Son Bou beach in Menorca
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Son Bou It is the longest beach in Menorca and one of the few open seas on the island. The beach in Son Bou is 2.5 km long and 50 meters wide, between Cap de ses Penyes, on the east side, and Punta Rodona, on the west side. It has fine sand and crystal clear water. From on the shore, you can see the Escull de sa Galera, which is a rock that rises above the sea water.
On the most eastern side, there are cliffs that reach up 70 to 80 meters high. On the western side there are smaller cliffs, that reach up to 5 and 10 meters high and there lays Atalis, a small quiet unspoilt cove where you can practice nudism.
Son Bou has a European Blue Flag quality certifications, which confirms that it completes the standards of the water quality, safety, providing comprehensive services for users and the environmental conservation.
The seabed is sandy and very homogeneous. It allows you to enter slowly. Once entering the sea a few meters further, you´ll notice that instead of sand, you find the largest prairies of the oceanic called Posidonia, a marine plant of excellent water quality that provides oxygen and is also home to many sea species.
The dune area that separates the beach of El Prat de Son Bou is kept in very good condition. It runs parallel to sea level and the small mountains formed of sand do not exceed more than two meters high. It also has it´s flora there.
It can be easily accessed by walking paths of wood that protect the dune environment. And if staying at the Royal Son Bou Family Club, you have access via a tunnel that goes under the road and takes you directly to the beach.
Photos of Son Bou beach
Why is it an excellent beach for families?
Beach service
Son Bou beach has accessibilities for disabled, showers, toilets, litter bins, bars, parasol rental, sunbeds and an area dedicated to water sports. The whole area is properly marked out, so it does not interfere people wanting to bath and swim.
In Spain the beaches are public, so we do not have sunbeds or umbrellas for rent on Son Bou beach. These rentals are paid directly on the beach and the hotel does not intervene in the management of their reservation.
In Son Bou you can rent canoes, motorboats, rowboats, sailing boats and pedal boats. The water park, Sky-bus and the banana boat are the most popular attractions.
The beach has a full lifeguard team and service. There is also the Red Cross stand with a first aid service and rescue boats.
Remember that if you go to the beach it is an obligation to follow the instructions given by the lifeguards. Look at the color of the flags:
- Red flag: bathing dangerous, bathing banned,
- Yellow flag: caution, but swimming is permitted,
- Green flag: swimming allowed,
- Orange flag: the lifeguard is absent.
El Prat de Son Bou
El Prat de Son Bou, covers about 80 hectares of land between the dunes and the urban area. In 1940 they cultivated rice there but that was a long time ago. Now it has been preserved in its natural state and is a refuge for birds. Some water birds, during the late spring and the summer nest and breed in the reeds. If you take a stroll along El Prat you will find groups of people who enjoy bird watching.
Christian basilica
In the most eastern part of the urbanization of Son Bou, stand the remains of a Paleocristina Basilica of the V century AD. You can see a rectangular structure that once was a religious temple of three auditoriums that had access to a porch overlooking the main hall where the chorus use to be situated. Which accesses through a staircase. There were remains found as well.
The central part of the church is slightly elevated above the level of the other auditoriums. On the outside, the south part of the basilica use to be a small necropolis where you can still see the remains of some graves.
This basilica was destroyed by fire in the eighteenth century.
Atalis, a virgin cove
If you take a walk along the beach of Son Bou towards the western part you will find a small unspoilt, quiet cove. Atalis is an uncrowded area from where you can access the Camí de Cavalls that leads towards El Prat de Son Bou or to Sant Tomas. Nearby is the municipality of Es Migjorn Gran.
Atalis is next to Punta Rodona, where there is a defense tower of the nineteenth century. It was destroyed by an English frigate in 1808 and currently only the underground part of the building is left.
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Leisure activities for families in Son Bou
Surrounded by nature: countryside, sea, cliffs. Son Bou is perfect for performing various leisure activities with the whole family and there is a wide range to fill all your expectations.
Services in Son Bou urbanization
Son Bou is one of the most visited urbanizations on the island and is a big reference for when traveling with children to Menorca. It´s located in the south of the island, 7 km from Alaior. It is a large area with a large fine sandy beach, a swamp fed by two streams and a sand dune area with a lot of fauna and flora.