Son Bou Holidays

Son Bou Holidays – The longest beach on Menorca

Son Bou is a quiet, laid back resort on the southern coast of Menorca in the Alaior district. The town is perhaps most famous for having the longest beach on the island; a 2 mile stretch of clean, golden sand. Much of Son Bou sprawls up a wooded hillside, affording spectacular views out to sea; a small road train runs up here for those who don’t fancy the walk. You’ll find a good selection of restaurants, shops, and bars in the town centre, as well as a bowling alley and entertainment centre.

The beach provides plenty to do, including kayaking, water-skiing, pedaloes, snorkelling, and banana boats, making this a good family holiday choice. There are good transport links from the resort, with a regular bus service that runs to the attractive capital, Mahon.  Alternatively visit the picturesque cobbled streets of nearby Alaior’s old town, or the beautiful harbour at Es Castell.

When to go

Holidays to Son Bou tend to centre around the beach. The best beach weather here is to be had between June-August, when the sun is at its hottest. This is also the most expensive time however, and will see the beach at its busiest.For cheaper prices, consider visiting in spring (April-May) or autumn (September-October). Both these periods see pleasantly warm temperatures and are less pricey than the peak summer months.

If you travel around June 18th/19th, you’ll get to see the two-day ‘Festival of Kites’ that takes place on Son Bou beach. Kite flying clubs from around Spain compete to see who has the best kite-flying skills, and kite-making workshops for children give them a chance to build and fly their own kites as well. A great time to visit for families with small children.

The weather in Son Bou

You can enjoy the beach on Son Bou holidays anytime between April and October, due to the resort’s typically Mediterranean climate. The spring months of April-May see average maximum temperatures of between 18-21C. Summer really hots up, with ideal beach temperatures hitting 26-28C between June-August. The autumn starts to cool down, with temperatures of 22-26C between September-October, but remains very warm right up until the end of October. November is the start of the winter season, with temperatures of 14-18C between the beginning of November and March. Rainfall will increase during this period and the resort more or less closes down for tourists.

Getting the best deal

To get the best deals on package holidays to Son Bou, it’s wise to avoid the peak season months of June-August, as accommodation prices tend to skyrocket during this time. Similarly, school holiday periods such as Easter and half term will be much more expensive.Visiting the Balearic Islands in spring and autumn will see you get some of the best deals as well as fantastic weather; still pleasantly warm but without the stifling heat of mid-summer. Bear in mind the most popular accommodation and the best-priced rooms will always sell out fast, so it pays to book well in advance. Take a look at our best deals on holidays to Son Bou below or check out our late offers here.

Airport and transport need to know

Getting to Son Bou from the airport is relatively easy. The resort is located around 13 miles from the Aeropuerto de Menorca, also known as the Menorca Mahon airport (MAH). Transfers normally take around 30-40 minutes.

Taxis wait outside the main terminal building. They operate on a ‘fixed price’ basis and seat up to 4 people. You should expect to pay around €25 for taxi for 4 plus luggage. Bear in mind that most taxis don’t have child seats, so if you need one you should ring up and book in advance.

Shared shuttle buses are a cheaper option; you should pay around €25 for a return fare from companies like Menorca Airport Transfers.

The cheapest way to get to Son Bou is by public bus. You can catch the Airport-Mahon bus from outside the terminal building. The fare to Mahon central bus depot is around €1.50 and the journey take around 15 minutes. Once at the bus depot, you can catch a bus to Son Bou for under €2. You can download the bus timetable from Mahon here.

The Menorca Mahon airport is a small building with just one terminal, set across 2 floors. The airport gets fairly busy during the peak summer months. There is a modest selection of shops and restaurants here.

The best beaches in Son Bou

The south coast of Menorca is widely regarded as having the best beaches on the island. These tend to be longer than those found in the west and north and consist of soft golden sands. The southern coast beaches are, as a rule, well serviced by local amenities and facilities, with good access to public toilets, bars and restaurants.

Son Bou beach

Son Bou beach is one of the most popular on the island, and at around 2 miles long, it’s the longest. The water here is warm and shallow, and the sand is soft and golden. There is free parking beside the beach, as well as lifeguards, sunbeds, parasols and wheelchair access. Three lively beach bars serve hot food and refreshments, and provide a great spot to watch the sun go down. Behind the beach is a conservation area with sand dunes, providing an attractive backdrop. The currents here can be quite strong, so those with small children should keep an eye on the red and green warning flags.

Santo Tomas beach

Located westwards along the coast from Son Bou is the attractive beach resort of Santo Tomas. You can walk here in around 45 minutes from Son Bou; it’s an attractive walk along the beach and cliffs. When you arrive, you’ll find two beaches separated by a small headland. The beach towards the east is called Playa Santo Tomas is the larger and deeper of the two, with sand dunes behind it backed by hotels. This is the quieter area and attracts nudists. The western part of the beach is called Playa San Adeodato and is longer but less deep. This beach has a lifeguard and beach bar, as well as watersports including pedaloes, jet skis, motorboats and windsurfing. Santo Tomas can also have fairly strong currents, so you should watch out for the warning flag system that is in operation.

Cala’n Porter beach

In the opposite direction to Santo Tomas, eastwards along the coast is the busting beach town of Cala’n Porter. This is a great beach for families with small children, with gently sloping sand continuing for many metres into the sea to create warm, crystal clear shallows. A fairly large beach, you’ll generally be able to find a decent spot here even in the peak summer months. Cala’n Porter town is located up on the hillside behind and accessible by some steps, or by a little road train. There are public toilets at the beach as well as a lifeguard station, beach cafes, restaurants, shops and tavernas spread across the entire length of the long promenade that runs parallel to the beach. Wheelchair users have a shaded area specifically for them, a disabled toilet and wheelchair access to the sea. You can hire pedaloes and sea kayaks, and the beach has children’s play areas.