SeaTV · Spain · Balearic Islands · Menorca · Cala’n Porter
Cala’n Porter — The Cliff-Edge Anchorage Below the Cova d’en Xoroi
~39°52’N · 4°08’E · shell-shaped sandy beach at the head of a sinuous sea inlet · the natural mouth of the Torrent de Cala’n Porter · 11 km from Alaior, the parent inland town · 12 km from Menorca Airport (the closest cala to the airport) · 13 km from Maó · the high limestone cliffs (W cliff at Talaia de ses Penyes, 68 m) protect the bay from N quadrant winds · the cliff-edge Cova d’en Xoroi nightclub-bar carved into the natural cave is the bay’s defining landmark · access by sea via a wide cliff-flanked entrance · ⚠ NOT sheltered from S winds · daytime calm-weather only.
⚠ Anchorage only · NO marina · NO formal berths · Closest service marinas: Maó (13 km E) or Cala Addaia (~25 NM N around)
Cala’n Porter is the anchorage where the cliff bar is more famous than the beach. The shell-shaped sandy cala sits at the head of a long sinuous inlet between high limestone cliffs on Menorca’s south-eastern coast — geologically similar to Lulworth Cove in Dorset — and was one of the earliest beach resorts developed on the island in the 1960s. The reason most cruisers know the name: the Cova d’en Xoroi, an honest-to-god natural sea cave carved into the cliff 30 m above the water, converted decades ago into a layered cliff-bar-restaurant-nightclub with terraces overlooking the entire eastern Mediterranean. Sunset drinks here are a Menorcan ritual — open from 11:30 to 23:00 (and on through the night as a club from 23:00 to 06:00 in peak season). For sailors the trade-off is fairly clear: the bay shelters from N quadrant winds (the W cliff is 68 m at Talaia de ses Penyes) but is open to S winds and not particularly deep, the anchorage is unsafe overnight in any swell forecast, and there are no formal services beyond the resort village above. For day-trippers from Maó: Cala’n Porter is a 12 NM down-coast sail to a famous landmark, an afternoon swim, and a sunset drink at the cave bar before sailing back.
⚠ Reality check:
→ ⚠ Anchorage only · NO marina + NO formal berths · daytime calm-weather only
→ ⚠ Open to S winds · the inlet faces SE/S · not safe overnight in any S forecast
→ ⚠ Posidonia rules apply · use Posidonia Maps app to find sandy patches
→ ⚠ Buoyed swim zone covers most of the inner bay · anchor outside the buoys
→ ⚠ Cova d’en Xoroi closes Oct 30 for winter · without it, the bay is just a beach
⚓ Cala’n Porter at a Glance
Coordinates
~39°52’N · 4°08’E
Type
Anchorage (NOT a marina)
Beach shape
Shell-shaped sandy · ~150 m
Cliff height
68 m (Talaia de ses Penyes, W flank)
Shelter
Good from N · open to S/SE
Bottom
Sand + Posidonia patches
Defining landmark
Cova d’en Xoroi cliff bar (30 m up)
Distance · Maó
~12 NM E · 13 km road
Distance · Menorca Airport
~12 km · 20 min · closest cala to airport
Best for
Day stop · sunset cliff bar · cala-hopping
The Cova d’en Xoroi — The Cliff Bar in the Cave
The cave
→ Natural sea cave on the E cliff of Cala’n Porter · used in prehistoric times as a dwelling · ~30 m above the water
→ Multiple terraces carved into the cliff face · indoor + outdoor bars · panoramic Mediterranean views
→ Day mode (11:30 onwards): bar/restaurant, light food, cocktails, sunset drinks
→ Night mode (23:00 onwards in peak season): nightclub with national + international DJs · closes 06:00
→ Season: Jun-Sep daily · Oct until 29 Oct · then closed Nov-May
→ Order the Pomada — Menorcan gin (Xoriguer) + lemonade · the British-occupation legacy drink
The legend of Xoroi
A Moorish sailor named Xoroi (“the one-eared” in Catalan) was shipwrecked here · raided local farms for food · then kidnapped a local girl from Alaior known as “the Flower of Alaior” and imprisoned her in this cave · married her, had three sons · years later a freak snowstorm covered the land · locals followed Xoroi’s footprints back to the cave · cornered, Xoroi and one son threw themselves into the sea · the girl and the other two sons returned to Alaior. The folk tale is the reason for the cave’s continued cultural significance.
Approach & Anchoring
Approach from Maó (~12 NM W along S coast)
→ Leave Maó harbour SE · round La Mola fort + Punta de S’Espero (the SE corner of Menorca).
→ Continue W along the south coast past Cala Sant Esteve, Es Canutells, Cales Coves (Cova d’en Xoroi caves).
→ Identify the Cala’n Porter inlet by the high cliffs on both sides + the Cova d’en Xoroi terraces visible on the E cliff.
→ Wide cliff-flanked entrance · ~250 m wide between the headlands.
Anchoring
→ Approach the bay centre · 5-7 m at the entrance shoaling to 2-3 m near the beach.
→ Stay outside the buoyed swim zone · most of the inner bay is reserved for swimmers.
→ Find a sandy patch · Posidonia patches throughout · €1,200+ fines for anchoring on seagrass.
→ ⚠ Move out before nightfall if any S forecast · the bay rolls badly in S swell.
Cales Coves & the Camí de Cavalls
Cales Coves (~1 NM W) — the bay just W of Cala’n Porter contains the largest prehistoric cave necropolis on Menorca · 100+ burial caves carved into the cliffs · Talaiotic-era · accessible by kayak from Cala’n Porter · still inhabited by alternative-lifestyle “cave-dwellers” in some of the dry caves above sea level.
→ Best access by SUP / kayak from Cala’n Porter beach (~3 km, ~1 hr round-trip)
→ By boat: anchor offshore Cales Coves and dinghy in · ⚠ exposed S, calm-weather only
Camí de Cavalls stages from Cala’n Porter:
→ Stage 16 W: Cala’n Porter → Sant Tomàs · ~13 km
→ Stage 17 E: Cala’n Porter → Punta Prima → Maó · ~10-12 km
⛵ Day Sails from Cala’n Porter
→ Cales Coves (~1 NM W) · 100+ prehistoric caves · kayak/SUP access
→ Es Canutells (~3 NM E) · small sheltered cove · sandy beach · daytime stop
→ Cala Binisafua (~5 NM E) · rocky cove with deep clear water
→ Maó (Mahón) natural harbour (~12 NM E) · world-class natural harbour · 5+ marinas
→ Punta Prima + S’Algar (~10 NM E) · resort beaches with services
→ Cala Galdana (~12 NM W) · the south-coast horseshoe + paved promenade
Emergency & Practical Contacts
Emergency: 112 (national)
Maritime SAR (Salvamento Marítimo): 900 202 202
VHF distress: Channel 16
Hospital Mateu Orfila (Maó): +34 971 487 000 (~13 km)
Cova d’en Xoroi: covadenxoroi.com
Closest service marinas: Maó (12 NM E) · Cala Addaia (~25 NM N around)
⛵ Continue Exploring Menorca
→ Cala Galdana — 12 NM W · the horseshoe bay + Algendar ravine
→ Cala Addaia — NE coast natural-harbour marina · 168 berths
→ Cala’n Tosqueta — N-coast virgin cove on Mola de Fornells peninsula
→ Cala Fornells — N-coast village swimming spot
→ Cala Algaiarens (La Vall) — NW double virgin bay
→ Cala Morell — NW + 14C BCE prehistoric necropolis
→ Port de Ciutadella — the medieval capital · 1,170 m natural inlet
“Cala’n Porter is the anchorage where the cliff bar is more famous than the beach · the shell shaped sandy cala at the head of a long sinuous inlet between high limestone cliffs sixty eight meters at Talaia de ses Penyes on the west flank · twelve nautical miles east of Cala Galdana and twelve nautical miles west of Maó and twelve kilometers from the airport which makes it the closest cala to MAH · the Cova d’en Xoroi is the natural sea cave thirty meters above the water on the east cliff converted decades ago into the layered cliff bar restaurant nightclub with the panoramic Mediterranean views · day mode from eleven thirty for cocktails and sunset drinks night mode from twenty three for the nightclub closing at six in the morning in peak season closed November to May · order the Pomada the Menorcan gin Xoriguer plus lemonade · the legend of Xoroi the one eared Moorish sailor shipwrecked here who kidnapped the Flower of Alaior and lived in the cave with three sons until the freak snowstorm betrayed his footprints · approach the wide cliff flanked entrance two hundred fifty meters between the headlands stay outside the buoyed swim zone and find a sandy patch because Posidonia patches throughout · open to south winds so move out before nightfall if any south forecast because the bay rolls badly · day sail to Cales Coves one mile west with the hundred plus prehistoric caves and the largest necropolis on Menorca accessible by kayak or SUP from the beach · this is the day stop you make in flat conditions for a swim and a sunset drink at the cliff bar before sailing back to Maó.”
— SeaTV · Menorca · Cala’n Porter · The Cliff Bar Anchorage
