Kayak Route through the North Menorca Marine Reserve — Sea Caves and Snorkelling in Fornells

The experience — Kayaking in the Menorca Marine Reserve

Some coastlines only make sense from the water. Menorca’s north coast is one of them: karst cliffs that are impossible to reach from land, semi-submerged caves that only accept kayaks and a marine reserve that very few operators hold permits to guide.

The activity starts at the activity centre in Fornells harbour, twenty minutes before departure. The licensed instructor hands out the kayak, paddle, buoyancy aid, disinfected snorkelling equipment and a dry bag for your belongings. Basic technique is taught at the start. And the support motorboat accompanies the group throughout the entire route — not a small detail: it is what sets this outing apart from any other kayak route on the island.

The route runs through the North Marine Reserve, along walls of limestone and karst rock. It enters the Cueva del Inglés — one of the few large caves accessible only from the sea — and also passes through the Cova de ses Imatges. Mid-route, a snorkelling stop over posidonia seagrass meadows, the protected marine ecosystem of this stretch of coast.

At the end, back to Fornells. The feeling is of having seen Menorca’s wild side, the one almost nobody crosses. Three hours that change the way you look at the island.