Benirràs is a small bay on the north coast, in the municipality of San Juan, with clear water, a shore of coarse sand and stones, and a tall rock called Cap Bernat standing in the mouth of it. It is one of the few beaches on Ibiza that people visit for the evening rather than the day.
The reason is the drumming. Through the summer, drummers gather on the sand in the late afternoon and play until the sun goes down behind the rock, and the beach fills for it, most of all on a Sunday.
The water and the sand
The shore is coarse sand and smooth stones rather than the fine white sand of the south, and the bottom shelves quickly, which makes it a swimmer's beach more than a paddling one. The water is very clear and deep enough for snorkelling along both rocky sides of the bay.
It faces north-west, sheltered by high wooded slopes on either side. That shelter keeps it calm in most conditions, though a northerly wind puts swell straight into it.
The drumming, and which evening
Sunday is the big one and the beach is crowded for it. The drummers start roughly two hours before sunset and build to the moment the sun drops, after which things quieten and the evening turns into people sitting on the stones.
It happens on other evenings through the summer too, at a smaller scale, which is the better version if you would rather sit down. The market along the back of the beach runs every day except Wednesday and Thursday in season, and we cover that in our guide to the Benirràs market.
Getting there and parking
The road in drops down a wooded valley from near San Miguel and is narrow and winding, which takes longer than the map suggests. Parking is in terraced areas up the hill behind the beach, and on a Sunday afternoon in summer it fills well before the drumming starts, with the overflow parking a good walk back up the road.
Coming early and staying is easier than arriving at six.
Quick answers
Why is Benirras famous? The drumming at sunset, and the Cap Bernat rock standing in the bay.
What day are the drummers there? Every evening in summer, and Sunday is the busiest by a distance.
Is it sandy? Coarse sand and stones rather than fine sand.
Is it good for children? The water shelves quickly and the shore is stony, so it suits confident swimmers more than small children.
Is there a restaurant?Elements sits at the back of the beach.
Is there parking? Yes, up the hill, and it fills on a Sunday.
Can you snorkel? Yes, along the rocks on either side.
Worth knowing
Benirràs is the better part of an hour from the south of the island, so it works as a half day rather than a stop between other things. Pairing it with the Sunday market at San Juan, ten minutes inland, is the version that earns the drive.
For how it compares with the rest of the coast, there is our guide to the best beaches in Ibiza.