Ses Salines Natural Park
The protected salt flats between La Savina port and Ses Illetes beach form part of the Ses Salines Natural Park, a wetland reserve shared with southern Ibiza and one of the best birdwatching spots in the western Mediterranean. Greater flamingos wade here year-round, and the geometric pink-and-white salt pans make for extraordinary photography.
Wildlife and the salt flats
The Formentera salt flats have been harvested since Roman times and are still commercially active, which means the water levels are carefully managed — perfect for wading birds. Beyond flamingos, birdwatchers regularly spot Audouin's gulls, oystercatchers, black-winged stilts and migrating raptors during spring and autumn passage.
A flat, well-signed cycle path runs directly alongside the main salt pans from La Savina, making this an effortless 20-minute ride. Early morning light turns the water and salt crystals a rosy gold that makes even a phone camera produce extraordinary images.
The surrounding ecosystem
The park also protects the Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows offshore — the same UNESCO World Heritage ecosystem visible while snorkelling at Ses Illetes. These meadows are among the oldest living organisms on Earth, with some colonies estimated at over 100,000 years old, and they produce the characteristic seagrass balls (egagropili) that wash up on Formentera's beaches.
Anchoring is strictly prohibited over the seagrass beds, which is why Formentera's waters remain so extraordinarily clear. The park authority runs free guided birdwatching walks on weekend mornings in spring — check the Consell Insular de Formentera website for dates.
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