Cala Rafalet is a narrow sea inlet on the south-east coast of Menorca, in the municipality of Sant Lluís. The sea runs inland at the foot of a gorge and ends in bare rock: there is no sand and nowhere to lie down. Access is on foot, by a path from the hotels at S'Algar that turns steep and rocky for the last stretch down into the gorge. The inlet is known for water clear enough to snorkel in, for the fish and crabs over the rock, and for how quiet it stays.
Cala Rafalet
Rocky sea inlet at the end of a gorge, reached on foot from S'Algar, with clear water for snorkelling.
- Entrance
- Free, no ticket.
- Accessibility
- No step-free access: a wall to climb over, then a footpath with a steep, rocky final descent and rock to scramble at the water.
- Parking
- No car park at the inlet. The nearest parking is about 480 m away in a straight line; a second, about 610 m away, is free but reserved for customers.
- Difficulty
- A walk in on a footpath from S'Algar, steep and rocky for the last section, with a scramble over rock at the water's edge.
- Transport
- Bus stops Av. Cinquena, about 200 m away, and S'Algar, about 670 m away.
- Advance booking
- Not needed.
- Hours
- Open at any time.
- Address
- Cala Rafalet, 7ª Avenue, 4, 07713 Sant Lluís, Illes Balears, Spain
What makes it special
The water comes in clear enough that fish and crabs show up over the rock before you get a mask on. That is what the walk buys: a gorge filling with sea, high rock on both sides, rarely more than a handful of people in it. Snorkelling is the reason most come, and there are jumping spots off the rock. Once you are down at the water, the left-hand side can be climbed for places to sit above it. The path in is wooded and quiet, and wild tortoises turn up on it.
Good to know
- Wear something on your feet in the water. The rock where you get in is slippy, and some of it is sharp.
- Bring something to sit on. The shore is bare rock with nowhere to lie down; there are spots to sit up the left-hand side, once you are down at the water.
- Wind ruins the swim. On windy days jellyfish and floating rubbish blow into the inlet.
- Keep to the main path. The smaller paths that branch off it run out at the cliff edge.
- No toilets and no drinking water at the inlet or nearby — carry what you need in and out.
Getting there
The way in starts from the hotels at S'Algar. Where the steps are built into the wall, climb over and stay left on the main path until it meets a second path; turn right there and the ground drops into the gorge. The smaller paths branching off run out at the cliff edge, so keep to the main one. The last section is steep and rocky, and at the bottom you scramble over rock to where the water starts — getting into the sea is straightforward once you are there. The nearest parking sits about 480 m away in a straight line, and everything after that is on foot.
Best time to visit
Best: a calm day, with daylight in hand for the steep section in both directions.
Avoid: windy days.
Wind pushes jellyfish and floating rubbish into the inlet, and since the swim and the snorkelling are what the walk is for, a blowy day takes away the point of coming.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Cala Rafalet on the map
The small paths off the main route end at an unfenced cliff edge — stay on the main path. Down at the water the rock is slippy where you get in and sharp in places.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there sand at Cala Rafalet?
No. The shore is bare rock and there is nowhere to lie down, though you can climb the left-hand side once you are at the water and find a spot to sit.How do you reach it?
On foot from S'Algar: over the wall with the steps built into it, left along the main path to a junction, then right and down into the gorge. The last part is steep and rocky.Is it good for snorkelling?
Yes. The water is clear and there are fish and crabs over the rock. Bring something to wear on your feet, as the rock where you enter is slippy and sharp in places.Are there toilets or drinking water?
None at the inlet and none nearby. Fill up before you set out.Can you get there by bus?
Stops at Av. Cinquena and S'Algar lie within about 700 m of the inlet, and the approach from there is on foot.