Cala Vadella for a villa holiday
Cala Vadella (also written Cala Vedella) is an enclosed bay on the south-west coast of Ibiza, in the municipality of Sant Josep de sa Talaia. Cliffs and pine woods close it on both sides, so the water inside is usually calm. The beach is fine white sand and the sea floor shelves gently, which suits families with small children.
Behind the sand is a small, low-rise resort with restaurants, shops and a supermarket, and the villas climb the wooded slopes around it. From some houses you can walk to the beach and to dinner, then come home to a private pool and garden. Villa Diso, with five bedrooms, is a 150-metre walk from the sand. Villa Katherine has six bedrooms in a main house and two separate casitas, in fenced grounds that work well for an extended family.
What to do in the bay
Swimming: a bathing area is marked with buoys, and the beach has sun loungers and umbrellas for hire, toilets, a ramp for wheelchairs and lifeguards in high season. The rocky edges of the bay suit snorkelling.
On the water: a diving centre and a paddle-surf centre work here from May to October, and you can hire pedalos, kayaks and boats. Private yachts often anchor in the bay towards sunset. Ask us about a boat day.
Sunset: the bay faces west, so the sun goes down over the sea in front of the beach, with the islet of S'Espartar on the horizon. Villas on the slopes can have the same view from the terrace: see our villas with sunset views.
Eating out: the restaurants around the bay serve island dishes, especially fresh fish and seafood, along with international cooking. The bars get livelier in the evening, while the beach stays quieter than the island's beach-club areas. For a night at home, ask us about a private chef.
A short walk: a high point at the northern end of the bay looks over turquoise water and posidonia seagrass meadows. At the foot of the rocks on each side stand old fishermen's huts with their slipways, from the days when the bay served as a natural harbour.
Beaches and outings nearby
Cala Molí, just north of the bay, is a quiet U-shaped cove of sand and pebbles with a restaurant, reached from Cala Vadella by a paved road. Further north, Cala Tarida is a large sandy beach with bars and restaurants.
Cala Carbó, just south, is a secluded cove of golden sand with two restaurants known for lobster stew, baked fish and rice dishes. Beyond it, Cala d'Hort looks straight at the rock islands of Es Vedrà and Es Vedranell and is a popular place to watch the sun go down.
On foot and by kayak: the Sant Josep tourism office publishes a circular walk of about 6 km, roughly two hours, from Cala Carbó along the cliffs to Cala d'Hort and the Punic-Roman site of Ses Païsses, founded in the fifth century BC. It also describes a kayak route of about two hours from Cala Carbó to Cala Tarida, passing Cala Vadella and Cala Molí.
Getting there and around
The airport is about 25 minutes by car. Ibiza Town is 22 km away and the village of San José 9 km, about ten minutes' drive. In summer a bus runs to the bay from Ibiza Town via San José and from San Antonio, though a hire car is more practical: the road down to the bay winds through the hills, and the villas on the slopes are a climb back up from the beach.
For what a week costs by area and season, see our guide to villa prices. To compare Cala Vadella with the rest of the island, read our guide on where to stay in Ibiza or browse our family-friendly villas. Our villas around San José are on the same side of the island.
