The legacy of hippy heaven
Fifty years after tourists first arrived, Formentera is still a haven of tranquillity, finds Neil Geraghty
There are certain trees that simply cry out to be hugged. I’m on a sunset hike on Formentera, the most southerly of the Balearic Islands, and our softly spoken guide Daniel has stopped in front of an ancient pine tree. Formentera’s thin soil forces tree roots to spread out horizontally underground and for counterbalance this is mirrored by their branches which form low spreading canopies used by livestock as natural sun parasols. Daniel leads us under the canopy and with a wistful look in his eyes tells us that the tree is more than 500 years old but is slowly dying.
“It needs to be hugged,” he says and thinking of all the incredible history the old pine tree has lived through, I can’t resist putting my arms around its gnarled trunk.
Formentera is the Mediterranean’s original “slow travel” island. The first wave of international tourists were hippies who in the late 1960s brought a relaxed lifestyle and a penchant for nudism that to this day is a hallmark of the island. The likes of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell found inspiration in the deserted landscapes and despite the growth of mass tourism, Formentera’s strict building regulations and forward thinking environmental initiatives have left the island blissfully undeveloped. For a quiet barefoot escape, few islands in the Mediterranean can beat it.
At first sight, Formentera looks unprepossessing. Much of the interior comprises a dusty plateau dotted with stunted juniper trees. The coastline, however, is where the full beauty of the island lies. I arrive in the early evening and after checking in at my hotel on Migjorn Beach take a stroll along a coastal wooden boardwalk to Gecko’s Beach Club for an early dinner. The boardwalk winds through sand dunes where clumps of exotic succulents ablaze with flowers fringe a beach of dazzling white sand. The colour of the sea is an extraordinary pale opalescent green and the secret behind Formentera’s legendary translucent water lies offshore where 7,000 hectares of Posidonia sea grass meadows filter the water and provide an important habitat for more than 1,000 marine species including sea horses.
Gecko’s Beach Club is typical of a new wave of stylish boutique hotels and restaurants whose low rise, minimalist architecture blends seamlessly into Formentera’s gently undulating landscape. It comes as no surprise that the island is renowned for its fresh seafood and at Gecko’s it
is prepared with subtle Asian spices that allow the delicate flavours to shine through. For a starter I order mussels in a coconut broth with a hint of Thai red curry and coriander that beautifully complements the saltiness of the mussels. My main is a triangular steak of red tuna seared to perfection on the outside with a blushing ribbon of rareness running evenly through its centre.
At only 12 miles long by four miles wide, Formentera is an easy island to explore and the following morning I head to the north where, beyond some ancient salt pans, a spindly promontory protrudes towards Ibiza.
At the crest of the hill I stumble across a view straight out of the Caribbean. The peninsula is fringed by three idyllic beaches lapped by jade green water that slowly dissolves into a deep cobalt blue where a dozen or so yachts bob gently in the breeze.
Whereas Formentera resembles the Caribbean, its tiny neighbour S’espalmador has beaches of almost Polynesian perfection. At La Savina port I board a traditional Formentera fishing boat, a llaut, for a relaxing hour-long pootle through the shallow waters that separate the two islands.
Clockwise from main: Calo des Mort beach on Formentera; the coastal wooden walkway; view over the island
With flat bottoms, these sturdy wooden boats can easily get close to the beach and at S’espalmador I wade ashore to a long powdery white beach that imperceptively disappears into a lagoon of translucent aquamarine.
It’s approaching sunset and Daniel invites us to contemplate the magnificent view over to Ibiza. It’s hard to imagine that just a few miles away thousands of party animals are gearing up for a big night out. The only noise disturbing the peace here is a flock of seagulls circling a remote lighthouse on the southernmost tip of this forgotten island. ■
Formentera is the Mediterranean’s original ‘slow travel’ island
Jet 2 (www.jet2.com) operate seasonal flights from from Edinburgh to Ibiza until October, with prices starting at £32 one way. Trasmapi ferries (www.trasmapi. com) operate regular ferries between Ibiza Town and La Savina with prices starting from €19.77. For more information on walking tours with Daniel visit www.walkingformentera.es and for llaut cruises visit www. sabarcadeformentera.com For more information on Formentera visit www.formentera.es and for the Balearic Islands visit www.illesbalears.travel