Moli de S'Estany

Moli de S’Estany lies on the northern edge of Colònia de Sant Jordi and combines two sides of Mallorca’s southern coast: proximity to hotels and homes on the one hand, and dunes and Mediterranean vegetation on the other. The sandy beach is also known as Es Molí de s’Estany, Estanys, Platja des Marquès or Raconada de s’Estany. Its entrance to the water slopes gently, the seabed is predominantly sandy, and beach websites such as Mallorca Touristguide and HolidayCheck describe the bay as relatively sheltered or calm. This makes it particularly pleasant for families and anyone who wants to enter the sea without a steep drop.

The boundaries vary considerably between the detailed descriptions. The Balearic Islands beach catalogue lists Moli de S’Estany as 115 metres long and twelve metres wide; other beach guides describe a larger continuous section measuring 300 to around 500 metres. Information about naturism and the municipality also varies. Its character is undisputed: a busy sandy beach near Colònia de Sant Jordi, with seasonal services and a direct transition into a protected coastal landscape.

Where is Moli de S’Estany beach, and what is it like?

Moli de S’Estany lies on Mallorca’s southern coast, directly beside Colònia de Sant Jordi, where the developed outskirts of the town give way to dunes and Mediterranean vegetation. Best of Mallorca places the beach north of the town, just beyond the salt flats. Pine trees and low coastal plants grow in the background, including rosemary, mastic shrubs and juniper.

The exact administrative classification is not consistent. The Balearic Islands beach catalogue lists “Urbanització Sant Pere” as the locality, while the official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands gives an address within the municipality of Campos. Other beach guides assign Moli de S’Estany to Colònia de Sant Jordi or Ses Salines. This discrepancy is also due to the beach section’s location near the boundary between Ses Salines and Campos.

Its names are equally varied. Alongside Moli de S’Estany and Es Molí de s’Estany, you will find the names Estanys, Platja des Marquès and Raconada de s’Estany. The official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands explains that the name Platja des Marquès refers to the Counts of Palmer, the owners of the salt flats.

The beach forms part of a natural area with dunes and Mediterranean coastal woodland. The Balearic Islands beach catalogue identifies it as a beach within a protected natural area. According to Majorcan Villas, the Sa Vall salt flats and the Es Trenc–Salobrar de Campos natural area lie behind the beach.

How large is Moli de S’Estany beach?

Depending on where the boundaries are drawn, published lengths for Moli de S’Estany range from 115 to about 500 metres. The Balearic Islands beach catalogue gives a length of 115 metres and a width of twelve metres. Mallorca Touristguide states that it is 300 metres long and 20 metres wide. Best of Mallorca and HolidayCheck apparently cover a larger, continuous stretch of coastline and give lengths of around 490 and 500 metres respectively, as well as a width of 25 metres. The official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands describes it as slightly more than 400 metres long.

For your day at the beach, the most important point is that not every map or website refers to the same section. The considerably smaller area in the catalogue may refer to a more narrowly defined part, while tourist beach guides often group together the broader Estanys or Es Molí de s’Estany section.

The official description in the Balearic Islands beach catalogue also creates uncertainty: its main text explicitly discusses the neighbouring Platja d’es Pregons Petits rather than Moli de S’Estany. Details from that description—including extensive Posidonia coverage, bunkers and specific anchoring depths—therefore cannot reliably be applied to Moli de S’Estany.

Note: When finding your way locally, also use the names Estanys and Platja des Marquès. Depending on the map, the same stretch of coastline may have a different name or different boundaries.

How do you get to Moli de S’Estany, and where can you park?

You can reach Moli de S’Estany via Colònia de Sant Jordi; the usual route by car leads from Campos along the Ma-6040. In Colònia de Sant Jordi, you can turn onto Avinguda de la Primavera and look for a parking space near Hotel El Coto or in the surrounding streets. Best of Mallorca also gives these landmarks.

According to the beach guides, parking is available in the streets on the outskirts of the town or near the beach. The official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands also lists parking as available. However, the information does not consistently confirm the presence of a clearly defined large beach car park. Because the beach is busy during the season, finding a space may be correspondingly more difficult.

Moli de S’Estany can also be reached from Colònia de Sant Jordi on foot or by bicycle. Majorcan Villas lists pedestrian access, HolidayCheck says that arriving on foot or by bike is possible, and Mallorca Touristguide mentions public transport near the beach. The beach information does not consistently identify a specific stop providing direct access to the beach.

If you are travelling with a lot of luggage, a pushchair or someone with limited mobility, the access close to the beach may be useful: Best of Mallorca describes the beach as accessible, while Mallorca Touristguide mentions access to the sea for people with disabilities. However, no further details are provided about how comprehensive these facilities are or whether they are available regardless of the season.

Note: Begin your search around Avinguda de la Primavera and Hotel El Coto. Follow the current parking signs, as there is no consistent information about reserved or paid parking areas.

What are the water, sand and swimming conditions like?

Moli de S’Estany is a sandy beach with a gently sloping entrance and a predominantly sandy seabed. Mallorca Touristguide highlights the clear water, shallow access and sandy seabed. HolidayCheck describes the bay as calm and gently sloping. Best of Mallorca mentions moderate waves. Actual conditions therefore depend on the weather and wind direction.

The shallow entrance is particularly pleasant for children and older swimmers. HolidayCheck highlights the calm bay and gently sloping water, while Best of Mallorca explicitly classifies the beach as child-friendly. However, the shallow water near the shore is no substitute for supervision: wind and wave conditions can change even at a beach that begins gently.

Opinions about snorkelling differ. Best of Mallorca lists snorkelling as an activity, while Majorcan Villas describes sandy areas and patches of Posidonia on the seabed. HolidayCheck, by contrast, considers the beach less suitable because visibility may sometimes be limited. If you specifically want to snorkel, decide based on visibility that day.

Moli de S’Estany is also mentioned as a water sports beach. Published information refers to pedal boats, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, courses and equipment hire. These services are seasonal and may not always be fully available.

Warning: A sheltered location does not automatically mean calm water. Check the wind, waves and, where applicable, the lifeguard service’s advice before you or your children enter the sea.

What facilities are available at the beach?

During the season, Moli de S’Estany has a comparatively wide range of services, including sun loungers, parasols, showers, toilets and places to eat and drink. The official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands mentions showers, a chiringuito and parking. Best of Mallorca also lists lifeguards, pedal boat hire, sun loungers and parasols, toilets, showers and a bar/restaurant. Mallorca Touristguide adds water activities and accessible entry to the sea.

According to HolidayCheck, a beach restaurant with a terrace stands in the pine woodland. HolidayCheck also associates the beach toilets with this restaurant. You will find further restaurants towards Colònia de Sant Jordi, particularly around the promenade.

Parasols and sun loungers are available for seasonal hire. According to HolidayCheck, parasol hire is no longer available in the northern section; locals are therefore said to spend more time there, and there is more open space for lying down. The pine trees behind the beach provide natural shade, but you should not rely on finding a shaded spot directly on the sand.

Other activities mentioned include pedal boat hire, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing equipment and courses. Best of Mallorca also lists an anchoring area. All rental and supervised services may have seasonal opening times.

Information about accessibility is generally positive: Best of Mallorca describes the beach as accessible, while Mallorca Touristguide mentions accessible entry to the sea. However, no details are provided about ramps, beach mats, sanitary facilities or support staff.

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

Moli de S’Estany is busy during the season and is not a quiet hidden gem. The Balearic Islands beach catalogue classifies occupancy as high; Best of Mallorca calls the beach “very lively”, while Mallorca Touristguide describes it as “very popular”. Visitors include both tourists and locals.

Its proximity to Colònia de Sant Jordi, the hotels and residential buildings explains the high number of visitors. At the same time, depending on the beach boundaries used, visitors are spread across a section several hundred metres long. The official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands says that despite the crowds, you can usually find a spot on the beach, which is slightly more than 400 metres long. This assessment refers to the larger definition of the beach, not the 115 metres listed in the Balearic Islands beach catalogue.

If you want to use sun loungers, parasols, the lifeguard service or water sports, the season is the appropriate time to visit because these services are described as summer or seasonal offerings. The beach may still be accessible outside the season, but services may then be unavailable.

HolidayCheck describes the northern section as somewhat quieter, especially where there are no longer any rental parasols. This does not guarantee that it will be uncrowded. Anyone who wants the widest possible choice of parking and places to lie down should take the high seasonal demand into account when planning the day.

What is near Moli de S’Estany?

From Moli de S’Estany, you can continue along the coast towards Es Pregons Grans, Es Pregons Petits and Es Trenc. The official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands describes these beaches as destinations for a short coastal walk. Mallorca Touristguide names Es Trenc and Es Pregons Petits as the nearest beaches.

In the other direction lies Colònia de Sant Jordi, with its promenade, restaurants and marina. A market takes place there on Wednesday afternoons. The Sa Puntassa lighthouse and the Cabrera National Park visitor centre are also nearby.

The landscape behind Moli de S’Estany is more than just scenery. It includes a dune system, pine trees, smaller Mediterranean shrubs and the Sa Vall salt flats. Majorcan Villas places these salt flats within the Es Trenc–Salobrar de Campos natural area.

Historically, this stretch of coast was exposed to pirate attacks. According to the official tourism portal of the Balearic Islands, a watchtower was therefore built in the 16th century, but it no longer exists. Do not confuse this reference with the bunkers at Es Pregons Petits: they are mentioned in the official description of that neighbouring beach and cannot clearly be attributed to Moli de S’Estany.

Depending on what you are looking for, Es Pregons Petits, Es Pregons Grans and Es Trenc are possible alternatives. The Balearic Islands beach catalogue describes Es Pregons Petits as a small, quiet sandy area that is often heavily covered with Posidonia, while many swimmers continue to the larger Platja d’es Pregons Grans.

What practical information should you know for your beach day?

Plan for high seasonal demand at Moli de S’Estany, limited natural shade on the sand and potentially changing availability of services. Sun loungers, parasols, showers, toilets, lifeguards and water sports are mentioned, but not all descriptions explicitly confirm that they are available throughout the year.

The sand, gentle access to the water and reportedly calm bay make the beach suitable for families. Nevertheless, bring your own sun protection if you do not want to depend on a rental parasol or an available spot beneath the pine trees. If you want to snorkel, check the current visibility: opinions range from suitable to relatively unfavourable.

There is a clear contradiction regarding naturism. The Balearic Islands beach catalogue marks the presence of a naturist area as “yes”. Mallorca Touristguide, by contrast, says that nude bathing is not customary at Moli de S’Estany. In addition, the catalogue’s explanatory text apparently discusses Es Pregons Petits, where naturism can explicitly be practised. You should therefore follow the signs and observe the actual use of the particular beach section.

No clear rule regarding dogs is provided. Pay attention to the signs at the access points, as local and seasonal regulations may apply.

Sailors should also be aware of the differing beach boundaries. Best of Mallorca mentions a popular anchorage with a sandy and seaweed-covered seabed, a depth of about four metres at a distance of 250 metres from the shore, and warns about westerly winds. The more detailed depth information in the Balearic Islands beach catalogue, however, belongs to the description of Es Pregons Petits and should not automatically be applied to Moli de S’Estany.