Getting from Ibiza to Formentera by boat takes around 30 minutes on the fast ferry from Ibiza Town to La Savina, a crossing of about 11 nautical miles (20 km). Four operators share the route: Baleària, Trasmapi, Aquabus and Formentera Lines, with departures from early morning until late evening in summer.
Below you’ll find crossing times, where each boat leaves from, what changes if you want to take a car, and when a private yacht makes more sense than the ferry. If you’re still deciding where to stay or board, our guide to the main ports in Ibiza explains what each harbour offers.
How long is the boat ride from Ibiza to Formentera?
The boat ride from Ibiza to Formentera lasts about 30 minutes on the fast ferries that link the Port of Ibiza with La Savina. Seasonal services from Playa d’en Bossa take around 55 minutes because the route is longer and the boats are slower.
On a private boat, crossing time depends on cruising speed rather than on any timetable. Over roughly 11 nautical miles, a motor yacht at 20 knots reaches Formentera in a little over half an hour, while a sailing yacht or slower cruiser at 10 knots needs around an hour. Most private trips spend longer choosing an anchorage than making the crossing.
Taking the ferry from Ibiza Town
Most ferries to Formentera leave from the Port of Ibiza in Ibiza Town and arrive at La Savina, the port where every ferry from Ibiza docks. Baleària’s Ibiza to Formentera route shares the crossing with Trasmapi, Aquabus and Formentera Lines, and Direct Ferries lists around 274 sailings a week between them.
Ibiza Town has more than one ferry terminal. Baleària’s boats to Formentera use the Port of Ibiza terminal in town, while its longer routes to the mainland leave from Botafoc across the bay, so read the terminal name on your ticket before you set off. Timetables give you plenty of room for a day out: sample schedules show the first Trasmapi departure from Ibiza at 07:30 and a late boat at 22:00.
A few practical points make the crossing smoother:
- Foot passenger fares are listed from around £21 with Baleària on booking platforms, and prices climb on peak summer dates
- Buy the return at the same time as the outward ticket, especially in July and August
- Pets are accepted on Baleària, Trasmapi and Aquabus crossings
- Seasonal boats also run from Playa d’en Bossa and Santa Eulària, which can save a transfer into Ibiza Town if you’re staying nearby
Can you take a car to Formentera?
You can take a car to Formentera, but in summer you need a permit and a rental picked up in Ibiza is not an option. From 1 June to 30 September, visitors bringing a vehicle must apply for a permit on the Formentera Eco website, which in 2025 cost €6 per day for cars (minimum €30) and €3 per day for motorbikes (minimum €15). Rental cars collected on Ibiza or elsewhere are not allowed in at all, and in peak weeks the daily quota can sell out.
For most visitors a car isn’t necessary. Formentera measures only 19 km from end to end, and bikes and scooters can be hired at La Savina as soon as you step off the boat.
By private boat or yacht charter
A private boat changes the shape of the day more than the length of the crossing. Instead of landing at La Savina and organising transport, you can head straight for the turquoise shallows off Ses Illetes or the island of s’Espalmador, swim from the boat, and move to another anchorage when the beach gets busy. For a group sharing one yacht, it also removes the ferry queues on both legs.
Formentera is a natural extension of a longer Balearic itinerary. Week-long charters from Palma can combine Mallorca with Ibiza and Formentera, so guests who start their holiday in Mallorca often plan the crossing from Mallorca to Ibiza first and then use Ibiza as the base for Formentera.
Anchoring rules around Formentera
Anchoring around Formentera is tightly regulated to protect Posidonia oceanica, the seagrass that keeps the water so clear. A Balearic decree approved in July 2018 prohibits boats from anchoring on Posidonia meadows, which cover around 650 square kilometres across the Balearic Islands. The largest Posidonia meadow in Spain and the Mediterranean lies within the Ses Salines d’Eivissa i Formentera protected area, which is why patrol boats check anchorages here throughout the summer.
In practice, that means dropping anchor only on sand or using authorised mooring buoys where they exist. A professional skipper handles this as part of the day, which is one of the less obvious reasons many visitors choose a crewed charter over a self-drive boat.
Ferry or private boat: which suits your day?
| Option | Crossing time | Where you arrive | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast ferry from Ibiza Town | About 30 minutes | La Savina port | Budget day trips and flexible timetables |
| Seasonal ferry from Playa d’en Bossa | About 55 minutes | La Savina port | Visitors staying in Playa d’en Bossa |
| Private motor yacht | A little over 30 minutes at 20 knots | Anchorages such as Ses Illetes or s’Espalmador | Groups, families, a full day at sea |
| Sailing yacht | Around an hour at 10 knots | Sandy anchorages around the island | A slower day with time under sail |
Is a day trip to Formentera worth it?
A day trip to Formentera is worth it for most visitors to Ibiza, because the crossing is short and boats run from morning until late evening in summer. With departures from 07:30 and return sailings as late as 22:00, you can spend a full day on the island and still be back in Ibiza for dinner.
Plan around the beaches rather than the port. Ses Illetes sits just north of La Savina on the narrow strip of land that runs towards s’Espalmador, so it is the easiest beach to reach by ferry and the busiest by early afternoon. Arriving on the first boats, or by private yacht, gives you the water before the crowds.
If you’re wondering whether you could swim across instead, the answer is no in any practical sense. Ibiza and Formentera are around 20 km apart by sea, with busy ferry traffic in between.
Explore Formentera with Naizur
If you’d rather spend the day choosing anchorages than following a ferry timetable, a crewed yacht is the most relaxed way to see Formentera. Naizur’s team can suggest the right boat and route for your group, with a professional skipper who knows where to anchor and when to move on.
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