Marina (Es Port des Canonge)

Accuracy matters when it comes to the name Marina: the Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue lists Es Port des Canonge as the location or municipality. However, the description refers to Platja sa Marina, 1.4 kilometers from Alcúdia and near the Albufereta de Pollença. The official Balearic Islands tourism portal also places Sa Marina in the Bay of Pollença, with an address in Alcúdia. For visitors, this means that the routes, distances, and features described apply to Sa Marina beach near Alcúdia—not reliably to Es Port des Canonge.

Sa Marina differs considerably from a classic holiday beach: pebbles, stones, sand, and washed-up Posidonia alternate along roughly 400 meters. The water is shallow and usually calm, while the exposed location attracts windsurfers, kitesurfers, kayakers, and stand-up paddleboarders depending on the wind. Do not expect loungers, parasols, showers, or regular beach facilities. In return, the nearby Albufereta de Pollença is a 150-hectare wetland. Sa Marina is therefore more of a simple stretch of coastline for nature watchers and water sports enthusiasts than a fully equipped beach for a day of swimming.

Where exactly is Marina beach?

The beach features described belong to Platja sa Marina on the Bay of Pollença, within the municipality of Alcúdia. The official Balearic Islands tourism portal gives Alcúdia as the address and describes its location on the road that runs around the bay between Alcúdia and Port de Pollença.

Different distances to Alcúdia are given. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue states 1.4 kilometers, or roughly 1.5 kilometers, to Alcúdia. The Balearic Islands tourism portal, by contrast, gives a distance of four kilometers; it lists 7.3 kilometers to Port de Pollença. This discrepancy may be relevant to your planning because it is unclear which reference point was used for each measurement.

The conflict with the name Es Port des Canonge is equally striking. Although this place appears in the catalogue entry, the other location details—Alcúdia, the Bay of Pollença, the Albufereta, and Port de Pollença—point to Sa Marina in northern Mallorca. If your navigation destination is explicitly listed as “Es Port des Canonge,” the directions described here will therefore not reliably take you to the stretch of coast you are looking for.

Warning: Check the map location before setting off. “Sa Marina,” “Marina,” and “Son Serra de Marina” do not automatically refer to the same beach. Son Serra de Marina lies on a different stretch of coast and has different beach features.

What is Sa Marina beach like?

Sa Marina is a 400-meter-long and approximately 30-meter-wide strip of coastline made up of pebbles, stones, sand, and Posidonia. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue classifies it as a pebble beach but also describes sections with stones and ash-colored sand. A local beach guide likewise mentions alternating rocky, sandy, and seagrass-covered areas.

The darker or ash-colored areas may be associated with washed-up Posidonia. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue notes that these deposits may sometimes produce an odor. This is a significant difference from the maintained sandy beaches of the major holiday resorts: Sa Marina is not described as a bright, uniformly cleared beach for swimming.

Buildings belonging to the settlement of the same name stand nearby, and several tourist facilities are also mentioned in the surrounding area. Directly by the shore, however, the facilities remain very limited. Small boats are sometimes pulled ashore because of the shallow water and the beach’s almost nonexistent slope.

How do you get to Sa Marina and where can you park?

You can reach Sa Marina via the road along the bay between Alcúdia and Port de Pollença; parking is available close to the road or beneath trees. The beach is signposted from Alcúdia and Pollença or Port de Pollença. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue describes access by car as easy.

The route from Alcúdia is described as passing through dense pine woodland. Vehicles can be parked beneath the trees free of charge. The official Balearic Islands tourism portal refers more generally to parking beside the road; it does not mention a designated beach car park with a fixed stated capacity. You should therefore not count on a large, supervised car park directly beside the water.

It is also possible to arrive by bus. According to the Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue, the nearest bus stop is only a few meters from the beach. The tourism portal confirms the bus connection from Port de Pollença but gives neither a route number nor a timetable frequency. Cycling is also mentioned as an option from Port de Pollença.

Note: Do not rely on a general daily schedule for the bus. Check the current timetable before both your outward and return journeys, as neither a specific route nor fixed year-round departure times are listed.

What are the water, access, and swimming conditions like?

The water at Sa Marina is shallow and described as calm, but wind and water sports can significantly affect the swimming experience. The beach has practically no slope. A local beach guide also describes shallow water and a predominantly sandy seabed with some rocky areas.

The ground is not consistently even. Stones, sand, and seagrass alternate on land, while rocky areas may also occur alongside sand in the water. Water shoes can be more comfortable on these surfaces, although there is no explicit official recommendation to wear them.

The bay is particularly well known for windsurfing and kitesurfing. The Balearic Islands tourism portal also mentions kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding and describes year-round use depending on wind direction. In stronger winds, the sandy and Posidonia-covered part may be heavily frequented by kitesurfers, according to a local beach guide. Despite the exposed, windy location, large waves are not described as typical there.

The gentle slope is generally favorable for families. At the same time, the local beach guide states that there is no lifeguard, and the beach has very little infrastructure. With small children, you should therefore not rely solely on the shallow water but should also consider the wind, water sports activity, and changing ground conditions.

What facilities are available at Sa Marina beach?

Sa Marina has no regular beach services; loungers, parasols, showers, and a lifeguard station are not listed. The official Balearic Islands tourism portal explicitly summarizes the facilities as “no services.” A local beach guide confirms that neither hammocks or loungers nor parasols or showers are available.

There is also no listed beach bar directly by the shore. According to the local beach guide, the nearest bar is about one kilometer away. At the same time, the Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue mentions several tourist facilities in the surrounding area without specifying their type, opening hours, or exact distance. If you wish to stay longer, you should therefore bring your own drinks and food.

Reliable information about toilets, changing rooms, rental services, or accessible beach entrances is unavailable. The limited facilities suit the character of this stretch of coast, but they also mean that you must prepare for your visit more independently than at the large beaches of Port d’Alcúdia or Port de Pollença.

Natural shade is not guaranteed on the beach itself. A small area of trees is described nearby, and pine trees beneath which cars can be parked also stand along the access route from Alcúdia. However, this is no substitute for a parasol beside the water.

Note: Bring sun protection, drinking water, and everything else you need for your stay. Do not count on being able to rent a lounger or parasol.

When is the best time to visit and how busy does Marina get?

Depending on the wind and your personal plans, Sa Marina is suitable for water sports throughout the year, while actual visitor numbers are not described consistently. The official Balearic Islands tourism portal mentions windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding in all seasons, depending on wind direction.

The information about crowds is clearly contradictory. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue reports high occupancy during the season. Its detailed description, however, refers to few visitors, primarily local residents and tourists. The tourism portal also describes the beach as quiet, while a local beach guide states that occupancy is low. In windy conditions, however, many kitesurfers may gather on certain sections.

For a day devoted purely to swimming, the conditions on the particular day are therefore more important than a general statement about the season. Calm water, wind direction, and the number of water sports enthusiasts can determine how pleasant swimming is. There is no fixed information about which time of day the beach is quietest.

Camping is not permitted on the beach. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue nevertheless reports numerous campers. Observed use does not constitute permission; local rules prohibiting overnight stays and parking remain decisive.

What is near Sa Marina beach?

The Albufereta de Pollença, a 150-hectare wetland with native and migratory birds, lies immediately beside Sa Marina. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue describes the area as three kilometers long and one kilometer wide. It includes flood zones, marshland, and agricultural areas.

According to the Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue, the flood zone is under municipal protection. The coastline with its dunes and beaches, by contrast, is classified there as an urban zone. At the same time, the catalogue lists the entire beach under the feature “nature reserve.” These different categories show that protection status and development classification are not identical throughout the coastal area.

The Albufereta is particularly significant for its birdlife. The official tourism portal describes it as a resting area for migratory birds traveling between Europe and Africa. For your beach visit, its proximity primarily means that you are in a sensitive natural area and should avoid littering and causing disturbance.

More Vermell and es Barcarès are listed as neighboring beaches. According to the Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue, the nearest harbor facility is Port de Pollença. There, the Reial Club Nàutic Port de Pollença and Puerto de Pollença together provide almost 1,000 berths and can be accessed by boats with an overall length of up to 25 meters.

What should you know about safety, Posidonia, and dogs?

At Sa Marina, you should swim with particular caution because there is no lifeguard station, and you should follow the current signs. A local beach guide explicitly states that no lifeguard is present. For unsupervised beaches and periods when supervision is unavailable, the Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue advises avoiding unnecessary risks in the water.

If flags are displayed, the following applies: red means swimming is strictly prohibited, yellow permits swimming only with caution, and green indicates that swimming is allowed. An orange flag indicates that no lifeguard is present. Conditions on the beach can change, so the signals and instructions displayed on site are always decisive.

Posidonia occurs at Sa Marina both on the seabed and as deposits along the shore. The seagrass can form large, dark areas and may sometimes produce an unpleasant odor, according to the Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue. Anyone looking for a uniformly bright and cleared sandy beach should consider this natural beach character before traveling there.

There is no designated area for pets. The Balearic Islands Beach Catalogue also refers to municipal regulations prohibiting pets from accessing beaches. As rules can change or be specified seasonally, the current signs at the entrance are decisive.

Warning: Shallow water is no substitute for supervision. Wind, kitesurfers, small boats, and rocky areas may require additional attention even along a calm stretch of coast.