Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on July 11, 2023
Cala Macaralleta is a picturesque creek on the southwestern coast of Menorca. Under the cliffs, good snorkeling is found around the rocky seabed covered with sponges and polyps. Seabream, wrasse and salema are among the fish you are likely to see while exploring the cove.
Unless you get here hiking through the Cami de Cavalls you will probably need to access Cala Macarelleta using a vehicle. The roads are terribly thin and it is really hard for cars to pass each other which is the reason why in summer (high season) you can only access through a bus that operates from Mahon.
Near the beach, there is free parking, usually crowded with campers staying here for the night. After parking your car you will still need to do a 10 to 15-minute hike to Cala Macarella, the larger beach next to Cala Macarelleta.
From there, you have to either choose to walk a longer but easier route inland or you can take a much shorter but harder walk on the cliffside with dramatic views of the turquoise water in the bay and approach a few caves used in the past by Hippies.
When using the shorter walk to access Cala Macarelleta you need to do a steep descent and it is not recommended to wear flip-flops or to not have any footwear. Everything except the bus in summer are free so it is often crowded with beachgoers so it is better to go in the morning.
You can enter the water anywhere you want from the sandy beach.
Cala Macarelleta has good snorkeling very near the shore. The bay is shallow reaching about 5 meters in depth though it slowly drops outside the bay and you stop seeing the sea floor within about 30 meters of swimming out of the bay.
The best area to snorkel is under the cliffs with coral polyps growing attached to the rock and schools of very small fish swim around the polyps. Fish such as the Two-banded Seabream and the Saddled Bream are more likely to be seen in the deeper rocks which are mostly bare with small amounts of Posidonia growing on to it and a few barnacles clinging on the rocks.
In the sand, stingrays are sometimes reported. Occasionally next to the coral polyps, there are hermit crabs clinging on. The corals and sponges are looking in great shape. The water is crystal clear with visibility to about 25 meters deep, with a turquoise color in the shallow waters. The water is usually calm though sometimes it can have waves and there is no potential danger as the currents are very weak.
The only danger is getting hit by a boat as a lot of people come to the beach by boat and it is better not to swim out of the bay. Jellyfish are regular visitors to the beach as they often spawn in the Posidonia meadows nearby.
There are no hotels or camping at the beach and the closest hotel is in the neighboring town called Serpentona about a kilometer away but luckily there is a Chiringuito called Cafeteria Susy.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
