Island hopping
Cabrera National Park from Mallorca
18 May 2026 · 6 min read
Cabrera lies about 12 minutes by helicopter or roughly 3 hours by yacht south of Mallorca. It is a Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, so anchoring needs a permit from the Balearic government, which we arrange. The best way to see it is a full day among the coves and the Cova Blava.
The anchoring permit comes first
Cabrera is a Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, the only one in the Balearics. Moorings and anchoring points are regulated by the Balearic government and strictly limited, especially in July and August. Without a permit, no boat enters the park.
We handle it several weeks ahead: we request the buoy, match your date to genuine availability and confirm before you sail. You simply pick the day; the paperwork and the coordination with the park are on us.
By yacht or by helicopter
By yacht, the crossing from Mallorca runs around 3 hours depending on your departure port and the state of the sea. It is the full plan: you sail across, anchor in a cove, swim and eat on board. You spend more hours at sea, but you gain a whole day on the water.
By helicopter it is about 12 minutes in the air. That makes sense when time is tight: you land, give the hours to the island and return without losing half a day in transit. Many clients combine the two: helicopter out, with a yacht waiting for the afternoon.
What makes Cabrera special
The archipelago has been protected and almost entirely undeveloped for decades, so the water is among the cleanest in the western Mediterranean. The anchorage at Es Port, the fourteenth-century castle and the seabird colonies set it apart from any cove on the main coast.
The essential stop is the Cova Blava, a sea cave where light enters from below and turns the water a deep blue. You visit it by tender or by swimming, depending on the sea, and it tends to be the part of the day people remember.
Private or group
There are group trips on scheduled boats leaving from the Colònia de Sant Jordi. They are the budget option, with fixed timings, plenty of people and little time at each point. They are fine for seeing the island, not for taking it at your own pace.
A private charter changes the day entirely: you choose the departure time, where you anchor, when you eat and how long you linger at the Cova Blava. With crew on board you need no boat licence, and the day is built around you rather than a shared timetable.
When to go
The season runs from May to October. July and August are the busiest months and the hardest for moorings, with crowded coves and the highest prices. Book the permit well ahead if midsummer is your only window.
Late May, June and September bring good weather with quieter coves and more room to secure an anchoring slot. If your calendar allows it, these are the best dates for an unhurried visit to Cabrera.
Do I need a permit to visit Cabrera?
Yes. Cabrera is a Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, and anchoring needs a permit from the Balearic government, with moorings limited in summer. We arrange it several weeks ahead and confirm the buoy before you sail, so you only choose the date.
How long does it take to reach Cabrera from Mallorca?
By yacht the crossing runs around 3 hours from the south of Mallorca, depending on the port and the state of the sea. By helicopter it is about 12 minutes in the air. Many clients combine a helicopter out with a yacht for the afternoon on the water.
Do I need a boat licence?
No, not on a crewed charter: the skipper is aboard and no qualification is needed. You would only need an ICC or national equivalent and a VHF certificate to sail bareboat, which does not apply to a day at Cabrera with us.
What is the Cova Blava?
It is a sea cave at Cabrera where light enters from below the surface and turns the water a deep, vivid blue. You visit it by tender or by swimming, depending on the sea, and it is usually the most memorable moment of the day on the island.