Es Trenc Beach

Es Trenc is considered the finest and most unspoiled beach on the entire island of Mallorca — a sweeping 3-kilometre arc of powdery white sand and flat, warm, impossibly turquoise water on the island's southern coast. The beach has been likened to a piece of the Caribbean transplanted to the western Mediterranean, and the comparison is apt: the combination of sand colour, water hue, and gentle subtropical warmth is genuinely extraordinary.

The secret to Es Trenc's preservation is the protected status of the surrounding landscape. Behind the beach stretch the Salines de Llevant — ancient salt flats that have been harvested for centuries and are now a protected natural reserve. This prevents the hotel and resort development that has transformed so many other Mallorcan beaches. Instead of tower blocks, Es Trenc is backed by undulating dunes covered in rosemary, juniper, and sea lilies.

Part of the beach carries a naturist designation, although all visitors are welcome throughout. A single chiringuito bar serves cold drinks and simple food during the summer months, but otherwise the beach remains resolutely natural. The long flat water entry and gentle waves make it magical for families, while the pink flamingos occasionally visible in the salt flats behind add an otherworldly quality to the experience. Es Trenc is not easily reached by public transport, which keeps it from becoming truly overcrowded.