There's something to be said for a trip on the water to see the stunningly beautiful coastline of Ibiza. It's one of those things you just have to do to appreciate it. One of the coolest ways to see this gorgeous vista is by kayak, so we decided to take a trip with Kayak Ibiza on one of their “Sunset Sessions” out onto the water towards Cala Bassa beach.
What this gives you is a birds-eye view of the land from the sea. You aren't moving that fast (well, unless you are an Olympic rower) so you get to really appreciate the rugged cliff faces, hidden caves, outlying rocks and all the wild-looking nature – all right up to the backdrop of the beautiful Ibiza setting sun.
Fun at whatever age
The waters are pretty calm around Ibiza in summer so you should literally be able to take to the water with ease. Help is at hand though from the experienced guides to walk you through the journey. We were a mixed group of individuals and families which was cool, because you get to meet people on holiday and share the experience. There are life jackets for the kids' safety (or yours) and adults get free champagne at the end, cool!
We went as a group of seven adults and five children, starting off from Port des Torrent. To start our three-hour sunset voyage, we walked to the far end of the beach, where Paolo the owner welcomed us with a big smile and got us all ready for the walk through. Here you learn how to hold the paddle, correct movement of the body, how to use your stomach muscles and where to find strength. It's important that you listen up, so you get the most out of the trip and don't go off at full pelt.
We were blessed with a beautiful early evening to set out on the trip. Paolo and our other guide got the kids and us onto the kayaks; then a bit more instruction for the little ones and we were off. We rowed towards the rocks on the far left, around which corner we'd see the big expanse that leads eventually to the beautiful Cala Bassa, which was simply breathtakingly pretty. We were a bit daunted when we saw how far we'd be at first because it's all arm power. Because you are taught to pace yourself, this wasn't a problem.
Secret caves
We rowed past quite close to the coast, where the water is shallower and calmer. Sailing along we saw a little inlet, where you can see where stone blocks have been carved out for ancient Ibiza buildings. As we rowed, some cormorants came into view, no doubt attracted by the shoal of wee fish that just headed past my kayak. We then went into some secret caves, washed out of the rocks. This for me was a highlight: the water takes on a vivid bright turquoise once you enter and everything is stiller as you glide around and marvel at how the caves have been formed over time. The kids loved this special hidden world and were busy pointing out fish or marvelling at mollusks, generally loving their adventure.
The kayaks are designed for one person, usually an adult and there are kayaks for two or three people for kids. This was great for our five year-old because he got to stay with the other kids. Our guides were great fun and really patient and all multi-lingual. They had great rapport with everyone and made the whole journey an enjoyable ride.
Point break
As we neared Cala Bassa, stopped off for a break. Getting out of the boats, the guides then took us to small bay before the beac in front of a lovely old Ibiza fishermen's hut. They brought out cold drinks, juices, fresh fruit, snacks and that Champagne, which we were ready for. There is snorkelling gear if you want, though only the kids really bothered. Instead, the adults relaxed and chatted and we got to know each other, with everyone buzzing about the trip and clearly loving it all.
Setting back we got to see the sun fall below the horizon as the light changed and we slid past the rocks once more. It was truly a lovely trip out; the Kayak Ibiza guys were great and we felt blessed that we had found such a cool way to see the island. It's one of those things you'll want to do again and again. Can't wait till the next time!
WORDS | Julian Heathcote
