Cala Bona
Cala Bona is situated on the east coast of Mallorca and is nearly as far from Palma Airport as it’s possible to be in Mallorca. Depending on the traffic it will take roughly one hour to drive to Cala Bona from the airport, which is 69km/43miles away.
The east coast of Mallorca is rugged and most of the resorts along it have evolved around small inlets and coves. However, this is not the case with Cala Bona and neighboring Cala Millor, whose names mean good bay and better bay respectively.
The two bays are separated by a rocky stretch of coast that runs for about 700 m. Cala Bona’s beaches in total have approximately 700 m of shoreline including a series of three mini coves created by sea defenses. The advantages of these coves are that they create a sheltered beach with calmer water in a mini bay.
Cala Bona has a working harbour and the resort has grown up around this. Cala Bona in days gone by was primarily a small fishing village. Besides being very pretty, this harbour by the town centre and alongside the beaches makes for quick and easy access to a variety of boat trips on offer.
Cala Bona is limited in what it offers for watersports but if you walk along the promenade a few hundred metres to Cala Millor there is a wide variety of watersports activities to choose from.
The promenade is one of the good things about Cala Bona and the adjoining Cala Millor. It runs from Cala Bona to Cala Millor and is a pedestrian zone that is backed by many shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants and seems like an actual street in places.
If you like cycling and rollerblading or want to use a mobility scooter there is a smooth cycle lane along the whole promenade. Considered disabled-friendly, Cala Bona is mainly a flat area and, due to the long promenade, it is ideal for wheelchairs and scooters. The four-wheeled family bikes to hire have become very popular for traversing the length of the promenade.
Cala Bona is mainly a family resort but there is also a lot of nightlife for those looking for late-night bars and clubs just a few metres along the promenade at Cala Millor.
Things to do in Cala Bona
Fantasy Park
Fantasy Park is ideal for family fun. It is a children’s play area and has amongst other things, bungee trampolines, a bouncy castle, and some electric motorcycles. It is found in the center of Cala Bona, not too far from the fishing pier.
There is a bigger Fantasy park in the neighboring resort Cala Millor which is a little bigger and has some go-karts. This park is found opposite the Sportsman bar by the south end of the beach. Many rides cost a euro a time.
Rancho Willy Horse Riding
Rancho Willy is a local and established horse riding center in Cala Bona. It offers horse riding excursions for all levels. Visitors can hire a pony or arrange a two-hour morning or afternoon riding session. Rancho Willy is located around three hundred meters from the harbor heading in a direction out of town on the Son Servera road and is easy to see.
Albatros Diving
Albatros Diving is a PADI 5 Star and Gold Palm. This means for a diving school it has the highest quality mark. It has the official status as a diving center, an air tank filling station, and a visual inspection of air tanks center.
The dive center is found by Cala Bona harbor just a few meters to the south and right in front of ‘The Laguna’ beach, a shallow bay. For guests staying in hotels away from the harbor, Albatros Diving offers a free transfer to and from the center regardless of which dive course they take.
There are also offices for Sa Coma and S’Illot in the Hotel Club Blau Mediterraneo in Sa Coma. For Porto Cristo Nova or Cala Mandia there is an office in the Blau Punta Reina Resort.
Boat Trips Cala Bona
There are various boat trips on offer from Cala Bona such as pleasure trips, speedboats, or a tranquil glass-bottom boat trip. For information on all the boat trips, there are displays and flyers in the Cala Bona harbour, where the trips depart from.
In addition to pleasure trips, there are also boat trips to Cala Ratjada to coincide with the Saturday morning market that is held there. There are also trips to Sa Coma and Porto Cristo at various times daily and there is a market in Porto Cristo on Sundays.
Market
There isn’t a market in Cala Bona but there is one in nearby Son Servera every Friday between 8 am-1:30 pm. This is just a 6-minute drive or taxi ride away, 3.2km/2miles.
Karting Cala Millor
There is a Karting track close by in the neighboring Cala Millor, Karting Cala Millor. It has various sized Karts and is suitable for all levels and ages. It is located around the middle of the beach area about 400 metres inland past the Fantasy park area which also has go-karts but is not as specialised as the Karting Cala Millor.
4 Golf courses
There are four golf courses within about twenty minutes of Cala Bona. These are Canyamel, Capdepera, Pula, and Son Servera. Pula and Son Servera are the nearest being within ten minutes.
Son Servera Golf is Mallorca’s second oldest club and an 18 hole members club. However green fees are offered on their website for 9 or 18 holes.
Pula Golf is one of Mallorca’s more select courses. The club offers green fees for 9 or 18 holes, as well as a driving range and golf equipment to hire.
Canyamel Golf is a par 73, 18 hole course set in beautiful countryside and proves a golfing challenge. The club has a full range of golf equipment and services on offer and has green fees for 9 or 18 holes.
Capdepera Golf is set in verdant Mallorcan countryside and offers reasonable green fees when discounts are taken advantage of. The 15th hole on the course has been repeatedly voted by Mallorca Magazine as the most beautiful golf hole on Mallorca. The course was designed by Dan Maples a famous US Architect.
Mini Golf Paradise
There are two 18 hole mini golf courses to enjoy with the family and also some electric boats for children which are coin fed on a mini lake. These courses are close to each other set amid trees, waterfalls, streams, and little bridges.
The courses are on the Safari hotel complex in Sa Coma just a few minutes from Cala Bona. They are free for hotel guests, but visitors are welcome and the courses are open from May to October.
You can access the course on Carrer del Savinar, which is at the rear of the hotel complex. You can also follow the path by the side of the Eroski supermarket and you will find your way from there.
Safari Zoo
A few minutes in a taxi to the south of Cala Bona is the Safari Zoo by Sa Coma. It is based on a Safari theme and is located in the countryside in unique scenery that feels very similar to the savannahs of Africa.
It’s possible to drive the 3km/2miles long Safari in your own car or to use the Safari train. You can expect to see animals such as zebras, rhinoceroses, giraffes, gnus, gazelles, cheeky monkeys, and other exotic creatures.
There are numerous playgrounds for children and there is also a restaurant.
Places of Interest
Caves
These caves are not located in Cala Bona but are around a 15-minute drive away. Both sets of caves are close to Porto Cristo.
Caves of Drach
These are the most famous set of caves in Mallorca and well worth a visit. The caves are outstanding with a lot to see. There is a fairly even footpath which is approximately 1 km in length. It takes visitors to a subterranean lake where there is a boat ride and a music and lighting show. The opening times in winter are 10:45 am to 12:00 noon and summer 10 am to 5 pm.
Caves of Hams
These aren’t as famous or as large as the caves of Drach but equally worth a visit as they are spectacular inside. There is a subterranean lake with boats and a music and lighting show. The name refers to the shape of the many spikes appearing as fishhooks. Opening times in winter are 10:30 am to 5:30 pm and in summer 10 am to 6 pm.
Capdepera castle and lighthouse
Around 16km from Cala Bona lies the town of Capdepera, a picturesque medieval town with a well-preserved 14th-century castle that offers stunning views of the bay and surrounding countryside. The Capdepera Lighthouse can be found at the most easterly point of Mallorca, approximately 7 km from the town centre. It is perched on a rugged cliff with breathtaking views over the Mediterranean Sea. Built in 1861, it is a vital navigational aid for ships passing through the Balearic Islands.
Getting to Cala Bona
For information on how to get to Cala Bona from Palma Airport, please see our pages Taxi Transfer to Cala Bona, Car Hire at Mallorca Airport, and Bus Service in Mallorca.