Paradise comes in the shape of an island. When we think about escaping from the big city, from the routine, and we want to look for a haven of peace in the middle of nature, what comes to our mind first, is a small portion of land, surrounded by water. Today we travel to a small island that is located east of Menorca. Do you want to get to know Colom Island on your next visit? You will not regret it!
Colom is the largest island of all those around Menorca, with almost 59 hectares, and officially belonging to the municipality of Mahón, also forming part of the spectacular Natural Park of S’Albufera des Grau. In the 18th century it was used as a lazaretto at that time when Spain received the slaves freed by Algeria.
Its southwest point is known as Punta Des Macs and the southeast is known as Bóu I Sa Vaca. To the north we have the Cap des Mestral and on its eastern slope, how could it be otherwise, we find the Cap de Llevant.
This unique Menorcan island has two beaches, both without any service since they are completely virgin sandbanks. The beach of Arenal d’en Moro is perhaps the most frequented one, and is recognizable by the rocky promontory that rises in front of it, serving as a protective shield. Further south, we will see the beach of Tamarells (Tamarindos), which has a boathouse for recreational boats at its northernmost tip. Visiting any of these two beaches out of season with your partner will be the closest you’ve been to paradise.
Colom retains a population of lizards – the Podarcis Lilfordi Baleárica – which also inhabits in almost all the islets surrounding Menorca, and has numerous seabirds such as hawks, cormorants, shearwaters and kites that plan at ease at any time of year.
Barely 200 meters separate the island from “mainland”, so to visit and make tourism in Colom Island there are several options: have a boat that allows you to get close to the coast or otherwise hire one of the trips that depart towards there from the village of Es Grau. For the more athletes we leave the option of doing an entertaining excursion in kayak (suitable for all public and highly recommended) with any of the local specialized companies. Menorca Nautical Station, Menorca en Kayak or Xmigrations are three good references if you do not have your own kayak to get to Colom.
Once there, you will realize that, if we talk about buildings, on the island there is only one house of about 100 square meters of the eighteenth century, an annex store of about 30 and a wooden cabin. There are also two freshwater wells, one of which became a Ferris wheel at the time when the island was the subject of agricultural and livestock exploitation. As a curiosity, point out that if you want to make tourism in Colom Island you must know that it is owned by an American businessman of Cuban origin since last summer of 2018, when he paid for it just over 3 million euros after having achieved a “substantial” reduction of almost 40% with respect to its starting price.
But what really is most striking of Colom Island is the sea that surrounds it and, specifically, its seabed. Its almost crystalline blue waters harbor extensive meadows of posidonia (that terrestrial plant adapted to the marine environment, exclusive to the Mediterranean, of slow growth and of such importance for the biodiversity of the area and the Balearic Islands in general). There are points very close to Colom where the posidonia comes to form small reefs where you can enjoy endless textures, colors and non-existent organisms on the surface such as sponges, anemones or sea squirts. Its funds are ideal for snorkeling and diving due to the quality and warmth of its waters but, above all, the incredible transparency that it reaches in some areas. If this is the first time you hang a bottle on your back, keep in mind these recommendations when diving into the sea.
Now that this hidden corner of the Menorcan coast is presented, the only thing left to do, is to add a view of Colom Island yourself in order to feel like a true Robinson Crusoe of the 21st century.
