Port of Maó on Menorca: Getting There, Port Info and Destinations

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Maó lies on the east coast of Menorca, on one of the largest and deepest natural harbours in the Mediterranean. Here you can read how to get to the port of Maó for the start of your trip, where the yachts moor, where to park and shop, what sailing weather to expect, which sailing destinations lie near Maó and what skippers should know before entering the harbour.

Where do yachts moor in the port of Maó?

In the port of Maó, visiting yachts moor mainly in two places: at Marina Menorca in Sa Colàrsega, right at the western end of the bay, and at Club Marítimo de Mahón on Moll de Llevant, the quay on the south shore, about one and a half kilometres further east towards the harbour entrance. The town of Maó lies on the south shore.

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The entire harbour belongs to the Balearic state port authority (Autoritat Portuària de Balears). It awards the operation of most of the pontoon facilities to operators section by section. In addition, there are further pontoon facilities run by other operators at Moll de Ponent and Moll de Llevant, including berths for large yachts. As things stand (November 2026), the port authority has just re-awarded the operation of Moll de Ponent.

Feature	Marina Menorca	Club Marítimo de Mahón
Location	Sa Colàrsega, western end of the bay	Moll de Llevant, south shore
Berths	more than 200 berths for boats from 5 to 15 m on seven pontoons	165 berths for boats from 8 to 15 m on four floating pontoons
VHF channel	9	9
Fuel station	–	Diesel and petrol (Super 95), the only fuel station in the harbour
Showers	yes	yes
Parking	60 free berths for visitors	Car park about 100 m away
Technology	Partner shipyard with travel lifts up to 150 t	Chandler for boat accessories

Arriving in Maó for the start of your trip

The airport is close to the town, so the journey is short. For the last stretch, what matters is which end of the bay your berth is at.

From Menorca Airport to the port of Maó

Menorca Airport lies south-west of Maó, about five kilometres as the crow flies from Marina Menorca and just under six kilometres from Club Marítimo. Taxis, buses and hire cars are available at the airport. The easiest way is to take a taxi or hire car straight to your berth. Give the full name as your destination, that is “Marina Menorca, Sa Colàrsega” or “Club Marítimo, Moll de Llevant”. Simply saying “harbour” or “Port de Maó” is not enough, as the bay is too long for that.

By bus, line 10 runs from the airport to Maó bus station, as things stand (November 2026) every 30 minutes during the day. The last bus from the airport leaves at 00:15 from June to September, and at 22:15 otherwise. A single journey costs €2.80.

By car or ferry

You can only reach Menorca with your own car by ferry. Maó is one of the major ferry ports of the Balearic Islands, with ferries running daily between the islands. As things stand (November 2026), ferries run all year round from Barcelona to Maó, up to twice a day in high season. The crossing with Trasmed or Grandi Navi Veloci takes seven to nine hours. From Valencia there is one sailing a week to Maó all year round (up to 16 hours), and from Palma de Mallorca one a week on Sundays (about six hours).

From Mallorca, the shortest crossing is from Alcúdia to Ciutadella on the west coast of Menorca: as things stand (November 2026), up to eight ferries a day run there all year round, and the crossing takes between one and two and a half hours.

Which berth is mine?

With its seven pontoons, Marina Menorca lies at the very end of the bay in Sa Colàrsega, right next to its office. You reach the pontoons from land, and they are secured by security doors. The berths of the Club Marítimo are at the Moll de Llevant opposite the restaurants on the harbour, between the clubhouse and the Cuesta Corea. Here too, you walk from the shore onto the pontoon.

Parking

Marina Menorca has 60 free parking spaces for its guests, and one car park is around 200 metres from its pontoons. From the Club Marítimo it is around 100 metres to the nearest car park.

Showers and sanitary facilities

Both facilities have showers, and at Marina Menorca they are free for guests. As things stand (November 2026), the Club Marítimo is building new changing rooms with showers, also for visiting boats.

Shopping for the trip

From the Club Marítimo it is around 450 metres to the Binipreu supermarket, and an Eroski supermarket is around one kilometre away. You can reach a larger Mercadona by car; it is around 2.1 kilometres from Marina Menorca.

You can get boat supplies from the chandlery at the Club Marítimo, and ice for the cool box is also available at the club.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

The Hospital Mateu Orfila is in the west of Maó, about 1.6 kilometres as the crow flies from Marina Menorca and just over two kilometres from the Club Marítimo. A pharmacy is around 550 metres from Marina Menorca.

• 112: general emergency number for ambulance, police and fire brigade
• 900 202 202: free number of the Spanish sea rescue service Salvamento Marítimo, if you are reporting an emergency at sea from land
• At sea: VHF channel 16, with DSC on channel 70

Where is Marina Menorca?

Marina Menorca is in Sa Colàrsega, the westernmost tip of the harbour of Maó. From here it is a good three nautical miles through the bay to the harbour exit.

Across seven pontoons, the marina has more than 200 berths for boats from 5 to 15 metres. It is around ten minutes to the old town of Maó. A complete rebuild with floating pontoons is planned, where boats will then lie at finger pontoons instead of on mooring lines.

Facilities at Marina Menorca

The berths have water and electricity, plus free Wi-Fi, showers and toilets, 60 free parking spaces and a waste collection point. For work on your boat, it cooperates with a boatyard that services boats up to 40 metres and lifts them out of the water with travel lifts of 30 to 150 tonnes.

Where is the Club Marítimo de Mahón?

The Club Marítimo de Mahón is at the Moll de Llevant, the long quay on the south shore between the town and the harbour exit, on a stretch between Punta des Rellotge and es Gatassus.

Here the club operates a watersports facility with 165 berths for boats from 8 to 15 metres on four floating pontoons. Some of the berths are open to visiting boats, while the rest are permanently allocated. The facility is used mainly for watersports and training, and one quay is reserved for light training boats.

Facilities at the Club Marítimo

The pontoons have water and electricity. As things stand (November 2026), the club's fuel station is the only one in the harbour of Maó. It is at the start of the Moll de Llevant opposite the Cuesta Corea and sells Super 95 and diesel. There are also showers, Wi-Fi, ice, a chandlery for boat supplies, the bar with terrace in the clubhouse and a defibrillator.

The fuel station is open all year round (as of November 2026): daily from 8 am to 9 pm in July and August, and until 8 pm in June and September. From October to April it is mainly open in the mornings and closed on Sundays.

What sailing weather can you expect in the harbour of Maó?

The wind off Maó most often blows from the northeast. When it comes from the north or northeast, a strong current sets southwest off the harbour entrance, while in strong southwesterly winds it runs the other way. In the harbour itself you are well sheltered.

There are no real tides; the water level only varies with the weather. The Spanish weather service AEMET issues warnings for coastal waters from force 7 (yellow), from force 8 (orange) and from force 10 (red). From May to September a lower threshold applies in the Balearic Islands: yellow is then issued from 40 kilometres per hour, i.e. from force 6, or from waves of two metres, otherwise only from three metres. AEMET also warns of rissagues in the Balearic Islands, short, strong fluctuations in sea level.

Which sailing destinations are there off Maó?

From Maó you either sail north up the east coast or south around the island. From Marina Menorca you need a good three nautical miles to reach the harbour exit, and a little less from the Club Marítimo.

• Addaia: around 18 nm to the north, along the east coast and around Cape Favàritx. The marina at Addaia takes boats up to 20 metres.
• Fornells: around 22 nm, continuing west past Addaia. The harbour on the north coast has berths for boats up to 20 metres, plus restaurants and shops. Marina Menorca operates a pontoon there with 52 berths for boats from 7 to 10 metres, with showers and VHF channel 9.
• Cala Macarella: around 26 nm west along the south coast. The bay is in the southwest of the island, around 12 nm before Ciutadella.
• Ciutadella: around 36 nm along the south coast and around Cape d’Artrutx. The harbour on the west coast takes boats up to 30 metres.
• Cala Ratjada on Mallorca: around 46 nm direct from Maó, but only around 24 nm from Ciutadella. The passage to Mallorca is therefore best routed via Ciutadella.
• Alcúdia on Mallorca: from Ciutadella it is around 34 nm westward, round Cap des Pinar and into the Bay of Alcúdia.

The figures are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning, rely on the chart. For trips continuing on to Mallorca, it is worth taking a look at the profile of the Marinas in Palma de Mallorca.

What can you do on a harbour day in Maó?

For a harbour day, the old town of Maó and two sights right on the bay are well worth a visit.

• Old town of Maó: Narrow, winding lanes with white houses, interspersed with buildings from the period of British rule. Typical are the "Boinders", glazed bay windows modelled on English ones. From Marina Menorca you can reach the historic centre in around ten minutes.
• Markets: The market in the Claustre del Carme is now a gourmet food market. You can buy fresh fish and seafood from the waters around the island at the Mercat des Peix fish market.
• Museu de Menorca and Teatre Principal: Maó is home to the island museum and the Teatre Principal, the oldest opera house in Spain.
• Illa del Rei: On the island in the middle of the harbour stands a former naval hospital dating from the 18th century. Today it houses a museum and an art space. You can only get there by boat.
• Fortalesa de la Mola: The fortress was built between 1848 and 1875 under Queen Isabella II. It stands on the La Mola peninsula on the north shore of the harbour entrance and is open to visitors.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Maó

You can reach both berths on VHF channel 9. A speed limit of 3 knots applies in both marinas, and anchoring is prohibited in the harbour basins and approaches.

Registration and Berthing

• Marina Menorca: Register on VHF channel 9 or 77; the radio is staffed around the clock. You wait until your berth is assigned to you and pay in advance on arrival for the agreed period. As things currently stand (November 2026), you moor to the pontoons using mooring lines.
• Club Marítimo de Mahón: You request a visitor berth via the form on the club's website, for non-members from 1 April. The reservation is confirmed once the full quoted price has been paid. Register on VHF channel 9 ("Club Marítimo"). On arrival, you present the boat's papers, proof of insurance and an ID card or passport at the marina office. You moor bow-to or stern-to the floating pontoon.

How much does a visitor berth at Club Marítimo cost?

At Club Marítimo, maximum prices approved by the port authority apply to visiting yachts (as of November 2026). Boats of 8 to 15 metres pay no more than €1.75 per square metre per day in July and August, and €0.50 for the rest of the year. The charge is calculated as length times beam, plus VAT, water and electricity. For a yacht 12 metres long and 4 metres wide, that comes to a maximum of €84 per day in high summer, excluding VAT.

Harbour rules: anchoring and seagrass

In the Balearic Islands, the regional government's Posidonia Decree generally prohibits anchoring on seagrass meadows (Posidonia). The only exceptions are buoys and emergencies. In every bay, therefore, drop the anchor only on sand or other seabed without seagrass, including at trip destinations such as Cala Macarella.

Approach

The entrance to the harbour of Maó lies in the southeast, between the La Mola peninsula to the north and Punta de San Carlos with its light to the south. The high La Mola peninsula is easy to recognise from the sea. In heavy seas, keep clear of its eastern tip, Punta del Espero. Off the entrance, buoys mark two shoals: the Banc de Fuera (green buoy) and the Laja de San Carlos (red buoy).

The channel is marked with two pairs of lit buoys and with lights on the shores and islands, so entering is straightforward by day and by night. Further in there are several islands in the harbour; it is best to pass Illa del Rei on its south side with your yacht. In strong north or northeast winds, expect a south-westerly current off the entrance.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Maó?

For Maó, the coastal forecast issued by the Spanish weather service AEMET for the coastal waters of the Balearic Islands applies. It is produced at the weather centre in Palma, extends up to 20 nm offshore and gives warnings, wind and sea state for 24 hours. You can read the current forecast on the AEMET's sea weather page for the Balearic Islands. Underway, the Salvamento Marítimo rescue centres transmit the coastal forecast over VHF; for offshore waters the reports are also available via NAVTEX.

Sailing trips from Maó on Törnfinder

You can find offers around Menorca, Mallorca and Ibiza under Sailing in the Balearics, trips throughout the country under Sailing in Spain. You can see all dates in the trip overview.

Frequently asked questions

How far is it from Menorca Airport to the harbour of Maó?

Only around five kilometres as the crow flies. The airport lies southwest of the town, and a taxi will take you quickly to Marina Menorca or Club Marítimo.

Where do I park at the start of my trip in Maó?

Marina Menorca has 60 free parking spaces for its guests, and there is a car park around 200 metres from its pontoons. At Club Marítimo, the nearest car park is around 100 metres away.

Are there showers for crews in the harbour of Maó?

Yes. Marina Menorca and Club Marítimo both have showers; at Marina Menorca they are free for guests.

Are Marina Menorca and Club Marítimo the same harbour?

No. Both are in the harbour of Maó, but about one and a half kilometres apart and run by different operators: Marina Menorca is at the far western end of the bay, while Club Marítimo is on the south shore towards the harbour entrance.

How far is it from Maó to Ciutadella by water?

About 36 nm along the south coast. Cala Macarella lies on the way, roughly 12 nm before Ciutadella.

Which VHF channel do I use to reach the marinas in Maó?

On channel 9 you can reach both Marina Menorca and Club Marítimo de Mahón. Commercial shipping and the pilots work on channel 14 in the harbour; the distress and calling channel is channel 16.

Can I anchor anywhere off Menorca?

No. In the Balearic Islands, anchoring on seagrass meadows (Posidonia) is generally prohibited. You may only anchor on sand or other seabed without seagrass; buoys and emergencies are the exceptions.