Introduction To Boating

People have been living on Formentera for more than 4,000 years, and there are archeological sited on the island that demonstrate this. Even without natural spring water Formentera attracted Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans. The Greek Stabo who died in 24AD referred to the island as Ophiusa, which means land of reptiles. When you walk along the paths today the geckos are still darting around 2,000 years later.

Formentera was called the Island of Wheat by the Romans who farmed it. It\’s curious that they named it in this way since their main export was figs! The remains of Castell Roma de Can Blai are testament to the fact that the Romans invested a lot of resources into the island.

Formentera has never been an easy place to occupy, as the Byzantines, Vandals, Arabs, and Normans who followed the Romans all discovered. When the Catalans finally stamped their authority in 1235 they did so by exterminating the local Muslims, and dividing the island into four administrations, but after years of sickness and pirate attacks they decided to leave the island in the fourteenth century.

Following the abandonment of the island it was decided to settle again in 1697, and the island has been inhabited ever since. It was King Carlos II of Spain who saw the potential in the island and appointed a sea captain to go and build some defense towers to keep the pirates out. The remains of the five towers can be visited today.

The modern Formentera was shaped by the wave of hippies who came in the 1950s. They spread the word about the island\’s natural beauty and tourism has since grown to be the island\’s main business. Gone are the days of fig and olive growing. Of course, you still see plenty of farmers out and about, but the truth is that they could make nearly as much money by renting out their farmhouses to the tourists that want to visit this island.

From when you get to at Lasabina formentera port you are delighted by a great island. For further information see: http://www.squidoo.com/Sabina-Formentera

Formentera\’s geography has blessed it with a narrow peninsula reaching up to the north. There are hardly any buildings here and you see uninterrupted views out to Es Vedra, across to Ibiza, and of course to Espalmador. During the summer you will see lots of boats that have dropped anchor in the calm waters just offshore.

Getting to Es Trucadors is easy, you just rent a bicycle and head along the coastline of Es Cavall d\’en Borras. You will pass over the inlet that lets seawater into Estany Pudent, and thank goodness it does otherwise this inland lagoon would create quite a stench. Once you reach the old mill of Moli des Carregador you have got to the beginning of the inlets that make up the peninsula.

The peninsula is made up of a western and eastern edge. Along the eastern edge there is a long straight beach known as Platja de Llevant. It seems to stretch as far as the eye can see. On the western edge are a number of coves that look out on a number of islets. The coves are all named (Juan y Andrea, Es MinistereBig Sur, El Tiburon, Es Moli de Sal, El Pirata) as are the islets (Illa Tramuntana, Illa Rodona, Illa des Pouet).

Llevant is actually made up of two beaches. One of these is called Llevant Beach and the other one is called Tanga Beach. There are no resort hotels here, or indeed any buildings. As you look down the beach you will see that southbound it extends to Ses Salines, Platja de Sa Roqueta and Platja des Canyers.

If you go right to the top of Es Trucadors then you reach a strip of sand around 30 meters in width that have the ocean on either side. You can\’t beat a double beach! And just north of that is Es Pas – the stretch of water that separates Formentera from Espalmador.

Only one side of Es Trucdaors is ever windy, so if the winds are up you can just head on over to the other side. It\’s the ultimate in beach convenience.

To go from La Savina to Es Trucadors you won\’t need to worry about car rental formentera, but if you are going further on the island then you many find this site helpful: http://www.squidoo.com/car-rental-formentera

There are many different ways to get to Formentera during the peak summer season. Between May and September there are crossings from many different ports, including those of Denia, Barcleona, Alicante, and Palma. All of the ferries arrive at the port of La Savina, which is a bustling modern marina. The one thing that Formentera does not have is an airport so you will certainly be arriving by sea.

The length of time that you decide to stay on Formentera will dictate where you decide to go. For example, most day trippers just head up to the stunning white beaches of the northern peninsula known as Es Trucadors. If you need some help planning your trip then you can pop into the Tourist Information Office, which is just opposite the ferry. There is also another one that is in the village of Sant Francesc.

The Es Trucadors peninsula\’s white beaches reach right up to the neighboring island of Espalmador. Although Espalmador is a private island you are free to go there and experience its sulphur mud baths. If you are offended by naked bodies then the northern peninsula is not for you as it has a long tradition of naturism. As well as naked bodies you get some pretty good views of Es Vedra.

When you are planning your trip it is important to remember that the prices on this island are very expensive, and that goes for the accommodation too. Also, the places to stay are limited so it pays to book your vacation as early as possible. Although it is a small island there are plenty of different types of accommodation to choose from. I recommend that you use a local travel agent who can advise you on the characteristics of the different areas and the pros and cons of farmhouses versus hotels.

One option is the capital of Sant Francesc Xavier. It is a good central location and it has everything you need in terms of shopping and so on. One thing to note is that although this is the capital it is a very sleepy little village, and there is not a lot of action. For that you would be better of selecting the resort of Es Pujols.

For more details about Formentera tourism this site is fairly useful, so click http://hubpages.com/hub/formentera-tourism

If you go just north of Formentera, by a few hundred meters, then you will come to the island of Espalmador. This small island has captured the imagination of many a day tripper from Formentera and Ibiza and is well worth a visit.

Although Espalmador looks extremely close to Formentera you should not attempt to walk across the channel that separates the two islands. Instead you should take a boat from La Savina, or from Ses Illetes. These boats run regularly during the summer so there is no need to take a risk by venturing into the Es Freus channel. The channel is extremely dangerous and has a strong current that could pull you under.

If you are based in Ibiza then you will find yachts available for charter. The good thing about this option is that you don\’t have to worry about calling into any ports, as you can just drop anchor at one of the beautiful spots around Espalmador. If you are based in Formentera then you can get a boat from La Savina at some time between 10:15 and 13:15. Make sure you don\’t enjoy yourself too much and forget the last ferry back at 17:30.

The mud baths of Espalmador are renowned for their healing properties, although they are completely unproven from a scientific point of view. To get to the mud baths you just go to Platja de s\’Alga and head north, and you soon come across four hectares of mud, glorious mud. There is no need to worry about getting dirty as it all comes off in the ocean.

If you have made it as far as Espalmador, then don\’t leave without trying these mud baths for yourself.

Sometimes some naughty tourists throw the mud and don\’t treat the area with respect. Please remember that this is an area of natural beauty and needs to preserved as one.

Espalmador is a little different from the formentera migjorn beach as it has more white sand. But Platja de Migjorn is a fine spot too and you can read about it here: http://www.squidoo.com/formentera-migjorn

There is no airport on the the island of Formentera so most people arrive at Port de la Savina. The port grew from a natural harbor that was used to export Sabina pine, thus its name. These days it is not so much a commercial port as a tourist hub with a beautiful marina.

You can take the ferry from La Savina to many different locations, from the neighboring island of Espalmador all the way to the Denia. There are connections to the other Balearic islands, via Sant Antoni and Palma. In the winter months the ferries between Ibiza and Formentera are the most frequent.

When you are in La Savina you will find that there is a decent collection of restaurants, cafes and tapas bars. With a nice modern marina to look out on it\’s worth chilling here for a bit. It is also a very practical village as you are able to hire and buy everything you might need for your stay on the island, from motorbikes to toilet paper. There is a tourist office on the dock, so just pop in and ask them for some help.

Just behind La Savina is the saltwater lagoon known as Estany des Peix. Its shallow warm waters are excellent for water sports. You don\’t need to worry about big ferries getting in your way as only the narrowest boats fit into the channel that connects Estany des Peix to the sea. Estant Pudent and Es Trucadors are also close by La Savina.

Formentera\’s main resort of Es Pujols is where a through of people always head after arriving at La Savina. The warm, turquoise waters lap against white beaches and you can enjoy just about any water sport here, from diving to windsurfing. There is a local company Wet4Fun that rents equipment and gives lessons to beginners.

Es Pujols main high street is Passeig des Plameres, but it is the promenade behind the beach that is more of an attraction – Avenida Miramar has market stalls set up where aging hippies try to sell enough to get by for the rest of the year.

When is comes to hotels formentera they can be hard to find. This website has some useful analysis. visit: http://www.squidoo.com/hotels-formentera