Ibiza's party image is legendary, but the real gems on this Balearic Isle are off the well-trodden tourist path. Sandwiched along the coast between Santa Eularia and Ibiza Town sits Cala Llonga, a fjord-like inlet with a 200-metre Blue Flag beach.
A moderate-sized resort has grown up around this great beach spot, with mainly three-star hotels plonked around as well as much in the way of affordable self-catering options.
A great choice if you're looking for a chilled out complete mini-resort, the simple option with a range of restaurants but nothing out-of-the-ordinary. Just rent a hammock, play volleyball, try the diving school or catch a ferry to the busy resort town of Santa Eularia or Ibiza Town.
Getting there/around Cala Llonga
All flights arrive at Ibiza Airport and Cala Llonga is just 15 minutes away. The resort of Cala Llonga is tiny, so unless you plan to really explore the island, two feet will be all you need.
Beaches in Cala Llonga
Up until 30 years ago, you could only get to this beach by boat, but this 200-metre stretch of lovely, sandy Blue Flag-beach backed by pine-clad hills has become a real holiday hit. Thanks to its small scale, lovely beach and shallow waters to quite a way out, this perfect Ibizan cove is completely safe for children.
The whole island is naturally endowed with wonderful beaches and you can try a different beach each day including Es Cana, Es Figueral, S'Aigua Blanca, Cala Boix, Cala Mastella, Cala Martina, S'Argamassa, Cala Pada, Es Niu Blau beach, and Es Calo de s'Alga.
Visitors will be able to choose from a range of activities including windsurfing, water-skiing, parasailing, diving, volleyball and taking a sightseeing trip on a pedalo.
Sightseeing in Cala Llonga
The town's modern resort centre offers a healthy selection of tapas bars, shops, pavement cafes and restaurants, as well as a golf course three miles down the road.
Check out the beautiful countryside surrounding Cala Llonga before heading off to the nearby golf course at Roca Llisa.
Family attractions in Cala Llonga
It's a cute little place that seems to really appreciate the family market. There are mini-amusement parks and a wooden playground on the beach, as well as plenty of cheap and cheerful cafes and bars.
Teenage kids will find it hard to adapt to the sleepiness of the place; either that, or you won't see them all week because they'll be off clubbing by night and sleeping by day.
Take kids to try either San Antonio's or Santa Eularia's Express, both toy-town trains rides.
Day trips in Cala Llonga
The nearby charming interior hilly town of Santa Gertrudis has leafy streets, white-washed houses, a aid-back lifestyle, pretty cafes and a church containing the largest belfry in the Balearics.
Make a trip into Ibiza Town to see the streets at night buzzing with restaurants, bars and cafes and shops open until late, as well as the marina with its many gorgeous yachts.
Head into nearby Santa Eularia to look at the shops, the hilltop church and the flashy marina.
Take a boat trip to the sleepy beaches of Formentera, or a glass-bottomed boat trip around the bay. A fun day out is Aguamar Water Park in Playa den Bossa.
Eating out in Cala Llonga
Don't expect gourmet living here in Cala Llonga. It's mainly simple resort food with menus you'll instantly recognise.
When it comes to local cuisine, fish is the order of the day, so try a mixed fish grill, parrillada de pescado or zarazuela, a fish stew. Local spicy sausages, sobresada, are worth trying and finish the evening at a heladeria or ice-cream parlour.
Nightlife in Cala Llonga
Don't come here if you want a mad clubbing holiday; this is the more traditional, laid-back part of the island, although it does have sufficient choice of bars and restaurants to keep you amused for about a couple of weeks.
If you do want to try some of Ibiza's famous superclubs, Privilege and Amnesia are the nearest ones, or get taxis down to Ibiza Town for Pacha and El Divino.
Shopping in Cala Llonga
In the resort of Cala Llonga, the emphasis is largely on getting a tan, messing about at the beach and other such important holiday activities, so that's all you'll find in its smattering of stores.
The island's best shopping can be found in Ibiza Town, but you should also go and have a browse around the Wednesday "hippy market" at Club Punta Arabi (May-October), which has about 400 stalls.
If you like Cala Llonga, read the following travel guides:
