Being an island and surrounded by the glistening Mediterranean sea, exploring by boat is a must. Here’s how to hire a boat in Menorca without a license.
No License Boat Hire Menorca
Our informative guide below focuses on no licenses boat hire in Menorca. If you want to know everything on hiring a boat in Menorca, then head over to our in-depth Menorca boat hire guide.
One of the best and most unique ways to explore the island of Menorca is by boat. Now if you’re like any of us and not a millionaire, then exploring Menorca by boat isn’t out of your reach just yet.
Exploring Menorca by boat means you have the opportunity to speed around the island visiting some of the best beaches on Menorca, some of the smaller coastal towns such as Cala Blanca, or even visit the capital of the island, Mahon. The extra freedom of hiring a boat in Menorca is a joy to behold.
You would probably think you need a license to drive a boat. However, you can rent a boat in Menorca without a license quite easily, and it’s legal. You won’t be driving a 50ft boat by an stretch of the imagination. But, something small and speedy does the job.
The laws of boat hire in Menorca without a license are that the sailing boats can be up to 5 meters in length with maximum motor power of 15cv, with sailing during daylight hours only.
Most of these small boats will come with an awning or a small place for sun shade, cool box or a small fridge, GPS tracker and a ladder to enter and exit the sea.
You can hire larger boats and even charter yachts if you like. However our guide is primarily focused on how to hire a boat in Menorca without a license.
Boat Hire Menorca Essentials Tips
- Be cautious of the weather, particularly wind
- For smaller boats, you won’t need a license
- Prices can vary considerable in and out of the peak summer season
- Ensure you have packed essentials (Food, water, sun cream, towel etc)
Where To Hire A Boat In Menorca If You Don’t Have A License?
There are plenty of boat trips around the coast of Menorca and in particularly the two main cities of Menorca, Ciutadella and the capital, Mahon. Sailing is a popular past time on the island and with so much beautiful coastline to explore, including some of our best beaches on Menorca to explore.
Cala Galdana on the south coast has plenty of boat hire companies. Making for healthy competition in terms of pricing, but also availability, which is great during the peak summer season. Ciutadella is similar to Cala Galdana with regards to plenty of choice and availability.
Cala en Bosc, located in the southern westerly point of the island provide a few boat hire options. And not forgetting Binibeca in the south easterly tip of the island.
Some of the best adults only accommodation in Menorca aren’t located around the coastal resorts meaning either public transport or driving to your boat hire. If driving, most of the resort and towns you can hire boats from provide ample parking. However during the peak summer season, mainly July and August, parking may be limited.
We also strongly advise pre-booking boat hire in Menorca and ensure you have I.D. when you arrive. Turn up without a booking and you may be left disappointed in the peak season months.
Lastly, there may be smaller boat companies servicing some of the varied coastal resorts so do look for them for some boat hire deals in Menorca.
No License Boat Hire Companies In Menorca
There are various companies you can hire a boat in Menorca from. To ensure you head to the right companies we’ve listed some out below for you to enquire with.
Binibeca Boat Hire
Cala Galdana Boat Hire
- Sunboats Menorca
- MinorBoats
- Iguana Boats Cala Galdana
- Only if you have a boating license – Menorca Azul Charter
Ciutadella
- Macarella Boats Ciutadella
- Sun&Go! Rental Boats
- Menorca Boats
- Mestral Menorca Boats
- Monkey Boat Ciutadella
Son Bou
Mahon
North Menorca Boat hire
Alternatively there are comparison websites available such as Click & Boat. However, shop around as comparison websites don’t contain all the Menorcan boat hire companies. And not forgetting any independent traders who aren’t as prominent online.
How Much To Rent A Boat In Menorca without a license?
As mentioned above, prices can vary during low and high season in Menorca. Meaning July and August prices will tend to be higher, comparing to months of October and May.
A word of warning when renting a boat in Menorca is that hiring a boat isn’t cheap and expect to be paying into the hundreds of euros as well as a deposit for damages, late return etc.
Costs to charter a boat in Menorca
There are a few things to considering if you’re hiring a boat in Menorca, including:
- Firstly, the time of year
- The quality and overall size of the boat
- How long you want to hire the boat for, whether a few hours, half-day or a full-day
- The company and competition in the area (e.g. Cala Galdana and Ciutadella has more competition than Binibeca)
- Boat deposit
- Fuel
The cost of all the additional extras surrounding the boat hire can add up and you must take into consideration of all of the above costs.
That being said, prices can vary considerably. For a 4 hour boat no license boat hire in Menorca expect to pay in the region of €180 – €300, excluding a deposit and potentially fuel, which can be another €100 – €200. An all day boat hire can be upwards of €500.
Ensure when hiring you are aware of the costs. At first the price may seem tempting, but then including the deposit and potential fuel costs you may be paying more than you ended up for.
How Long Can You Rent The Boat For In Menorca
Of these smaller vessels you’ll have normally two options, half-day and full-day. Some boat hire companies may let you do by the hour, but they are few and far between.
A half-day boat hire is usually 4 hours, starting from around 09:00 – 09:30 until 13:00 – 13:30 for the morning slot. The afternoon slot is from around 14:00 – 14:30 until 18:00 – 18:30. However some boating companies may differ slightly, or only offer all day hire.
Timings can vary for all day, 8 hour slots. For example, we’ve seen full day departure times of 08:15 and returning at 17:15.
The most popular time frame is 4 hours, providing enough time to visit some of the beautiful coastline, inlets and best beaches on the island for a snorkel or just to relax.
Just be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to return the vessel. You don’t want to be late and risk your deposit.
Menorca Boat Hire Weather
Another word of warning when hiring a boat in Menorca is the weather. And we don’t just mean the beautiful sunshine. We typically mean the wind. The wind impacts the waters and can make the Mediterranean sea unsafe and quite dangerous. So if you receive a last minute cancellation from your provider, they are doing this for your safety.
If a cancellation takes place typically you will be offered another day or time as an alternative. If unavailable a refund will then be provided.
You can check the wind at Wind Finder. We find their map easy to read and intuitive.
No License Boat Hire Tips In Menorca
Before hiring you will be given a brief explanation of the boat, the controls, what to do and not do. Safety advice, including the engine as well as dropping the anchor and where and when to do so.
- Be respectful of where you can and cannot go. Typically on beaches there will be yellow and red buoys to guide you
- Be mindful of others in the sea. Including swimmers, snorkelers, kayakers and canoers, paddleboarders. Most notable around caves and inlets around Menorca
- Don’t litter and pollute the seas
- You cannot drive under the influence of alcohol
- Ensure you report back to the location on time, or risk being fined or losing your deposit
- Pack a range of items for your trip. Including towel, sun cream, food & drink, I.D., possibly change of clothing and swimwear
- Ensure your anchor is dropped in a suitable location and not damaging the environment. Stick to sand and avoid and rocks, Posidonia (Sea grass), or other areas which may negatively impact the environment
Alternative Options To Hiring A Boat
Hiring a boat can be costly, as well as other complications with the weather, the location of boat hire and so on. So you may want to consider if a boat trip excursion is for you.
Less stress, larger boats with greater amenities, increased comfort, the captain will guide you to some of the best spots on the island and you can also have a few alcoholic drinks if you like. There are plenty of benefits to choosing an excursion over hiring and driving the boat yourself.
It’s worth noting that unless you’re chartering the boat with a captain, you will be sharing with other passengers, space may be limited if the trip is sold out and there’s less freedom of where you can visit – as you’ll be sticking to a pre-planned route.
Get your guide have plenty of boat trip options to search here.
If you’re planning on hiring a boat in Menorca, but haven’t found your next holiday to there yet, you can search here.
