Santa Ponsa: 2-Hour Boat Rental No License Needed

4.82

(140 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We showed up at the little dock in Santa Ponsa with sunscreen half-rubbed in and a bag of snacks, honestly not sure what we were getting into since neither of us had ever driven a boat before. The guy handing over the keys—Jordi, I think—just grinned and said, “Don’t worry, it’s easier than parking in Palma.” He ran through the basics in this mix of English and Spanish that somehow made sense, pointing out the awning (thank god for shade), where to stash our drinks in the fridge, and how to use the ladder if we wanted to swim. I was nervous but also kind of giddy. Two hours felt like forever and not enough at once.

Once we got going, the water was calmer than I expected—just this soft slap against the hull—and you could already see the Malgrats Islands off to one side. There’s this salty smell that hits you right away, mixed with something green from the coast. We stopped maybe fifteen minutes out so I could try snorkeling (mask included), though I’ll admit I spent more time floating than actually looking for fish. My partner tried steering while I flailed around; Jordi had been right about it being easy enough. At one point a local family zipped by waving—felt like everyone was just happy to be on the water.

The sun kept shifting behind these thin clouds so sometimes it felt almost cool on your skin, then suddenly hot again. We’d packed ice and lemon soda in one of the fridges (they give you two) and ended up just sitting there with our feet dangling off the side for ages. There was no rush at all—no guide telling us where to go or when to jump in—which is probably what made it feel so different from other tours we’ve done. When it was finally time to head back, I almost forgot about the €200 deposit until Jordi reminded me with a wink. Still think about that quiet out there sometimes—you know?