — 134 rooms over 25 acres, the first BREEAM-certified resort in the Balearics, yacht access from a steep rocky seafront.
Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay
Seafront pools and the Balearics' first Nobu restaurant, a short tender from Marina Ibiza and Botafoch.
La Torre del Canónigo
A boutique address inside the walled UNESCO old town, built into the Roman-acropolis fortifications.
The week, sketched
Marina Ibiza, Dalt Vila
Arrive and clear in, then walk the bastions of Dalt Vila at golden hour with the fleet lit up in the marina below.
Talamanca to Cala Xarraca
A short hop north for a quiet snorkelling morning away from the crowds, pine-backed cliffs and clear water.
Cala Salada & Cala Bassa
West-coast coves, a beach-club lunch at Cala Bassa, sheltered swimming through the afternoon.
Cala Comte for sunset
Anchor early for position at Cala Comte; Sunset Ashram ashore for the sundown crowd.
Cala d'Hort & Es Vedrà
The photograph day — anchor off Es Vedrà weather permitting, with Cala Jondal and Blue Marlin for lunch.
Formentera day-run
11–13 nautical miles south to Illetes for the clearest water in the Balearics; return by evening or overnight off Formentera.
Return to Marina Ibiza
A last dinner at La Gaia or Omakase by Walt in Ibiza Town before disembarkation.
Ibiza Town and back
A short loop close to Ibiza Town, four or five nights rather than a full week.
Marina Ibiza
Arrive and clear in; the old town's ramparts catch the last light as the fleet settles below, dinner at La Gaia or Omakase by Walt.
Talamanca
A short hop across the bay to calm, shallow water and easy provisioning; lunch ashore at Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay.
Cala Bassa
West coast for a beach-club lunch and sheltered swimming through the afternoon; anchor further north for a quieter night.
Cala Jondal
Blue Marlin's private jetty puts the tender straight at the table for lunch; an easy, unhurried afternoon.
Return to Marina Ibiza
A last morning swim off the boat, back to berth for dinner in town before disembarkation.
The long way round
A fuller circuit north and south, with a night over the water in Formentera instead of a same-day return.
Marina Botafoch
Berth at Botafoch instead, a tender ride from Pacha; look back at Dalt Vila floodlit above the water once the sun is down.
Talamanca to Santa Eulalia
An easy first day up the east coast; Nikki Beach's cabanas and yacht-tender service for lunch.
Cala Xarraca & Portinatx
North coast, inside the island's ecological anchoring zones, for the clearest water on Ibiza; a quiet night off Six Senses Ibiza's stretch of Xarraca Bay.
Benirràs
A further protected buoy field around the north coast; an isolated, unhurried day at anchor.
Cala Salada & Cala Bassa
Back to the west coast; pine-cliff shelter at Salada in the morning, a beach-club lunch at Bassa.
Cala Comte & Cala Jondal
Sunset at Sunset Ashram one evening; Blue Marlin's jetty and the Cala Jondal scene the next day.
Cala d'Hort & Sant Josep
The Es Vedrà anchorage, weather permitting; ashore at Sant Josep for dinner at Unic.
Formentera, overnight
The crossing south to Illetes, staying the night this time rather than turning back by evening.
Pair with
The year, measured
Monthly means at the heart of this water — daily maxima averaged, wind as mean daily peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air, day °C | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 27 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 24 | 19 | 17 |
| Sea °C | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 19 | 18 |
| Wind, peak kt | 12 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 13 |
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo · 2019–2023 means · sea temperature 2022–2023
The yachts that run these waters
Profiles from the record — introductions via the harbour desk.
Read on: WAKE — the magazine · the guides · the glossary







