Menorca- Son Bou or Cala Blanca

[badbelinda]

Wondered if anyone had some advice. We're going on our first ever package / bucket and spade type holiday, aiming to have nice time on the beach and pool but also hoping to find some other things to do, possibly hire a car for a couple of days etc. DCs are 8 and 10. I think after much internet trawling I've narrowed it down to Cala Blanca or Son Bou and wondered if anyone could give further advice/ experiences of either?

No to Cala Blanca unless you want a really remote area with not a lot going on.

It does have a fabulous view at sunset which is a bonus but we found it the most boring place we ave ever been to and regretted booking 2 weeks!

There was also a beautiful restaurant in a cave but still not enough to ever tempt me back.

There isn't a whole heap of things to do in Menorca apart from go to the beach / pool / out on a boat... have been there when the weather is bad and it's grim... Ciutadella is a nice town but it's small. The extent of "other stuff to do" at Son Bou is goign to be the complex by the big hotel that has a few english pubs / full english breakfast type places and a bit of air hockey and bowling. It's about 40mins drive to either Ciutadella or Mahon (port, good shopping, restaurants, boats).
I really like the wilder beaches on the north coast for a day (no facilities at all NB)

There is rather a lot of rocks in Menorca and wasteland. The beach at cala blanca was a bit shit and scruffy but they did have pedalos to hire out.

My photo album from the holiday is full of rocks from all different angles, wasnt a lot else to photograph

If you want a very quiet and reclusive type holiday then Menorca is perfect.

I must be so unlike the people who find Menorca dull - I adore the place. The fact that there is not much entertainment is the main reason I go there so much:

I would pick Son Bou over Cala Blanca - the beach is stunning and several miles long, there are pedalos, banana boats etc and the resort itself has more than enough restaurants and bars to suit most people. The club Sant Jaime complex has pools and water slides that are available to the public for small fee plus the whole area is quite scenic. Be aware the further you wander up the beach you will come across nudists (possibly my husband).

Although Cala Blanca is nearer the utterly gorgeous town of Ciutadella it is probably the least attractive part of the Island, mostly Spanish people holiday there and the resort itself is much smaller.

Menorca is divine, but people tend to either love it forever, or find it too dull. Try it for yourself and make up your own mind.

Forgot to say, definitely hire a car - go and see Mahon and Ciutadella, both are architecturally stunning, there are loads of Stone Age ruined towns, the lighthouses of Favaritx, Cavalleria and Punta Nati are worth a visit as it Fortressa La Mola and Fort Marlborough.

Inland - the towns of Alaior and Ferreries are worth a visit if you have bad weather and a trip up Monte Torro is a must, you can see the whole island from the top.

I agree Diabolo, DH and I are going to Ciutadella for a week in June. We discovered it having gone on the public bus from Cal 'n' Bosch, which wasn't (apart from the beach) as nice as we had hoped. As a couple in our mid 50's we have different ideas now about what we like to do on holiday, and like you, do not need to be entertained.

Of course this isn't helping badbelinda!

Thanks, that's quite a diverse range of opinions! I think we're all pretty knackered and not looking for loads of evening entertainment etc so a quiet time will suit (though kids might disagree!).

We're in menorca now and staying in son parc on the north of the island. Got to say that I've not yet fallen in love with the place, partly due to the weather being crap I'm sure. However, it just feels like something is missing. We like quiet holidays but it just seems like there's no one here! It's got nothing on Pollensa in Mallorca for sure....

Oh don't tell me the weather is crap :( we fly out on Friday!

Son Parc is notoriously very, very quiet badbelinda. I cant imagine it will keep going as a resort much longer.

Well, today we've actually got some sun but the wind is so bad that it doesn't feel hot. Think this will be the first time I go on holiday to the med and not get into my swimming costume once! We're venturing to the outhouse of the island tomorrow to see if its less windy.

oh no! I don't know what to pack now! Should we bring lots of jumpers?

Son bou is the naturist resort. Not a problem if you're prepared (but if you have small DCs be prepared to be embarrassed by the pointing and staring!)

I meant south of the island! Dh has not removed his only jumper all week and luckily I packed some cardigans. Forecast looks mixed so suggest packing for all climates!

Son Bou beach is gorgeous. The nudity only starts really once you start walking up the beach towards Sant Tomas. It never bothered my DS as nudity isn't hidden in our home.

My friend who lives near Alaior says it is very changeable at the moment out there. Looks like the freak weather in the UK is not limited to here.

Last July we didn't have a day under 90 degrees, the year before 7 out of our 14 days were cool enough to need a fleece / jumper.

Crazy days.

Can I suggest cala en Bosch which is next to cala blanca so you could visit both? Amazing for families, no single sex groups at all ie stag nights, and so friendly. Cala blanca is gorgeous, you can jump off high walls into the sea, restaurants on the seafront and a bar with swinging chairs but it is small. Enjoy, you won't hear a swear word for the whole time which is great when you have kids

I would always recommend Arenal D'en Castell for families with small children along with Son Bou or Cala'n Bosch.

Arenal has a great beach, some watersports, plus great restaurants and bars for an evening. It's very, very beautiful, not far from Fornells and in the greenest part of Menorca. It suited us brilliantly from when DS was 4 -8.

www.a-t-s.net/shared/images/destinations/arenal%20den%20castell.jpg

Here's a pic

www.menorca-net.co.uk/menorca/images/sonbou.jpg

And here is Son Bou Beach. Beware of naked people if you wander up the beach 10 minutes.

I love it up the other end of the beach, not because of the naked men but because there is soooooo much space and peace and tranquillity.

Incidentally, you can be in the nudie part of the beach and not be nude, my DH does go full frontal, I go topless, DS keeps his pants on - it's not compulsory.

I googled the weather forecast for Menorca and looked at the 14 day prediction, it seems in another weeks time there will be sun, but temps will be 21-22 degrees daytime and 19 in the evening. I will pack an extra summer jacket I think, we go on the 7th June.

Funny things can happen when sunbathing nude. My boyfriend and I were holidaying at Rovinj on the Istrian peninsula, when it was still part of Yugoslavia (yes that long ago!) We used to take the little ferry to one of the islands where there was a naturist sunbathing area, it was funny watching the number of little boats full of gawping people go past. Anyway, there were these enormous iridescent green beetles that used to fly past, which were loud and annoying but harmless. I was in the sea when I saw my boyfriend suddenly sit up and start what looked like hitting his willy! In fact he was trying to get rid of a beetle which had decided to land on it and have a rest! I couldn't stop laughing for ages.

In those days I had a body worth showing, I wouldn't do it now that I am more than twice the age I was then.

girly I don't think people go nude to show off their bodies, DH certainly doesn't. He says he likes the way it feels. I'm comfortable nude at home, but not in front of strangers. The villa we use is totally private / screened from neighbours, so I do swim and sunbathe nude there.

There is a German couple who go nude at Son Bou, must be 80 years old minimum, they play Boule up and down the beach all day. Bending over with bits dangling everywhere. Makes me smile for a minute, then it doesn't get thought about again.

Thanks for all the Tips everyone. Just returned from our trip to Menorca and had the perfect quiet, relaxing family break. Loved it and cant wait to go back. Best get saving! :)

Whereabouts did you stay Lucky? We're thinking about Menorca for our first family beach holiday abroad next year with ds's (12 and 10).

Thanks - any other recommendations also appreciated for a hotel on the beach!