Cala Binidalí is a small beach of white sand at the end of a narrow inlet cut into the limestone cliffs of southern Menorca, in the municipality of Maó, Balearic Islands. It lies beside the Binidalí urbanisation, close to Sant Climent, and is ringed by rocky ground. The cove is known for clear, sheltered water and for how little sand there is: the beach fills up through the summer, helped by easy access and parking on the clifftop. A bar stands above the beach, and there are no public services down on the sand.
Cala Binidalí
Tiny white-sand cove between limestone cliffs, with steps down from a clifftop car park.
- Entrance
- Free, no ticket.
- Accessibility
- Not step-free — the only way down is a stepped path from the clifftop, and there is no wheelchair-accessible entrance.
- Parking
- Free car park on the clifftop, within 80 m; free street parking nearby too.
- Difficulty
- Paved switchback path with steps from the car park, fairly steep, about five minutes down.
- Transport
- No bus to the cove: nearest stop about 1.7 km away in a straight line, and the Canutells stop about 2.8 km.
- Advance booking
- Not needed, nothing to book.
- Hours
- Open at any time, day and night.
- Address
- Carrer de sa Nastre, 146, 07712 Maó, Illes Balears, Spain
What makes it special
The inlet runs back into the cliffs as a narrow slot, and the water at the head of it stays calm and shallow, clear enough to look like a swimming pool. Snorkelling is the best of it — the rocky edges under the cliffs are full of small fish. On the right-hand side of the cove a low rock gives people something to jump from. The sand is a strip of white between limestone walls, with rock at the back of it, and the visit tends to be over in a couple of hours: a swim, a look round the rocks, then a drink at the bar on the clifftop looking down at the water.
Good to know
- No services on the sand. No toilets, showers or lifeguards; the only facilities are up at the bar above the beach.
- Shade is scarce. Direct sun covers the beach most of the day, and shade arrives late afternoon, once the sun drops behind the rock faces.
- Space runs out. In July and August a dozen families fill the sand; arrive after 10:00 and your towel goes on the sloping rear rocks or against the cliff.
- The path is work with luggage. Coolers, big umbrellas and pushchairs are a slog on the switchbacks down and back up.
- After a storm the water clouds up and weed washes into the cove, so the clarity is not a given.
Getting there
The approach is from the island's main road, whether you come from Maó or from Ciutadella: head towards Cala En Porter, then follow the signs for Sant Climent. The cove sits at the edge of the Binidalí urbanisation, with a car park on top of the cliff within 80 m of it and an information board beside it. From there a paved switchback path with steps drops to the sand — fairly steep, about five minutes down, and longer coming back up with a bag in each hand. No bus comes to the cove; the nearest stop is about 1.7 km away in a straight line.
Best time to visit
Best: early morning, and late afternoon into the evening.
Avoid: midday in July and August, and the bar around lunchtime, when it is busy and seating is limited.
Early is when there is still free sand to sit on, and the late hours bring the only natural shade, once the sun has gone behind the rock faces; a drink on the clifftop at sunset works even when the beach below has filled. After a thunderstorm the water turns cloudy and weed drifts in, so the clear water people come for is not there.
Sun & daylight
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Cala Binidalí on the map
The water in the cove is shallow — check the depth before jumping in from the rock on the right-hand side. The clifftops above are unfenced, and there are no lifeguards on the beach.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there parking at Cala Binidalí?
Yes — a free car park sits on top of the cliff within 80 m of the cove, and street parking nearby is free as well.How do you get down to the beach?
A paved switchback path with steps leads down from the car park. It is fairly steep and takes about five minutes. There is no step-free route and no wheelchair-accessible entrance.Are there toilets, showers or somewhere to eat?
No toilets, showers or lifeguards on the sand, and none within 800 m. A small bar stands above the beach, busy around lunchtime, and reaching it means walking back up the path.Is the cove good for snorkelling?
Yes. The narrow inlet keeps the water calm, shallow and clear, and the rocky edges under the cliffs are full of small fish.Does it get crowded?
In July and August the sand fills: a dozen families take up the whole stretch, and after 10:00 latecomers end up on the rocks at the back or against the cliff walls.