Ibiza / The verdict

Is a Formentera day trip worth it?

Yes for most visitors: the fast ferry from Ibiza Town takes about 30 minutes, and visitors describe clear water and an easy day on a rented bike or scooter. The snags are busy summer boats and the vehicle rules, and the evidence log is short (4 reports), so treat this as a lean.

By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.

Why this verdict

Formentera stays a yes, on a short evidence log of four visitor reports. The pattern in them is consistent: the water is the point. A couple’s day-trip video follows the ferry to La Savina, then Ses Illetes, Sant Francesc Xavier and the La Mola and Cap de Barbaria lighthouses, and its description calls the water among the clearest in the Balearics. A solo traveler who took the long boat from San Antonio still rated the day 9 out of 10, and a couple who crossed from Ibiza Town rented a scooter outside the La Savina terminal and toured the beaches.

The complaints are practical rather than about the island. One traveler was surprised how busy the boat already was in May. A family that crossed in late October found few outdoor seats on the ferry and rented bikes with soft tires and mechanical problems. The boat from San Antonio takes about 2 hours each way, which left that traveler about 6 hours ashore. And Ses Illetes, the beach everyone heads to first, gets crowded unless you arrive early. None of the four advises against the trip, which is why the verdict is go, but the log is small, so treat it as a lean.

The real way to spoil the day is the car. The official formentera.eco rules apply from June 1 to September 30: vehicles rented outside the island are prohibited, and other cars and motorcycles need a paid authorization, EUR 9 a day for a car in July and August with a EUR 45 minimum. Crossing as a foot passenger and renting on the island avoids all of it.

How to do it cheaply

Most of the cost is the ferry, and fares vary by operator, date and time, so compare before you pay. Balearia, Trasmapi and Aquabus all sell the Ibiza crossing on their own sites, and the family that crossed in October compared two operators at the port and found a clear difference for the same trip. On the island, the bus is the cheapest option: the 2026 timetable lists EUR 2.25 for a short trip, EUR 3.20 for a long one and EUR 15 for a day voucher. A 125cc automatic scooter at La Savina starts from EUR 17.60 a day on one rental company’s site, which suits two people covering the south of the island.

Timing

Go early. The fast ferry from Ibiza Town takes about 30 minutes, according to a couple who chose it over the 2-hour Es Figueral boat because of seasickness, so an early sailing gives you most of the day ashore. Head straight for Ses Illetes before the crowds build, then ride south to Cap de Barbaria or east to La Mola in the afternoon. Note your last return sailing before you set off and allow time to drop off the bike or scooter at the port. In summer, book a day or two ahead; outside the high season, the late-October family bought on the day without booking ahead.