In the area of Cala Bassa, particularly in Caló d'en Rafal, you’ll find the largest sea cave on the island of Ibiza. It’s so huge that even large vessels longer than 40 metres can enter it. This cavity has a mouth about 15 metres high at the entrance and a ceiling about 10 metres high inside it.

Once inside it, if you look back, you’ll realise it has a hexagonal shape that was not quite noticeable at the entrance.

Nautical charts and old maps indicate that the name of this geological formation is Sa Cova (‘The Cave’), and its origin needs no further discussion.

Inside this cave, its walls are porous, just like its ceiling. On the days after it rains, fine, crystal-clear rivulets of water randomly trickle into the sea.

The perimeter walls that are more exposed to wave action have an intriguing bluish-purple edge. This beautiful edge that looks like a lovely wavy blue Roman frieze is produced by the oxidation of a substance secreted by sea snails, which slowly crystallises on the rock when the waters are calm. This substance, called Tyrian purple, was greatly prized in Roman times. It was used to dye the distinctive togas of the Empire’s upper classes and to make the dyes intended for the exclusive use of Roman senators and emperors.

This sought-after substance was so valuable in the Roman Empire that simply discovering an area or the remains of one that was teeming with these small molluscs was enough reason for invasion, with the consequent war by order of the Senate and the reigning Emperor. This was because since the time of Augustus at the beginning of the first century AD, Tyrian purple fetched a price higher than gold.

Smooth sailing!

A few hundred metres to the west coast, we’ll find a lovely yet peculiar sea cave that is easily accessible. The only downside is its height does not allow access with medium-sized boats although it is possible to do so by rowing in on small floating vessels or swimming in.

As its name says, it has a huge hole at the end, with a skylight that lights the cave up with the sun’s first rays all the way until noon. In any case, the hole is so large that plenty of light streams in and it remains well lighted until the late afternoon.

Its entrance has a mouth measuring about two metres high and seven metres wide. Its size is about 20 metres, and from the outside, the lighted walls and bottom are a clear sign that there’s an exit.

You can enter the cave by swimming in to admire its sheer beauty. It’s so easy and there’s absolutely no danger so even children are encouraged to enter this lovely geographical formation that’s millions of years old.

Its waters are about two and a half metres deep at the entrance, but as you move towards the lighted end, you can stand up and behold the majestic beauty of its rocky background. Great care must be taken so as not to disturb the population of sea urchins in the shallower bottoms before reaching the skylight.

Smooth sailing!