The Southern Edge: Land of Salt and Wind
Ibiza's south is a world apart. Here the island flattens, stretches toward the sea and dissolves into a succession of long beaches, low dunes and salt ponds that glisten under the sun like enormous mirrors of shifting colors.
It's a horizontal, open landscape, swept by wind and inhabited by migratory birds that find in these salt marshes one of the Mediterranean's most important wetlands. And at the very end, at the southernmost tip of the island, stands Torre de Ses Portes, a solitary lookout that has watched for centuries over the narrow strait between Ibiza and Formentera.
Starting the Route from Es Cavallet
The most complete route to Torre de Ses Portes begins at the Es Cavallet beach parking area, reached by the road that branches from the Ses Salines roundabout. Clear signage and ample free parking under the pines mark the way.
From here, the path follows the beach southward for about three kilometers to the Ses Portes point. It's a completely flat route with no technical difficulty.
Es Cavallet: The Naturist Beach
Es Cavallet is a long, straight beach protected by a ridge of dunes where gnarled juniper trees, stony junipers and sea lilies grow. It's largely a naturist beach, something quite natural in Ibiza where the free-body culture has deep roots since the seventies.
Walking along the water's edge, with firm sand beneath your feet and the sea lapping at your ankles, is a simple and profound pleasure that never goes out of style.
The Dunes and Vegetation
As you move southward, the beach narrows and the dunes take center stage. This dune system is fragile and valuable, so it's important to always walk along the shore or marked trails, never across the dunes.
The vegetation here is perfectly adapted to extreme conditions:
- Sabinas (juniper trees): grow close to the ground, shaped by the wind
- Enebros (stony junipers): form compact cushions to resist salinity
- Barrón (marram grass): drives deep roots into sand to anchor the dunes
- Sea lilies: bloom white in summer, perfuming the breeze
If you look inland you'll see the salt pond reservoirs, which depending on the season can be turquoise, pink or deep red. You'll often see flamingos feeding, plunging their long necks into the water to filter the tiny crustaceans they live on.
Curious fact: The colors of the salt ponds are due to different microorganisms that inhabit the hypersaline water. They create a landscape that seems more Martian than Mediterranean. The best pink and red tones appear in summer, when evaporation is most intense.
Torre de Ses Portes
At the end of the beach, a small dirt path crosses through a final stretch of coastal scrubland to reach the tower. It was built in the eighteenth century as part of the coastal watchtower system that protected the island from pirate attacks.
Its name, meaning "tower of the gates," refers to the maritime passage between Ibiza and Formentera, known as Es Freus, one of the most traveled and feared routes for local mariners due to its strong currents.
Views from the Tower
From the tower's base, the views are spectacular. Formentera lies right ahead, so close you can make out the houses of Es Pujols and the silhouette of La Mola's lighthouse. Between the two islands stretch the islets of Es Freus: s'Espalmador with its famous beach, Es Penjats with its lighthouse, and several smaller islets that emerge from the water like sleeping whale backs.
Practical Information
- Distance: 6 km (round trip from Es Cavallet)
- Difficulty: Low, completely flat, suitable for families and partially for people with reduced mobility
- Duration: 2.5-3 hours round trip
- Best time: Year-round (summer sun protection essential)
- Shade: Virtually none along the entire route
- Water: No fountains, bring plenty of water