Ibiza to Formentera Day Trip: Ferries, Beaches and a Simple One-Day Plan

Formentera is the smallest inhabited Pityusic island, and it sits just south of Ibiza. It's the day trip almost everyone asks about. The water is famously clear, the beaches are long and pale, and the pace is slower than anything you'll find in Ibiza Town. The good news is that you don't need a yacht to get there. A public ferry from Ibiza's port gets you across in well under an hour.

This guide covers how to get to Formentera from Ibiza, how to get around once you land, which beaches and viewpoints are worth your limited hours, and a simple plan for the day. Ferry timetables, fees and access rules change by season, so check the details for your travel date before you go.

How to Get from Ibiza to Formentera

All public ferries leave from the port of Ibiza Town and arrive at La Savina, Formentera's only port. Ferries run every day, all year, with frequent departures from early morning until late evening. The number of sailings varies with the season and the day of the week.

The ferry companies

Four companies run the route: Baleària, Trasmapi, Formentera Lines and Aquabus. The fast passenger boats take roughly 30 to 40 minutes. The larger conventional ferries, which can carry cars and motorbikes, take about an hour.

  • Fast passenger ferries are the best choice for a day trip. They're quicker and leave more often.
  • Car ferries only make sense if you're bringing a vehicle. Fewer boats carry cars, so you'll have fewer departures to choose from. In summer Formentera also requires an entry permit for vehicles brought over from Ibiza.

Booking tips

  • Book a fixed-time return if you need to be back at a certain hour. An open return usually only gets you onto a boat with free seats, which can mean a wait on busy summer evenings.
  • Check the last boat back for your exact date. It changes through the year, and missing it means paying for a night on Formentera.
  • Arrive early in July and August. Some operators ask passengers to be at the port at least 20 minutes before afternoon and evening departures in peak season.
  • Take an early boat. The first hours of the day are the quietest on Formentera's most famous beaches.

Getting Around Formentera

Formentera is small and mostly flat, so you've got several easy options once you land at La Savina. Right at the port you'll find taxis, public buses, and car, scooter and bike hire.

Bike or e-bike

This is the classic way to see the island. A network of signposted walking and cycling paths, the Green Routes, crosses Formentera. The flat path from La Savina to Ses Illetes runs alongside the old salt flats and is an easy ride. Bikes also get into the protected areas for free, with no car park to fill.

Scooter or car

A scooter or small car is the fastest way to reach the far ends of the island, such as the La Mola lighthouse in the east, in a single day. Be aware of the seasonal access controls (more on those below), which make some spots easier to reach on two wheels or on foot.

Public bus

Formentera's buses connect La Savina with the main villages and beach areas, and many sailings link up with the L1 and L2 lines. The bus is the cheapest option, but it's less flexible if you want to hop between several beaches.

Best Beaches for a Formentera Day Trip

You won't see everything in one day, so pick two or three spots and enjoy them properly.

Ses Illetes

Ses Illetes is the long, narrow tongue of white sand at the island's northern tip, inside the Ses Salines Natural Park. It's the beach on most Formentera postcards, and it's often compared to the Caribbean. The sea here is so clear partly because of the posidonia seagrass meadows offshore. They're part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Ibiza's biodiversity and culture, so don't anchor on them or disturb them.

Platja de Llevant

Llevant runs down the eastern side of the same peninsula, back to back with Ses Illetes. It's wilder and usually less crowded, and it's a good escape if Ses Illetes is packed.

Cala Saona

Cala Saona is a small cove on the west coast with reddish cliffs and turquoise water. It faces west, which makes it a good place to finish the day if you're staying for the sunset.

Caló des Mort

Caló des Mort is a tiny rocky cove at the eastern end of Platja de Migjorn, with old wooden boat huts and very clear water. Parking right next to it isn't allowed in season, so expect a short walk.

Platja de Migjorn

Migjorn is a long stretch of beach along the south coast. Because it's so long, you can usually find space even in summer, and there are beach restaurants along the way.

Viewpoints, Villages and Lighthouses

Cap de Barbaria lighthouse

Cap de Barbaria is Formentera's southern tip: a white lighthouse at the end of a straight road through scrub and rock, facing open sea. In peak season, vehicle access is regulated at certain hours, and drivers have to leave their car at a car park and continue on foot or by bike. Outside those hours and months, access is unrestricted. It's a popular sunset spot, so leave time for the walk.

Far de la Mola

The La Mola lighthouse stands on high cliffs at the island's eastern end. It's a long ride from La Savina, but the views are dramatic. The nearby village of El Pilar de la Mola holds a craft market on some afternoons in season. Check the current days and times locally.

Sant Francesc Xavier and Es Pujols

Sant Francesc Xavier is Formentera's small capital, with a whitewashed fortified church and relaxed squares for a coffee or lunch. Es Pujols is the island's main resort area, with a beach, a seafront promenade and the busiest evening atmosphere on Formentera.

Access Controls and Rules to Know

Formentera protects its natural areas carefully, and the rules are stricter than many visitors expect.

  • Ses Illetes vehicle fee: during the main season, non-resident petrol and diesel cars and motorbikes pay a fee to enter the Ses Illetes area, and the car parks have a capacity limit. Pedestrians, cyclists and electric vehicles get in free. Quad bikes aren't allowed in the natural park at all.
  • Cap de Barbaria: vehicle access to the lighthouse is regulated at set hours in season, so plan to walk or cycle the last stretch.
  • Caló des Mort and Es Ram: parking right beside these spots isn't allowed in season, though you can stop briefly to drop off or pick up passengers.
  • Vehicles from Ibiza: bringing a car over in summer needs a permit, so most day-trippers simply hire something on arrival.

Dates, hours and fees are set by the island's council each year, so check the current rules before you travel.

A Simple One-Day Plan

  • Morning: take an early fast ferry from Ibiza Town and hire a bike, e-bike or scooter at La Savina.
  • Late morning: ride to Ses Illetes and Llevant before the busiest hours.
  • Lunch: head into Sant Francesc Xavier, or eat at a beach restaurant on Migjorn.
  • Afternoon: swim at Caló des Mort or Cala Saona.
  • Sunset: watch it from Cala Saona or Cap de Barbaria, then ride back to La Savina in good time for your booked return.

Which Formentera Day Trip Is Best for You?

  • First-timers: stick to the north. Ses Illetes, Llevant and a lunch stop are plenty for one relaxed day, and you can do it all by bike.
  • Photographers: rent a scooter and add Cap de Barbaria and the La Mola lighthouse.
  • Families: the calm, shallow water around Ses Illetes and the easy flat bike paths work well. The bus is another low-stress option.
  • Quiet seekers: visit in May, June or September, take the first boat over and skip the busiest midday hours at Ses Illetes.
  • Short on time: walk or cycle from La Savina to the Ses Salines beaches and leave the far corners of the island for a future trip.

Practical Tips

  • Bring water, sun cream and a hat. Shade is limited on the beaches and along the cycling paths.
  • Cash and a card are both handy for small beach bars and rentals.
  • Check the wind forecast. Crossings can be bumpier on windy days, and some beaches are calmer than others depending on the wind's direction.
  • Respect the dunes and the posidonia. Use the marked paths and don't walk on protected vegetation.
  • Recheck ferry times, access rules and fees each season, since they change from year to year.

Find Flights to Ibiza

Planning a trip that includes a day on Formentera? You can compare flights to Ibiza on Aviasales and pick dates that suit you.

This is an affiliate link; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Want a beach before or after your ferry? See our guide to the best beaches in Ibiza.

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