Es Caló des Mort

Everything you need to know about Calo des Mort

Undoubtedly, one of the most sought-after beaches by all visitors to Formentera, Calo des Mort has become a must-visit since the rise of Instagram for Formentera’s visitors. Located at the southern end of the Migjorn area, with limited parking in the area, it is a very small beach. Due to the high influx of visitors daily, Calo des Mort gets crowded day after day. The beach doesn’t have any services available, so if you plan to visit this beautiful cove, you should bring everything you need for the time you plan to spend there.

Be extra cautious because landslides on the sandstone cliffs surrounding Calo des Mort are somewhat frequent. Avoid walking on the edge of the cliff when you’re on top and keep a distance from them when you’re lying down to sunbathe.

Please note….

Undoubtedly, one of the most sought-after beaches by all visitors to Formentera, Calo des Mort has become a must-visit since the rise of Instagram for Formentera’s visitors. Located at the southern end of the Migjorn area, with limited parking in the area, it is a very small beach. Due to the high influx of visitors daily, Calo des Mort gets crowded day after day. The beach doesn’t have any services available, so if you plan to visit this beautiful cove, you should bring everything you need for the time you plan to spend there.

Be extra cautious because landslides on the sandstone cliffs surrounding Calo des Mort are somewhat frequent. Avoid walking on the edge of the cliff when you’re on top and keep a distance from them when you’re lying down to sunbathe.

How to get to Calo de Mort

We’ll start by saying that reaching Calo des Mort is not difficult, but it’s not particularly easy either because you won’t be able to reach the beach by car, motorcycle, or bicycle, as you can do in other sections of Migjorn Beach.

Due to its location in the stretch where the island starts to slope to form La Mola, Calo des Mort is nestled under a small sandstone cliff, which you will encounter while following the coastline from Es Copinar Beach.

You need to take the dirt and sand path that passes above Bartolo’s kiosk and continue along the coastal line, always at an elevated level, not at sea level. Keep moving straight for about 600 meters, avoiding, as much as possible, walking too close to the edge, as the characteristic sandstone formations in the area make it prone to landslides. Fortunately, these occurrences are more frequent during winter and after rainy days when only the residents remain on the island, reducing the likelihood of accidents affecting people.

Once you reach Calo des Mort, you will be treated to a breathtaking panoramic view that will capture your heart at first sight, with its almost bird’s-eye view of what resembles a natural pool, especially if you visit when the sea is calm.

Continue along the edge of the cove, and you will come across the access to the beach and the few remaining boat huts in this corner of Formentera. You’ll find something resembling a staircase made of stone blocks, with a rope serving as a makeshift railing to prevent anyone from accidentally rolling down.

Parking at Calo des Mort

At Calo des Mort, parking is not available. At most, you can park at the southern end of Migjorn, near the two hotels in the area, or, if it’s not blocked off, along the road that leads to the restaurant and surrounding residences.

As mentioned earlier, due to the increasing popularity of Calo des Mort in recent years, driven by the rise of Instagram and the desire to visit places previously showcased by others, the number of visitors to Formentera who come to take a quick photo and then leave has grown significantly.

This has led to the closure of the roads providing actual access to Calo des Mort beach and the nearby houses, from June to October. The excess of vehicles in the area prevented residents from accessing their homes and hindered emergency services if necessary.

Therefore, if you arrive in the area by car or motorcycle, you should park in the designated areas near the two hotels and restaurants along the paved road that leads to Es Copinar Beach.

If you prefer to use public transportation, the bus line 2 will take you from La Savina, passing through the other towns, to Es Copinar Beach. From there, you can walk along the beach and coastline in a southward direction to reach Calo des Mort.

Services

Calo des Mort is a tiny cove that doesn’t have any beach services. The closest kiosk and restaurant can be found in the preceding stretch of beach known as Es Copinar.

The beach doesn’t offer rental services for sunbeds or umbrellas, which would be impractical due to the small size of the cove and would diminish the charm of this beautiful spot on the southern coast of Formentera.

If you plan to spend the day at Calo des Mort, make sure to bring everything you might need as there are no amenities available. Forgetting something would mean a long walk before finding what you require.

There are no lifeguards stationed at Calo des Mort. In case of an emergency, you would need to call 112, provide your location, and the lifeguards at Es Arenals Beach would be the ones to respond to the emergency at Calo des Mort.

We hope you never have to experience such a situation during your vacation in Formentera. To prevent emergencies as much as possible, it’s crucial to exercise common sense and caution.

When to choose Calo des Mort

The most favorable wind conditions for visiting Calo des Mort are on days when the wind is blowing from any direction except the west. With westerly winds, the sea will create waves that enter the cove directly, making it less inviting for swimming. Even the excursion to reach the cove may be less appealing since the main attraction of Calo des Mort, seen from above with its calm turquoise waters, disappears when the sea is rough.

With winds from any other direction, Calo des Mort will have flat waters because it is well protected by the cliffs on the right side and a natural rock breakwater on the left.

Therefore, on the day you plan to visit Calo des Mort, try to check the forecasted wind direction and strength on a weather website beforehand.

Dangers in Calo des Mort

We don’t want to be repetitive, but you need to be especially cautious in this stretch of Formentera’s coast. While it’s true that the photos you can take from the top of the cliffs with the cove and its turquoise waters are spectacular, it’s not worth risking a fall from several meters for a couple of likes on Instagram.

Until 2020, there was a rock formation in the area that resembled a walkway suspended in the air, where many people would take photographs. It must be acknowledged that the results were spectacular. However, in May 2020, this protrusion collapsed into the void, at a time when movement of people was restricted due to COVID-related measures.

If such a fall had occurred in May of any other year, today we would be writing these lines about the tragic death of someone who climbed up there to take their last photo. When you visit that whole area of Formentera, you will see that the sandstone cliff is eroded by the wind at its lower part, and in many cases, you walk on rather thin “balconies.” It’s best to take necessary risks only and not jeopardize your safety by risking a fall of several meters into the void for a photo or an Instagram selfie.

Fauna in Calo des Mort

If there’s one thing that stands out in Calo des Mort, apart from the overall beauty of the surroundings, it’s the presence of many fish in its calm waters. Accustomed to the constant presence of people and without any fear of visitors, they swim among them, hoping for a piece of bread to fight over. And if there’s no bread, they’re not averse to nibbling on the feet of the humans who visit. While it’s not at all painful, the first unexpected nibble often elicits a scream, more from surprise than from pain, it must be said.

So, if you plan to visit cove and have some leftover bread with you, feed it to the fish, and you’ll have an amazing experience with hundreds of them surrounding you from all sides.

It’s also not uncommon to see the silhouettes of several cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) drying their feathers in the typical position with their wings spread out, enjoying, like all of us, the beautiful and crystal-clear waters of Formentera, including those surrounding Calo des Mort.

And of course, our beloved lizards are always curious, basking in the sun, searching for something to eat or drink among the belongings that groups of humans fill, day after day in the summer, in what the rest of the year is their realm of peace and tranquility.