The northwest of the popular Balearic Island – Mallorca, is known for its scenic sea views and gorgeous bays and beaches. The number of possible bathing spots is hard to count as the turquoise waters wash the coast from both sides. What are the nicest beaches and bays in Cala Ratjada and Cala Agulla? Check my review of 7 stunning beaches to know which ones are the real gems worth visiting.
It took me a while to understand the difference between Cala Ratjada and Cala Agulla. Especially because many websites refer to Cala Agulla as only a beach, but it is actually an area, a part of the coast with hotels and a beautiful promenade with plenty of smaller bays or water spots around.
Cala Ratjada is rather a smaller fishermen’s village with a lovely port and several little bays and beaches around. Whether you stay in the southern part – Cala Ratjada or in the northern part – Cala Agulla, you can easily discover both places by foot or by bike.
The wind usually blows within one part of the shore only, so if you have heavy winds coming from the south, you may want to enjoy your beach day at the northern shore and the other way around. However, the northern coast – which is also the more natural one, is more prone to heavy winds and waves.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
What Are the Best Beaches in Both Cala Agulla and Cala Ratjada and Are They Really Worth Visiting?
Here is a list of all beaches we visited in Cala Ratjada and Cala Agulla during our 10-day stay and the impression the beaches left in us. One important note to mention – we prefer staying in the water rather than sunbathing on a sandy beach, and we like to enjoy calmer and quitter places rather than popular beaches.
1. Cala Moltó & 2. Platja de Ses Cavasses
This was definitely our favourite place number one. Bay Cala Moltó and beach Platja de Ses Cavasses are both located just after the famous Platja de Cala Agulla, at the beginning of the beautiful natural area, saddle Coll de Marina with several hiking routes.
Why did we fall in love with this place? Comparing to its popular neighbour Agulla Beach, both Cala Moltó and de Ses Cavasses beach shocked us with their tranquillity and stunningly clear water. None of them offers sandy shores, neither comfortable access to the water so obviously, much fewer people bother visiting the places.
Cala Moltó and Platja de Ses Cavasses are so close to each other that you can refer to them as to one place. Even though that on the Google Maps it may seem that Cala Moltó is rocky and Platja de Ses Cavasses is sandy, it is not true. The surface of both is rather rocky, as the entrance to the water. Water shoes are a must-have if you want to avoid losing your nails or end up with bleeding fingers. Also, take with you your snorkelling gear – in case you would like to spot the infamously fast needlefish.
WATER: turquois
SURFACE: rather rocky
WATER SHOES: yes
HOW TO GET THERE: walk, bike or park at the Cala Agulla + walk
SNORKELLING: yes, 3 from 5
REFRESHMENTS: only at neighbouring Cala Agulla
3. Cala na Llóbriga
This was a random discovery rather than a plan. We discovered Cala na Llóbriga during our little hike through the Coll de Marina.
There are several hike routes in Coll de Marina or Puig de S’Aguila. As we wanted to have only a little walk, we selected the purple path (at least I remember it was the purple one!) to get to something called Cala de na Llòbriga. Of course, that we had no idea what it was.
Luckily for us, after 20 minutes of walking through a bit of challenging terrain (no flip-flops, please), we got to a charming tiny bay with views to Cala Lliteras. There was only one couple chilling at the rocky beach. As the water was too wavy, we sat for a while and headed back to Cala Ratjada – luncheon time, madam!
Somehow we kept this little bay in our minds as a potential snorkelling and bathing spot for later. On our last day, we walked back again and discovered the beautiful underwater world of the place. Na Llóbriga is home of much more interesting and exotic types of fish than any other bay around. Snorkelling there was just tremendous. We shared the bay with only 4 other people. It was a perfect nature experience, away of the crowds’ hoarding around Platja de Cala Agulla.
WATER: clear, deep
SURFACE: rather rocky
WATER SHOES: yes
HOW TO GET THERE: little hike from Cala Agulla, or by a mountain bike
SNORKELLING: yes, 5 from 5
REFRESHMENTS: no, pure nature experience
4. Cala Lliteras and Further Bays at the Promenade
Cala Lliteras was ‘our’ bay, as it was literally 5 minutes from our hotel room at Hotel THB Cala Lliteras. It is a small lovely bay, directly near a diving school, so you can bet that it is a perfect place to explore the Mallorca’s sea life. The water is more accessible than at Cala Moltó, but I would highly recommend water shoes as there are dozens and dozens of sea urchins and the surface is rocky, not sandy.
This is an easily reachable bay, and it is a quite popular one, but we never experienced any hard time to get a lovely spot. However, the beach if you can call it a beach, is extremely tiny – it has around 3 square meters, so it doesn’t really attract beach goers, rather people who prefer hanging in the water. There is also a bar with a restaurant next to the diving school, and therefore it is easy to refresh yourselves.
Even though the Cala Lliteras gets full, there are dozens of little bays or water spots at the promenade, which stretches from Na Lliteras up to Cala Agulla.
WATER: clear, quickly deep
SURFACE: rather rocky
WATER SHOES: yes
HOW TO GET THERE: by walk, bike, motorbike, car
SNORKELLING: yes, 4 from 5
REFRESHMENTS: yes, there is a restaurant/bar
5. Cala Moll
We managed to ignore the southern shore of the area for quite a long time. The northern bays around Cala Agulla together with the promenade were just stunning enough for us to explore any other places.
During our regular daily walk in the port of Cala Ratjada we walked a bit longer as usually until we reached the beaches of Cala Ferradura and Cala Moll. The plan for the next day was ready: beaching at Cala Moll.
We read some negative reviews about how this beach is small and always overcrowded, however if you don’t mind staying a bit further on the rocks rather than on the sand, you can truly enjoy this place. The water is marvellously turquoise, clear and pleasant, the surface is half sandy and half rocky – depends on how far out you go.
We really enjoyed swimming and snorkelling there; only one experience swiped away the happiness of the moment. After a bigger sailing boat passed around, the clear water changed into a rubbish bin full of plastic remnants.
I tried to catch at least the bigger plastic pieces – as containers or cups, and brought them up the shore to clean the water a bit. I really didn’t know what exactly happened: if the wind changed its course and splashed the dirt from the far up to the shore, or if the sailing ship did the nasty job itself. This made me furious, sad and disappointed in humanity.
WATER: turquoise, shallow
SURFACE: sandy and rocky
WATER SHOES: no need
HOW TO GET THERE: walk, bike, car, motorbike, possibly a bus
SNORKELLING: yes, 3 from 5
REFRESHMENTS: yes, there are several places around
6. Platja de Cala Gat
Platja de Cala Gat is a rather small beach with turquoise water in the Cala Gat Bay, just around the corner of the port of Cala Ratjada. It is quite a pretty beach, only until it gets crowded by people. The surface is mostly sandy, so it does attract huge crowds.
We managed to stay there for about 15 minutes because we felt like sardines, trying to catch a place to stay. The bay looks very lovely, the water directly grabs your attention, and you wish to jump in there, but the number of people staying at this pretty small beach (even hours before the noon) was just ridiculous.
We don’t regret going there, though; the walk from Cala Gat to the port of Cala Ratjada is lovely and offers never-ending sea views. Also, the bay from above looks gorgeous too!
WATER: turquoise, shallow
SURFACE: sandy
WATER SHOES: no need
HOW TO GET THERE: walk, bike, car, motorbike
SNORKELLING: might be possibly, but not that interesting
REFRESHMENTS: yes, there is a stall
7. Platja de Cala Agulla
And the winner of the most popular beach in the area is… Platja de Cala Agulla! Cala Agulla is a repeated nominee for all the ‘best beaches in Mallorca’ or ‘best beaches in Spain‘ categories, but is it really worth visiting? I’d say that it is worth visiting outside of summer and ‘only’ worth seeing during summer. The beach is astonishing with lovely scenery of pine trees, green hills around and light blue shades of waters.
Yes, when you watch this beach from above, it really looks gorgeous. But if you step into the beach, and you appear not to be able to walk because all around is like thousands of people with hundreds of ghastly beach umbrellas, you completely lose the love for this place.
The neighbouring Cala Moltó and Platja de ses Cavasses were like beaches of peaceful salvation after dragging our feet in between the beach towels of Cala Agulla.
WATER: turquoise, shallow
SURFACE: sandy
WATER SHOES: no need
HOW TO GET THERE: walk, bike, car, motorbike, bus
SNORKELLING: possible, but you’ll see more people’s butts than fish
REFRESHMENTS: yes, there are 2 kiosks and a chirringuito
Cala Ratjada and Cala Agulla are both stunning places, and they offer more than ‘only’ dozens of beautiful beaches and little bay. This corner of Mallorca is a great place for hiking, bike tours or dining. Have a great fun on your Cala Ratjada or Cala Agulla holidays and if you bump into a beach or a bay worth mentioning, please let me know in the comments!