ES VEDRA

No, that's not Ibiza, that's the rather magical Es Vedra, one of my favourite places on the island.

Famously used as the mystical island of Bali Hai, in the film version of South Pacific, Es Vedra is one of those places everyone knows from the postcards, but few ever visit.

Getting there's a bit of a schlepp, with or without a car, as you first need to get to the tiny beach resort of Cala d'Hort, and then need to hike a couple of miles uphill to the old defensive fort overlooking the island if you want to get any good pictures. You can get some nice pictures from the beach at Cala d'Hort, especially if you go on the night of a full moon with a drop-dead gorgeous boy named Danko, but that was an especially romantic night, with a fantastic drive home afterwards...

Ah, Danko, Danko, Danko... What a man!

Anyway, where was I?

Es Vedra. Visible from many parts of the island, it looks like a big pointy rock rising vertically from the sea, until you get close enough to see the intricate shape of it and the smaller island of Vedranell (shaped, I'm told, like a sleeping dragon, though I think it looks more like an iguana).

Park your car as close as you can, then head up the rough path to the Torre des Savinar. There's a bit of a steep drop from the look-out point across to Es Vedra, so be careful. The best part of the climb comes next, as you stumble through undergrowth and up the steep scree-covered slopes, to the stunning defensive tower that looks down on the islands! You can get inside the tower, though there's not much to see aside from a few dead bodies, and the stashes of visiting Columbians.

And don't forget your camera...

Martin
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