Cala Portals (Portals Vells) is a very pretty bay just north of Punta de Cala Figuera. Surrounded by soothing green trees and blessed with poor road access this bay has a delightfully secluded feel to it. However, don’t be fooled into thinking you will have the bay to yourself. Cala Portals is extremely popular with yachts, trip boats and motor boats in the summer and as such this is not a bay for the faint hearted to anchor in. Maybe follow the local advice and put out your fenders just in case the congestion leads to closer relations than you expected with your neighbours. Or perhaps get a little more creative and long line to a promising point on the shore. Whatever mooring option you choose be sure to rig your boat and belongings for rough seas as this bay suffers badly from ferry and superyacht wash day and night!
If you are forced to anchor in one of the deeper sections, make sure your anchor is well in as there are large patches of weed which can make holding poor here.
The small harbour on the north side of the bay is private and does not welcome visitors.
Despite the slight negativity above, Cala Portals is a lovely bay, well worth the hassle and I have spent many a happy hour here. There are three small sandy beaches in Cala Portals as well as large, warm, flat rocks to toast yourself on. During the day the beaches are chocker block with day trippers but at night things thin out and the bay is usually a tranquil place to spend a night at anchor. In summer the shallow southern beach is protected by swimming buoys. If you have small children I would recommend you dingy them over to this area for snorkelling etc. The main bay can be very choppy with vessels coming and going and some of the poor boat handling I have witnessed here is not conducive to carefree swimming.
There are two restaurants located here but just check that they intend on staying open in the evening if you want a meal, as outside the peak season they do close early.
On the south east side of the bay you can visit Phoenician tombs that have been cut into the caves. Bring a torch with you to get the most out of the experience.
Note: Large parts of this bay are designated as nudist areas and if you have Victorian sensibilities it is probably best not to anchor near or long line to the rocky outcrops on the western side of the bay!