The Balearic Island of Mallorca is a popular destination for tourists, who come to enjoy the warm weather they may not be able to get at home. Just like many other tourist destinations in the world, Mallorca has felt the force of COVID-19, with severe restrictions of no more than 50% capacity in some places making life difficult for residents looking to continue with life as normal on the island and for anyone who wished to travel to the island.

Now Majorca has gradually begun opening itself up for travel and is trying to get back to normal. This article looks at yachting and sailing on the island and how COVID-19 has affected this activity.

The popularity of yachting in Majorca

Yachting is mighty popular on this island that welcomes more than 10 million tourists a year. There are plenty among them who try to charter a yacht from Majorca. It’s a highly sought after activity.

The Real Club Náutico de Palma is one of the best mooring locations on the island, as it hosts the marina. Sailors can also anchor in Es Trenc, the Cala de Santa Ponça or to the beautiful Cala Mondragó. The lagoon-like Bahia de Sóller bay might be more your port of call if you’re in the north of the island.

Cala Moltó and Cala Agulla are two further fabulous bays and these are out in the north-east of the island. They’re good places to drop anchor because the water is clear and the bottom is mostly sand. Night anchorage is allowed, depending on the weather conditions. Cala Moltó is the preferred anchorage spot and offers superb sunbathing opportunities, whereas Cala Agulla has beach bars and is a venue for evening concerts, giving anyone who’s been on a yacht all day the chance to stretch their legs.

Reasons people sail in Majorca

All those sailors can’t be wrong. What makes Majorca such a popular destination for yachting?

Stable conditions

Majorca enjoys a sea breeze and the summer winds provide a steady stream throughout the day. Many of the prevailing winds come from the north-west, so the south-east regions are normally a little warmer and drier.

Many of the bays in Majorca have a great deal of protection. During winter, the mountains will protect some of them. This is especially the case with Port de Pollença and Port d’Alcúdia because of the protection from the Formentor point.

Yacht chartering options

The fact that yachting is such a highly-sought after activity in Majorca means that travellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to yachting options. Before hiring a yacht, you should be clear about how many people are going on the yacht, how long for which you wish to use the yacht and whether you need a skipper (which you won’t if you have a qualified captain on board).

The next big question is whether you prefer a sailing yacht or a motor yacht. A sailing yacht is a little more authentic. Although the yacht has a motor, there’s nothing quite as relaxing (and to an extent, romantic) than just switching the engines off and putting the sails up and gliding majestically up the water. Often, sailing yachts are a little cheaper to run.

Motor yachts are a more glamorous option. They give the travellers who hire them the opportunity to explore the island in comfort, but also, at the same time, with speed and in luxury. People who want to see as much of the Majorcan coastline as possible tend to choose motor yachts.

The effects of COVID on yachting in Mallorca

There’s no mistaking the harsh impact of COVID-19 on Majorca, but the island has been doing its best to get back to normal. If planning to travel to Majorca, it’s always best to check with the Spanish embassy before making arrangements.

At present, it’s necessary to provide evidence of full vaccination (not including the booster) at least 14 days before you arrive. When arriving in Spain, the authorities may wish for you to undergo a temperature check, a visual health assessment or some form of test. After you arrive, they may contact you within 48 hours of you being on the island to take a PCR test or other test.

Despite the unpleasant impact of the pandemic on Majorca, the cloud of COVID-19 has brought some good news for tourism. The fact that it’s possible to distance on the open seas has encouraged very wealthy people to hire luxury yachts. Private yachting companies on the island have been able to rent out expensive yachts easily. The bookings were faster than the rental of the standard yachts, according to an article in the English language version online of Spanish newspaper El País. It’s a trend that companies on the Costa del Sol have also witnessed.

This reflects slightly a broader trend in which sales of superyachts have also skyrocketed during the pandemic. The world’s billionaires have been putting in some major orders and more than a thousand superyachts are being built worldwide.

Majorca is a terrific island and the warm climate and steady weather conditions make yachting around the island a real pleasure. It’s hardly surprising so many people wish to do it. The Coronavirus pandemic has made life difficult for residents of Majorca and visitors to the island alike, but now it’s fighting back and yachting is enjoying a major surge in its already-existing high levels of popularity.

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