Snorkelling and diving from a charter boat in the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands: snorkel and dive sites by boat, park fees, anchoring rules, sea temperature by month (NOAA) and wetsuit advice. Sourced.
Sea temperature
14.3–26.2 °C
February to August, NOAA 1991–2020
Source: NOAA PSL (NOAA/NCEI OISST v2.1), checked
Warm water (≥24 °C)
July to September
Our threshold on NOAA means
Park fee
€9.30
Cabrera buoy, white (boats up to 12 m), per day
Source: Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB), checked
Checked
28 Oct 2026
4 official, 0 secondary
Yes, as long as you anchor on sand or a buoy: the Balearic Posidonia decree bans anchoring on Posidonia seagrass, and Cabrera National Park needs an online authorisation to navigate, moor or dive, with buoys from €18.60 a day in summer for boats up to 12 m. The sea averages 14.3 °C in February and 26.2 °C in August (NOAA, 1991–2020 mean at our reference point); by our rule of thumb July to September are the months at 24 °C or more, when a rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty is enough, while February calls for a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving.
Checked 28 Oct 2026 against 4 official and 0 secondary sources; sea temperature from NOAA (sources). Anything we could not confirm is labelled (how to read the labels). Park rules change: check before you go.
Snorkel and dive sites you can reach by charter boat in the Balearic Islands
| Site | Type | Where | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park | national park | South of Mallorca | Navigating, mooring and diving need an authorisation, applied for online. A navigation permit is valid 12 months; at most 50 boats a day may use the park's mooring buoys. (Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB)) For scuba diving you must present the diving certificate of every diver; the authorised dive zones can change from year to year. (MITECO (Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition), National Parks network) |
| Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows | protected areas | All Balearic waters | Decree 25/2018, art. 7.1: anchoring boats on Posidonia oceanica is prohibited as a general rule. (Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB)) |
These are the sites we could document from official or labelled sources, not a full list. Fishing is a separate question: fishing rules in the Balearic Islands.
Sea temperature in the Balearic Islands by month
The sea is warmest in August (26.2 °C) and coolest in February (14.3 °C). ● marks our warm-water months (24 °C or more): July to September.
| Month | Sea surface (NOAA) | Air (NASA POWER) | Our wetsuit rule of thumb | Catamaran, avg per week (12 Knots, Mallorca) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.8 °C | 13.8 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €4,170 |
| February | 14.3 °C | 13.8 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €4,232 |
| March | 14.5 °C | 14.6 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €4,264 |
| April | 15.8 °C | 16.1 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €4,559 |
| May | 18.2 °C | 19.2 °C | 5 mm full wetsuit | €6,312 |
| June | 21.5 °C | 23.4 °C | 3 mm full wetsuit | €8,337 |
| July | 24.7 °C ● | 26.5 °C | 3 mm shorty | €9,602 |
| August | 26.2 °C ● | 27.3 °C | rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty | €9,476 |
| September | 24.9 °C ● | 25.2 °C | 3 mm shorty | €8,090 |
| October | 22.2 °C | 22.1 °C | 3 mm full wetsuit | €5,432 |
| November | 19.0 °C | 18.0 °C | 5 mm full wetsuit | €5,231 |
| December | 16.3 °C | 15.3 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,105 |
Of the months at 24 °C or more, the cheapest on 12 Knots' average weekly catamaran price for Mallorca is September at €8,090 per week (12 Knots, checked 27 Oct 2026), with the sea at 24.9 °C (our comparison).
Sea surface: NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly mean for the 1/4° cell centred on 38.875° N, 1.625° E (Off Ibiza Town) (NOAA PSL (NOAA/NCEI OISST v2.1), checked 28 Oct 2026); the sites above may be warmer or cooler, and shallow bays warm up faster. Air: our 10-year NASA POWER mean at Ibiza Town (NASA POWER, checked 28 Oct 2026). Prices are asking prices that mix bareboat and crewed listings.
Mooring, anchoring and park rules for your boat
- Decree 25/2018: no anchoring on Posidonia (art. 7.1); over Posidonia, only low-impact systems such as individual buoys or buoy fields, or the sand patches inside a buoy field (art. 7.2); the chain and other gear must not touch nearby meadows (art. 7.3); until buoys are installed, anchor only on sand (transitional provision 2). (Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB))
- Cabrera: a buoy is booked from 18:00 on the first day to 17:00 on the last; if you book a bigger buoy than your boat needs you pay its rate. (Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB))
- Cabrera overnight limits differ between the two official pages: the regional procedure page says two nights in July and August and seven the rest of the year; the national parks page says one night in July and August, two in September and seven the rest of the year. (Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB); MITECO (Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition), National Parks network)
Can I scuba dive from the boat? Permits and dive centres
- Cabrera: scuba diving needs the park's authorisation and each diver's certificate; authorised zones are reviewed every year. (MITECO (Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition), National Parks network)
- [Not verified] Whether you must dive with a dive centre elsewhere in the Balearics: not verified.
Park and mooring fees
| Fee | Amount | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabrera buoy, white (boats up to 12 m), per day | €9.30 (1 Oct–30 Apr) · €18.60 (1 May–30 Sep) | official | Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB) |
| Cabrera buoy, yellow (over 12 to 15 m), per day | €20 (1 Oct–30 Apr) · €40 (1 May–30 Sep) | official | Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB) |
| Cabrera buoy, orange (over 15 to 20 m), per day | €35 (1 Oct–30 Apr) · €90 (1 May–30 Sep) | official | Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB) |
Underwater visibility
[Not verified] We found no official or survey source for underwater visibility, so we give no figure. Ask the local dive centre on the day.
What wetsuit do I need in the Balearic Islands?
From August's 26.2 °C our rule of thumb gives a rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty; in February (14.3 °C) a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving. The month-by-month column is in the table above.
Our rule of thumb for snorkelling, applied to the monthly mean: 28 °C or more: swimsuit or rash vest; 26–28 °C: rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty; 24–26 °C: 3 mm shorty; 21–24 °C: 3 mm full wetsuit; 18–21 °C: 5 mm full wetsuit; below 18 °C: 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving. Divers lose heat faster and meet cooler water at depth: go one band thicker. People feel cold differently; this is a guide, not a source's advice.
| Mean sea temperature | Our rule of thumb for snorkelling |
|---|---|
| 28 °C or more | swimsuit or rash vest |
| 26–28 °C | rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty |
| 24–26 °C | 3 mm shorty |
| 21–24 °C | 3 mm full wetsuit |
| 18–21 °C | 5 mm full wetsuit |
| Below 18 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving |
See boats in the Balearic Islands
See catamarans for rent in Mallorca on SamBoat
Check the park rules above and the boat's own kit (snorkel gear, dinghy, dive-ladder) with the operator before you book; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure).
What we could not verify
- Which Cabrera overnight limit applies in 2027 (the two official pages differ).
- Fines under the Posidonia decree.
- Snorkel and dive rules in the Es Freus / Ses Salines reserve between Ibiza and Formentera.
- Underwater visibility.
How to read the labels
- [Secondary source]: From a newspaper, NGO, guide or tour operator; not official.
- [Not verified]: We could not confirm it. We leave it open rather than guess.
- No label: Read in an official text: government, park authority, ministry or official tourism board.
Sea temperatures are NOAA's; the wetsuit column, the 24 °C warm-water mark and any sum or comparison are ours and say so. Park rules change and some are seasonal: check with the park, your charter base or a local dive centre before you go.
Sources
- Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB): Decreto 25/2018, de 27 de julio, sobre la conservación de la Posidonia oceanica en las Illes Balears (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB): Autorización para navegar, fondear o bucear en el Parque Nacional Marítimo-Terrestre del Archipiélago de Cabrera (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- MITECO (Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition), National Parks network: Archipiélago de Cabrera: usos compatibles (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- NOAA PSL (NOAA/NCEI OISST v2.1): NOAA High-resolution Blended Analysis: OISST v2.1 long-term mean monthly sea surface temperature, 1991–2020 (sst.mon.ltm.1991-2020.nc) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- NASA POWER: Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources: Monthly API (T2M, WS10M) (official), air temperature, pulled 28 Oct 2026.
- 12 Knots: Catamaran charter in Mallorca (secondary, prices), checked 27 Oct 2026.
Method: methodology. Data: JSON.
More on the Balearic Islands
- Snorkelling and diving by charter boat: every destination compared
- Balearic Islands yacht and catamaran charter: prices, season and licence
- Best time to charter in the Balearic Islands
- Fishing rules in the Balearic Islands
- Do I need a licence to rent a boat in the Balearic Islands?
- True cost of a week in the Balearic Islands: per person, all extras
Frequently asked questions
Can you snorkel and dive from a charter boat in the Balearic Islands?
Yes, as long as you anchor on sand or a buoy: the Balearic Posidonia decree bans anchoring on Posidonia seagrass, and Cabrera National Park needs an online authorisation to navigate, moor or dive, with buoys from €18.60 a day in summer for boats up to 12 m. The sea averages 14.3 °C in February and 26.2 °C in August (NOAA, 1991–2020 mean at our reference point); by our rule of thumb July to September are the months at 24 °C or more, when a rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty is enough, while February calls for a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving.
How warm is the sea in the Balearic Islands?
By NOAA's 1991–2020 averages at our reference point (Off Ibiza Town), the sea surface is warmest in August at 26.2 °C and coolest in February at 14.3 °C. Months at 24 °C or more: July to September.
Do I need a wetsuit to snorkel in the Balearic Islands?
By our rule of thumb (not a source's advice): a rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty in August and a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving in February; divers should go one band thicker.
Do I need a dive centre to scuba dive in the Balearic Islands?
Cabrera: scuba diving needs the park's authorisation and each diver's certificate; authorised zones are reviewed every year. Not verified: Whether you must dive with a dive centre elsewhere in the Balearics: not verified.
Are there park fees or mooring rules for boats in the Balearic Islands?
Decree 25/2018: no anchoring on Posidonia (art. 7.1); over Posidonia, only low-impact systems such as individual buoys or buoy fields, or the sand patches inside a buoy field (art. 7.2); the chain and other gear must not touch nearby meadows (art. 7.3); until buoys are installed, anchor only on sand (transitional provision 2). Cabrera: a buoy is booked from 18:00 on the first day to 17:00 on the last; if you book a bigger buoy than your boat needs you pay its rate. Fees: Cabrera buoy, white (boats up to 12 m), per day: €9.30 (1 Oct–30 Apr) · €18.60 (1 May–30 Sep). Cabrera buoy, yellow (over 12 to 15 m), per day: €20 (1 Oct–30 Apr) · €40 (1 May–30 Sep). Cabrera buoy, orange (over 15 to 20 m), per day: €35 (1 Oct–30 Apr) · €90 (1 May–30 Sep).