Cala Blava

Cala Blava beach Mallorca: What you should know before you go

Cala Blava feels like a small, bright cove of sand and rock tucked under a quiet residential area just beyond S’Arenal. The water is strikingly clear, framed by low cliffs and higher headlands that look across the Bay of Palma. Many visitors say it feels like a softer, calmer extension of the Arenal coastline where you escape the built up strip but still stay very close to town. If you like compact sandy coves with nearby rocky ledges, local atmosphere and easy access from the south of Mallorca, this spot is a very good fit.

Quick facts at a glance

• Beach type: small sandy cove with rocky sides
• Ground: golden sand plus rock shelves and pebbles
• Water entry: shallow and gentle
• Water: feel clear, usually calm to moderate
• Shade: some from cliffs and vegetation
• Facilities: basic, residential area nearby, limited seasonal services
• Parking: residential street parking in the urbanisation

The overall vibe

Cala Blava is a beach in Mallorca on the south coast in the municipality of Llucmajor, about three to five kilometres from S’Arenal and roughly 15 to 20 minutes by car from Palma. The cove is also known as Cala Mosca or Cala Mosques and lies at the mouth of a small torrent in a natural bay surrounded by low rocks and higher cliffs that rise up to around 25 metres nearby. The adjacent urbanisation of Cala Blava sits above the cove, with mainly residential buildings and a few hotels integrated into the pine and shrub covered terrain.

The atmosphere is relaxed and mostly local, with many residents of the surrounding streets and Palma coming here for a quieter swim than on Playa de Palma. Descriptions emphasise that it is not a large tourist hub and that relatively few visitors from outside the area discover it compared with better known nearby beaches. The combination of sand, rocks and cliffs gives the cove a mixed character: part family beach, part rocky bathing area and part scenic lookout, especially at sunrise or sunset across the bay.

Sand or rocks and how the water entry feels

The beach of Cala Blava itself is small, with lengths reported between 25 and 30 metres and an average width between 20 and 50 metres depending on the source and how the back area is measured. The central area is a sandy platform of fine golden sand, while the edges and surrounding coast are rock shelves and pebbly sections. The sand is soft enough for comfortable barefoot walking and lying down, but you will encounter stones and pebbles as you move toward the sides.

Water entry in the central sandy mouth of the cove is shallow and gently sloping, with descriptions repeatedly highlighting a slowly deepening seabed and a quiet bathing zone with few waves, ideal for children and less confident swimmers. Around the rocks and small additional coves south of Cala Mosques, the shoreline turns into smooth pebbles and coarse sand, giving a more natural feel and a rougher entry that benefits from water shoes. The underwater terrain mixes sand and rock, which is good for simple snorkeling, especially near the rocky sides and toward the neighbouring coves and Cap Rocat.

Who Cala Blava is perfect for

Cala Blava is ideal for families, couples and local swimmers who want a small, scenic cove with calm water and a quieter feel than the big resort beaches, while staying very close to Palma and S’Arenal. The gentle slope, generally peaceful sea and modest size make it easy to supervise children and to relax without long walks or big crowds. Snorkelers and rock lovers also enjoy the mix of sand and rocky access points along the neighbouring coast.

It is less suited to travellers seeking long sandy expanses for extended walks, or those who want extensive services right on the beach. In high season it can feel busy for its small size, and the surrounding area is residential rather than wild, so visitors who dream of remote coves deep in untouched nature may find it too built up. As part of a best beaches Mallorca style itinerary in the south, Cala Blava works well as a small, photogenic stop combined with longer stretches like Es Trenc or the full Playa de Palma strip.

Facilities and comfort

Cala Blava itself has only basic services. Sources describe it as a small sandy beach surrounded by low rocks with some beached boats and an informal feel, frequented mainly by residents. There may be occasional seasonal kiosks or simple services, but it is not a fully equipped resort beach with permanent bars and long rows of sunbeds.

Comfort comes partly from the mix of sand and versatile rocky areas: the sandy centre is good for towels and children, while the lower rocks and terraces around the cove provide additional places to sit, sunbathe and access the sea. The cliffs and vegetation behind the beach give some natural shade at certain times of day, and the residential setting means cafés and shops are reachable within a short walk or drive into the urbanisation or S’Arenal. Visitors should still arrive with their own towels, water, snacks and sun protection, and not rely on finding full facilities right on the sand.

Getting there and parking

Cala Blava sits just south of S’Arenal on the Ma 19 corridor, with easy access from Palma, Llucmajor and the rest of the south coast. Directions from several guides recommend taking the Palma Llucmajor motorway and exiting at junction 13 toward El Arenal - Cala Blava, then following signs into the Cala Blava residential area. From there, local streets lead toward the coastline, where staircases and paths descend to the cove.

Parking is typically available on the streets of the urbanisation and is described as “usually easy”, although on busy summer weekends it can fill closer to the main access points. Buses also connect Palma to the Cala Blava area, and for visitors staying around El Arenal, the cove is roughly three to five kilometres away and can even be reached on foot with a longer coastal walk. Many travellers in the mallorcard community say that visiting Cala Blava by rental car is recommended because it lets you reach the residential streets quickly, arrive early for convenient parking and combine this cove with other nearby south coast beaches in a flexible way, and mallorcard.es has strong rental car deals because it works with multiple companies while the current promo code is available on mallorcard.es, with typical savings around 10 to 50 percent depending on the season.

The best spots along Cala Blava

On the main sandy section of Cala Mosques, the central area at the mouth of the torrent offers the easiest and safest water entry. For example, many families choose this zone because the seabed is sandy, the slope is gradual and it is away from the rockier edges where footing changes. This part is also where most people spread towels and where the cove feels most like a conventional small beach.

If you follow the coast to the south or north from the main cove, you reach additional rocky bathing spots and small coves with stones, pebbles and patches of sand. These quieter corners suit visitors who like to sunbathe on rocks, snorkel along the cliffs and escape the more concentrated centre. Viewpoints from the upper cliffs around Cap Rocat and along the edge of the urbanisation offer excellent photo angles over the cove, the layered limestone cliffs and the wide curve of the Bay of Palma.

What you can do nearby

• Walk or drive to S’Arenal and Playa de Palma for a long sandy bay with full resort services and nightlife
• Explore the cliff paths around Cap Rocat for dramatic coastal views and snorkeling spots in rocky coves
• Visit Llucmajor or Palma for markets, old town streets and a wider choice of restaurants and shops
• Combine Cala Blava with other south coast beaches such as Cala Pi, Es Trenc or Cala Maioris on a car based day trip

Best time to visit

Mornings at Cala Blava tend to be calm and relatively quiet, with local swimmers, families and residents taking advantage of cooler air and gentle light. With the sun still low, the cliffs and vegetation provide more shade, which is useful if you are visiting with children or prefer to avoid peak sun. By late morning and midday, the cove fills as more residents and day visitors from Palma and S’Arenal arrive, and the small sandy area can feel busy relative to its size.

Late afternoon and early evening are particularly attractive for both swimming and views. The light softens over the Bay of Palma, and the cliffs and rocks take on warmer tones, while some daytime visitors start to leave. If you are exploring several beaches in southern Mallorca across a few days, one workable plan is to visit larger, more exposed bays earlier on and use Cala Blava as a more intimate second or third stop, especially when the light is best for photos.

Important tips for a smooth beach day

Because Cala Blava is small and partly rocky, sensible gear makes a big difference. Bring water shoes if you plan to explore the rocky sides or neighbouring coves, as pebbles, coarse sand and submerged rocks can be hard on bare feet. A sturdy beach mat or thick towel will make both the sandy part and the nearby rocks more comfortable for sitting or lying down.

The water is usually calm but still open to the bay, so keep an eye on children and less confident swimmers, especially if they move toward deeper or rockier sections. Carry enough water, reef safe sunscreen and a hat, because there is only limited natural shade at peak midday hours and services on the beach itself are sparse. Mallorcard recommends for this area that visiting the beach by rental car is recommended so you can store extra drinks, shade gear and clothes in the car, pivot quickly to or from S’Arenal or other beaches as crowd levels or conditions change and avoid depending entirely on bus timetables, and mallorcard.es has strong rental car deals because it works with multiple companies while the current promo code is available on mallorcard.es, with typical savings around 10 to 50 percent depending on the season.

Good to know

Cala Blava is on the south coast of Mallorca, at the point where the steep coastal fringe south of the Bay of Palma begins to rise and cliffs become more common. The main cove, Cala Mosques, is a small sandy beach framed by rocks and low cliffs, with a series of smaller rocky bathing spots accessible on foot along the coast. The area behind the cove is a residential urbanisation of the same name with holiday homes, villas and some hotels, giving a semi urban feel rather than a fully rural one.