People travel from all over the world to visit Ibiza’s pristine beaches, they also make for the perfect spot to recover from a night out. Below are a few of our favourites, some of which you won’t find in your guidebook. While all these beaches are great, the best thing to do on Ibiza is to go exploring and find the hidden away gems for yourself.

Aguas Blancas (north)

In the north-east of the island, a short drive from San Carlos is this great beach which is well worth the trip, even if you’re not staying on this part of Ibiza. The beach is set at the base of sheer cliffs which makes this setting something to behold. Not only do the cliffs provide protection from the hot afternoon sun, you can make a paste from the rock mixed with sea water and rub it on your skin for an all natural skin treatment.

After a short walk down a steep descent from the car park, you have the option to take up a sun lounger from the base of the stairs, or walk further down the beach to find your own patch of sand. Just be aware that the further you walk down the beach, the more nude people become! As well as the crystal clear water, you can swim out to a rocky island and jump back into the sea.

If you’re Australian and missing the beaches from home, this comes close.

Benirrás (north)

Located in the north of the island near San Miguel, Benirrás is one of Ibiza’s famous beaches that lives up to and probably exceeds expectations. It’s crystal clear waters are fantastic for snorkelling or you can swim out and explore the rocky caves that can be found around the bay. The beach has a couple of restaurants, a boutique clothing store and a couple of water-sports hire establishments to keep you busy. Benirrás is probably most famous however for its Sunday evening sunset bongo circles in summer, but be warned, these become very busy, especially in August, so plan ahead and get there early, or take the bus as parking is extremely limited.

Caló des Gat (north-east)

This little rocky bay can be found just around the corner from Cala Martina, a short stroll from the famous Punta Arabi Hippy Market and backs on to Camping La Playa Ibiza. You’ll find this beach is largely abandoned apart from on Wednesdays when people from all over the island flock to the area for the Hippy Market. While the beach itself is nothing to write home about, there is a little jetty you can sunbathe on, and on the opposite side of the bay, some rocks you can jump from into the deep blue water. It’s also great for snorkelling and neighbouring Cala Martina has more water sports options than you can shake a stick at. If you’re here on a Wednesday or Sunday, the local beach bar Chirincana hosts live music late into the night with plenty of good times and fire dancers to go along with it.

Cala Comte (south-west)

Not far from San Antoni, this beach, or should we say collection of beaches, is a swimmer’s and photographer’s dream. With bright blue water spread across 3 different beach areas separated by a sharp point, rocky islands off the coast, a restaurant serving food, drinks and music and one of the best sunsets on the island; this ticks an awful lot of boxes.

You can catch a bus here from San Antoni, or drive and park in the car park, but in peak months it does get very busy and traffic gridlock getting in and out is not uncommon.

Las Salinas (south)

10-minutes from Playa den Bossa, just beyond the salt flats (from where the name is derived) you’ll find this long sandy beach with a plethora of activities for you, but not as busy as Playa den Bossa itself. It has a reputation of being a bit cool and the prices of the beach side restaurants and bars will reflect that. You have all of your standard water activities like pedalos and catamarans for hire. In the right wind you’ll also find some bodysurf-able waves here. Like a lot of beaches on Ibiza, if you walk a little further down, you’ll find the nudist section, and beyond that there are some quieter rocky bays if you want to escape the crowds even more. The beach backs onto Ibiza’s Wildlife Conservation Area, so is a great spot to explore on foot if it’s not too hot.

Ses Balandres (north-west)

This one is for the adventurous folk among us. To get to this little rocky beach, you first need to find it, and then scale the steep terrain using ladders, stairs and ropes setup by fishermen to access their boat sheds. The reward will be crystal clear water (as always) and more than likely very few other people. Make sure you bring plenty of water and some snacks so you can make a day of it, as the trek down to the beach can take 45-minutes alone.