I’m Carlos, and I run private boat trips from Cala Galdana on Menorca’s south coast. Before you confirm a booking, there are a few details I would check carefully. A photograph of turquoise water tells you very little about the boat, where you will board or how the day will work.
Use this list once you have found a trip you like, with the booking details open in front of you.
1. Find the actual departure point
Check the meeting point, not just the name of the island or your hotel. We depart from Cala Galdana; staying elsewhere does not mean we can collect you there. The departure point also determines which stretch of coast makes sense for the time available.
If you are joining us, read the guide to departing from Cala Galdana and leave time for parking and walking to the boat.
2. Check whether the price is for a person or the whole boat
A shared excursion can be a good choice if you want to buy individual places. A private trip reserves the boat for your group. Compare the total you will pay for everyone travelling, and check the passenger limit before comparing prices.
Our own trips are entirely private, for up to five passengers plus the skipper. We do not sell individual places on a shared departure.
3. Look at the boat you will actually use
Ask for photographs of the actual boat and check the details that matter to your group: shade, seating, access from the water and a toilet. Tell the operator about children or any particular boarding needs before booking.
You can see our sailboat and its equipment before deciding whether it suits you. A photograph of a different type of boat is not enough to make that decision.
4. Read the route as a plan that depends on the sea
I plan our route around the conditions on the day. A private booking gives us room to adapt the outing to your group, but it does not make every cove suitable in every wind or swell.
Check whether named beaches are possible stops or guaranteed visits. If one particular cove is the whole reason for your booking, ask about that before paying.
5. Choose the time you want on the water
Think about how you want to spend the day. Four hours and eight hours offer different amounts of time for travelling, swimming and stopping. A longer trip gives more time; it does not guarantee a fixed number of beaches.
Check the return time too, especially if you have dinner plans, a transfer or a flight that day.
6. Confirm what is included
Read the inclusions for the specific departure: skipper, fuel, drinks, food and equipment. On our own trips we include the skipper, fuel, drinks, a snack, snorkelling masks and a paddleboard. A snack is not a full lunch.
Once booked, use our practical guide to what to bring to prepare for the time you will spend aboard.
7. Read the cancellation and weather terms
Check the date, departure time and number of passengers in the confirmation. Read what happens if you cancel and what happens if the operator cannot run the trip because of the weather; they are different situations.
Before booking, read our answers to practical trip questions. Ask about anything that remains unclear before paying.
If the departure point, boat and private format fit your plans, you can compare our private boat trips from Cala Galdana. The aim is to book a day that suits your group, with a clear idea of what is included and what the sea may change.