In the north of Formentera, Ses Illetes brings up the rear of a strip of sand heading towards the islet of Espalmador. White sand, shallow water shifting from turquoise to emerald with the light: it is the beach everyone has seen in photos before setting foot on the island. It deserves its reputation, but you have to earn it too, between the natural park’s regulated access and the prices at the restaurants on the sand.
Ses Illetes is part of the Ses Salines Natural Park, about 4 km from La Savina port, where ferries from Ibiza arrive. The beach stretches for several hundred metres, facing water so clear you can see your shadow on the bottom several metres from the shore. The colour comes from posidonia, the protected seagrass carpeting the seabed and keeping the water limpid.
In practice, this is not a beach you turn up at by car on a whim at midday on 14 August. Access to the park is controlled for much of the year, parking is capped, and once there, sunbeds and restaurants are firmly in the high-price bracket. Nothing insurmountable if you plan ahead, and that is what this page is for.
About Ses Illetes
Ses Illetes occupies Formentera’s northern tip, on the narrow Trucadors peninsula. At the very end, Es Pas des Trucadors is the sandy passage where the water comes up to your waist and you can wade across to the island of Espalmador. Open sea on one side, a calmer lagoon on the other: depending on the wind, you pick your side.
The sand is white and fine and the water shallow for a good distance, making it a very safe place to swim and ideal for families. The flip side of this beauty is that it is famous all over the Mediterranean: in midsummer, the beach fills up fast and the car park is full by mid-morning.
Part of Ses Illetes is naturist, mostly towards the north as you head up the strip of sand. Nothing strict or precisely marked: the different vibes coexist peacefully, and you simply move a little away from the families if you want swimwear to be optional. The view is the same for everyone: Ibiza on the horizon and, on clear days, the silhouette of Es Vedrà far away.
Access and parking at Ses Illetes
It all starts at La Savina port, Formentera’s only entry point. If you are coming from Ibiza for the day, the simplest is to leave the car behind: the ferry drops you in La Savina, and from there you have several options for the 4 km to the beach. The tourist bus serves Ses Illetes in season, a bike or scooter covers it in about ten minutes, and the more energetic walk along the coast in a good half hour.
If you insist on coming by car or motorbike, access to the Ses Salines Natural Park is regulated from 10 May to 15 October. The checkpoint is managed on site and the number of spaces is capped (around 380 cars and a thousand motorbikes for the whole area). Once they are taken, it is full, full stop. Hence the point of arriving early.
The access fee for non-residents varies with the period. Allow around €5 for a car in May-June and early autumn, €6 in early summer, and up to €7 at the height of the season (mid-July to late August). Motorbikes pay a few euros less. Good to know: access remains free for pedestrians, bikes and electric vehicles, and hybrids get half price. Formentera residents pay nothing.
My advice: aim to arrive before 10am in high season. You will find a space stress-free, the water is still perfectly calm and the morning light on the white sand is worth the early start. The other good window is late afternoon after 5pm, when day visitors head back to their ferry and the beach empties.
Eating and hiring a sunbed on the beach
Ses Illetes is one of the few beaches in Formentera where you eat with your feet almost in the sand, at restaurants that have become institutions. The best known is Juan y Andrea, run by the same family since 1971, famous for its fish, seafood and rice dishes served on the terrace or right on the beach. The food is excellent and the place iconic, but prices match the reputation: this is clearly high-end, and the bill climbs fast.
One notch down on budget, Es Ministre serves fresh fish and seafood that you choose from the tank, in a more traditional style. You are still looking at €50 to €70 per person, but the experience is more accessible than next door. Other places such as Es Molí de Sal round out the area’s offer. Either way, book in high season.
For sunbeds, allow about €30 for a parasol and two sunbeds for the day. There is no advance booking: first come, first served, one more reason to come early. If you prefer to travel light, a towel on the sand does the job perfectly, and it is free.
Activities and good practice
The shallow, clear water makes Ses Illetes perfect for paddleboarding and kayaking, both available to hire on site. Paddling along the strip of sand towards Espalmador early in the morning, when the sea is glassy, is one of the most beautiful things to do here. You can also snorkel, although the bottom is mostly sandy: marine life gathers around the posidonia meadows.
Weather-wise, remember the peninsula is exposed: when the wind picks up, one of the two sides of the sandbar is usually sheltered, so just switch sides. The posidonia that sometimes washes up on the sand is not dirt but a sign of a healthy ecosystem, and it is strictly protected. Do not walk on it in the water or pull it up.
A last practical point for those coming from Ibiza: the ferry crossing to La Savina takes between 30 minutes and an hour depending on the company, with very frequent departures in season. To sort everything out before you go, timetables, companies and prices, take a look at our complete guide to the Ibiza-Formentera ferry. Once that is settled, all you have to do is pick your patch of sand.
From the beach, Platja des Trocadors and Platja de Llevant can be reached on foot along the sandbar. Our Formentera hotel guide and guide to activities in Formentera help you plan the rest of your stay.
Where to stay near Ses Illetes
Ses Illetes is right in the natural park, with no accommodation on site. The two realistic options are La Savina port and Es Pujols, 10 to 15 minutes by road.
- Hostal la Savina (9.1/10): at La Savina port, 10 minutes from the beach.
- Mar Suites Formentera (9.0/10): in Es Pujols, with a pool and easy access to the north.
The beach is part of a protected area: the Ses Salines Natural Park page details the wildlife, plants and rules to follow.
