Punta des Llaut channel

What makes the Punta des Llaut channel special

At Punta des Llaut, on Ibiza’s north-east coast, a channel runs through a large rock platform. According to local descriptions, it’s about 100 m long and 7 m wide. The walls are strikingly straight, almost as if they’d been sawn out.

It isn’t clear how the channel came about. Some stories say the Phoenicians carved it out; others say it was a pier leading to a Carthaginian harbour. A more down-to-earth explanation is that nature shaped it. As far as is known, none of these explanations has been proven.

Traditional boathouses line the channel, set against the rocks. From the platform you can also see a cave opening, about 2 m above the sea. The cave can only be reached from the water.

About Pou des Lleó

The channel is about half a kilometre north of the small beach at Pou des Lleó, in the municipality of Santa Eulària des Riu. Pou des Lleó lies about 6 km east of the village of Sant Carles de Peralta. It’s a little fishing harbour with a small sandy beach among the boathouses. Its rock formations and seagrass meadows make the bay a well-known snorkelling spot.

Getting there and parking

Set your satnav to Pou des Lleó. Park behind the restaurant of the same name, on an unpaved area that’s used as a car park. It isn’t known whether that land is public, so only park where it’s clearly allowed. Then walk north along the coast; facing the sea, that’s to your left. A short walk past the little beach brings you to the rock platform with the channel.

Tips for your visit

• Wear sturdy shoes with good grip; you’ll be walking on rock.
• Bring your snorkelling gear if the sea is calm.
• Late afternoon and around sunset, the light is softer for photos.
• Combine your visit with a walk along the coast or a meal by the bay at Pou des Lleó.