Ibiza’s beauty goes beyond the parties, the beaches and their beach bars. Ibiza has eleven protected natural areas, two of which are natural parks, with a very high ecological value and spectacular beauty.
Both the Ses Salines Natural Park and the Es Vedrà, Es Vedranell i els Illots de Ponent Nature Reserve are two areas that you can visit in both winter and summer. Discover them below!
The natural reserves of es Vedrà, es Vedranell i els Illots de Ponent
This protected natural area is located in the municipality of Sant Josep de Sa Talaia, in the southwest of the island. It is a very diverse protected territory with a great variation of landscapes. It includes a maritime area with the islets and a land area comprising beaches, mountains, crop fields, wooded areas and streams, among others.
It is worth mentioning that Sa Talaia, the highest elevation on the island at 485 metres, is located within the reserve.
The islet of Es Vedrà, at 382 metres above sea level, offers one of the most emblematic panoramic views of the island. It is worth contemplating it from Cala d’Hort, Cap Llentrisca or from the Torre d’Es Savinar, while enjoying an unforgettable sunset.
Es Vedranell, at 117 metres and full of cliffs, is another of the protected islets. The same is true of S’Illa d’Es Bosc, the island closest to the coast; Sa Conillera, with the mythical Conillera lighthouse; S’Espartar, full of the famous esparto grass used to make Ibizan handicrafts; and Ses Bledes, with the islets of La Gorra, Es Vaixell, Na Bosc and Na Plana.
All these islets are characterised by their great biodiversity, with many unique animal species, including the typical Ibizan lizard, Audoin’s gull and Eleonor’s falcon, among many others.
If you wish to visit any of the islets in the reserve, you should know that it is a totally protected area. This means that access is restricted and you will not be able to go ashore under any circumstances. The best thing to do is to hire a boat that will allow you to get close to the islands and enjoy a unique panoramic view.
Ses Salines Natural Park
The Ses Salines nature reserve is located between the islands of Ibiza and Formentera. It covers some 3,000 hectares of land and 13,000 hectares of sea, and was declared a Natural Park in 2001.
Despite the fact that this area has been greatly affected by human activity in terms of the exploitation of the salt flats, today the Ses Salines ponds are a genuine protected ornithological refuge, with countless species of birds, including peregrine falcons, ospreys and flamingos, which stay here all year round.
If you are a nature lover, you will love visiting the park. You will enjoy hiking, bird-watching, diving in the posidonia oceanica meadows, visiting some churches, such as the Sa Revista Chapel, or even taking a dip in Ses Salines Beach, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Ibiza. We recommend you visit the Ses Salines Interpretation Centre, where you can learn about the history and everything about the park’s natural environment free of charge.
