Alcúdia Boat Trips: Routes, Prices and Which One to Pick
Compare Alcúdia boat trips by route and duration, from Coll Baix and Formentor to the Llevant coast, with cited prices and private hire options.
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The quickest Alcúdia boat trip is the two-hour run to Coll Baix, while the longest shared option is the five-hour catamaran sail with lunch and snorkelling gear. Between them sit half-day Formentor and Llevant coast trips, plus private and no-licence hire from Port d'Alcúdia. This guide sets out each route, its duration and cited prices so you can match one to the time you have.
The town divides neatly in two: the walled Alcúdia Old Town on its hill and Port d'Alcúdia on the bay below. Boat trips leave from the port and the beaches along the bay, so build the crossing into your day rather than treating it as an afterthought. For the rest of the town, from the Roman site to the gates, see our guide to Things to Do in Alcúdia.
What an Alcúdia boat trip covers: the bay, Formentor peninsula and the Llevant coast
Trips from Alcúdia fan out across three main areas: the Bay of Alcúdia and Pollença toward Formentor, the wild peninsula and cape at the north, and the Llevant Natural Park and Cabo Farrutx to the northeast. Coll Baix, near Cabo Pinar, is reached by sea because the overland approach is difficult, which makes a boat stop there genuinely different from a coastal walk. Shorter trips stay in the bay, while longer ones round the Formentor peninsula or follow the Llevant cliffs.
Because the same stretch of coast looks different from the water, the route matters more than the boat type. A Coll Baix trip shows one cove and its cliffs; a Formentor trip takes in two bays and a swim stop; the Llevant run adds remote cliffs and, when conditions allow, a marine cave. If your short break also includes the peninsula on foot or by road, our Cap de Formentor guide covers the landside viewpoints and the approach through Port de Pollença.
Short trip to Coll Baix: two hours, a 20-minute swim stop and who it suits
The Coll Baix trip is the shortest option: two hours from the jetties on Alcúdia beach, with a 20-minute stop to swim at the cove. It suits families and anyone with a tight schedule, because you are back on land before the afternoon. In the 2018 season it was priced at 20 euros for adults and 10 euros for children, so treat those figures as history and confirm the current fare when you book.
The trade-off is that you see one cove rather than a sweep of coast. If you want scenery and a swimming stop without committing half a day, it is the right choice.
Formentor beach and cape trips: four hours, a swim stop and the longer cape circuit
The Formentor beach trip is a popular departure from Port d'Alcúdia, taking four hours with an hour-long swim stop on Formentor beach and, when the weather allows, a pause near the Aucanada lighthouse. The scheduled departure is at 12:00 from Port d'Alcúdia, and in the 2018 season it cost 26 euros. That price is not current, so check the fare when booking; the noon start, however, shapes your morning.
A separate cape trip lasts about three and a half hours and rounds part of both northern bays and the Formentor peninsula, with a swim stop at Cala Figuera. Choose the beach trip if you want time on Formentor itself, or the cape circuit if you would rather see more coastline from the deck. Both depend on sea conditions, and the Aucanada stop may be skipped when the weather turns.
Catamaran option: five hours with lunch and snorkelling gear
The catamaran sail is the longest and most expensive shared option, running about five hours with lunch included and stops for swimming and snorkelling. Optional extras such as kayaking or stand-up paddle are mentioned alongside it. The selection that describes it quotes a fare of about 58 euros, so treat that as indicative history rather than a current price. It suits travellers who want the day built around the water rather than fitted around other sightseeing.
Because it takes most of the day, pair it with a light morning or evening rather than a full programme. A late afternoon walk through the old town streets works well after a long sail; the Alcúdia map helps you orientate the port, walls and historic centre.
Llevant Natural Park by boat: cliffs, a beach stop and the marine cave
The Llevant trip heads northeast along the coast to the Parc Natural de Llevant, with a swim stop at one of its beaches and, when the sea allows, entry to a marine cave. It is the route for travellers who have already seen the bay and want the wilder side of Mallorca: cliffs, Cabo Farrutx and open water rather than beachfront. Operators also run a combined calas-caves-snorkel route in this area, and the My Sea Experience selection sets out those Llevant options.
Timings and fares for the Llevant run should be confirmed with the operator, since this is the route most affected by sea conditions. If the cave or beach stop is the reason you are booking, say so when you reserve so you can be told whether it is likely to run.
Dolphin watching at dawn from Port d'Alcúdia
Dolphin trips leave at first light, when the sea is calmest and dolphins are most active, and they head for areas where pods are known to appear. Sightings are never guaranteed; the appeal is watching animals in the wild without feeding or chasing them. Shared departures and private charters both exist, and demand is high enough that booking ahead is sensible.
A private dolphin trip of about three hours is priced at 700 euros for up to 10 people, including life jackets and snorkelling masks, according to Quest Heroes. That is a per-boat price, so split across a group it can compare with per-person seats — but only if you can fill the boat. For a couple, a shared departure usually makes more sense.
Private hire and no-licence self-drive: what a boat of your own costs and includes
Private hire sits alongside the shared trips. Quest Heroes quotes 350 euros for a two-hour skippered run through the bays of Alcúdia for up to eight people, including life jackets, masks, snorkels and time to swim, and it also offers boats that can be hired without a licence. These are per-boat prices rather than per person, so the arithmetic changes with group size: a group of eight pays far less each than a couple.
Self-drive suits confident groups who want to set their own pace and reach quiet coves; a skippered boat suits anyone who would rather leave navigation and local knowledge to someone else. Neither removes the weather risk, so keep a flexible day in reserve. For time on land around the old town, our Alcúdia gardens page covers green spaces that work well before or after a morning on the water.
How to choose: duration, price per person, swim stops and group size
Choose by time first. Two hours buys Coll Baix and a swim; four hours buys Formentor beach or the cape circuit; five hours buys the catamaran with lunch; a private charter buys flexibility. Then look at what each includes: a swim stop, snorkelling gear, lunch or a cave visit can matter more than a small difference in fare.
The second decision is how the price is counted. Shared trips price per person and suit couples and small groups; private charters price per boat and reward a full group. Compare the total for your party rather than the headline figure, and count children at their reduced rate where one applies.
Practical points: sea conditions, weather-dependent stops and booking ahead
Several stops depend on the weather: the Aucanada pause on the Formentor trip, the cave on the Llevant route, and any swim stop in a swell. Build in a spare day if one particular stop is the reason for booking. The 12:00 Formentor departure is the one published time; for other routes, confirm the departure point and time with the operator when you reserve.
Dolphin trips are in high demand, so book ahead for those, and book early for catamaran places in peak weeks. Departures cluster at Port d'Alcúdia and along the bay beaches, which means a short transfer from the old town. Leave time to walk from the historic centre down to the port rather than cutting it close.
Which Alcúdia boat trip should you book?
For a short break, the two-hour Coll Baix trip gives you a swim stop and a distinctive cove without losing the afternoon. If you have a full day and want the coast at its most dramatic, the four-hour Formentor beach trip or the three-and-a-half-hour cape circuit are the strongest picks, while the catamaran suits anyone who wants lunch and snorkelling built into the day. Book by what is included, not only the fare, and confirm current prices with the operator.
Groups of eight or more should price a private charter against shared seats, since a skippered boat is quoted per boat rather than per head and can undercut individual tickets if you fill it. Couples and solo travellers are usually better served by shared departures. Whichever you choose, keep one day flexible for sea conditions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim on Alcúdia boat trips?
Several routes include a swim stop. The Coll Baix trip has a 20-minute stop at the cove, the Formentor beach trip has an hour on the beach, and the catamaran and Llevant trips also stop for swimming or snorkelling. Stops can be curtailed when the sea is rough, so check with the operator if a swim is essential to your booking.
How far in advance should you book a dolphin trip from Alcúdia?
There is no single lead time that applies to every operator, but dolphin departures are popular and go early in the morning with limited seats. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, especially in peak summer weeks, and confirm the departure time when you reserve. Sightings are not guaranteed, so treat it as wildlife watching rather than a scheduled show.
Do you need a licence to hire a boat in Alcúdia?
Not for every boat. Quest Heroes offers both no-licence self-drive hire and skippered trips, so you can choose according to your experience and confidence. If you want to drive yourself, check the licence rules for the specific boat before booking. If you would rather not navigate, a skippered or shared trip removes that requirement.
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Notes for your next Spanish town break
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