What to bring on a boat trip in Ibiza? Less than you think: swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, sunglasses, a light layer for the ride home and a dry bag for your phone. That covers almost everything. On a private day charter the boat does the heavy lifting — shade, snorkelling gear, music, a proper toilet below deck and, if you add a package, all the food and drinks too.
We watch guests step aboard our NAVAN S30 at Berth H17 in Marina Santa Eulalia most mornings of the season, and the same pattern repeats: the bags are too big, the cool box was never needed, and the one genuinely useful item — something windproof — is still hanging in a hotel wardrobe. So this is the packing list we would send every guest before departure. Written from the deck, not a desk.
What to bring on a boat trip in Ibiza: the checklist
- Swimwear — wear it under your clothes. The first swim stop comes sooner than you expect.
- A towel each — a light hammam-style towel dries fastest over the rail.
- Reef-safe sunscreen — you will reapply after every swim, and the seagrass meadows you'll be floating above deserve the gentle formula.
- Sunglasses and a cap — ideally with a retainer strap. The boat genuinely moves.
- A light layer — a windbreaker, cotton jumper or shirt for the cruise home.
- A dry bag — phone, wallet, keys. More on this below.
- Soft-soled shoes or bare feet — either works on deck; heels don't.
- Cash if you want it — the balance of your charter can be settled in cash on the day, and a few notes are handy at a beach bar.
- Seasickness tablets — only if you know you're sensitive, and taken before departure, not after.
- Your phone — for photos and your playlist. It is the only tech worth bringing.
If all of that fits in one soft bag per couple, you have packed exactly right. Hard suitcases and rigid coolers are awkward on any day boat; soft bags disappear into the cabin in seconds.
What you can leave at the hotel
This is the half of the list nobody sends you. Our NAVAN S30 already carries:
- Snorkelling gear — it's on board, so yours can stay in the suitcase.
- A Bluetooth sound system — bring a playlist, not a speaker.
- Shade — the black T-top plus shade sails rigged fore and aft mean nobody is stuck in full sun. Umbrellas stay home.
- A toilet and cabin below deck — a proper private toilet, and a small double cabin that doubles as changing room and bag store.
- A professional skipper — navigation, anchoring, weather calls and safety are his job, always included. You need no licence, no charts, no experience.
And the cool box? Skip the supermarket run entirely. Our drinks package (cava, beer, soft drinks and ice, €35 per person), the Mediterranean lunch board (€45 per person) or cocktails mixed on board (€65 per person) replace it — chilled, stocked and waiting when you arrive. All the details are on our prices page.
The five things guests forget most
Ask any of our skippers and you get the same list back:
- The layer for the ride home. After the final swim, the airflow over the bow at 18:00 feels far cooler than the same air did at noon. Every season we see goosebumps on guests who packed three outfits but nothing with sleeves.
- A dry bag. Phones live dangerously on a boat — balanced on the side deck, next to the swim platform. One small bag solves it.
- A hair tie. Twin Mercury V8s on the stern; your hair will notice the difference.
- Cash. The deposit is paid online, the rest on the day — and cash is perfectly fine.
- Enough sunscreen. One small tube between four people never survives a full day on the water.
Packing for Formentera versus a coastal day
The list barely changes with the route, but two details are worth knowing.
On a full day to Formentera you will probably go ashore — a barefoot walk on Ses Illetes, perhaps a long lunch at a beach restaurant (we can reserve your table in advance). Pack something you'd happily wear at a table, and let the dry bag carry phone and cash for the beach walk.
On an east-coast day out of Santa Eulalia — Cala Llonga, Es Canar, Tagomago about twenty minutes from the marina — you are rarely far from the boat, so you can travel even lighter. And the water toys are not luggage either: the inflatable SUP (€50) and the Seabob (€250, briefing included) are booked as extras and simply appear on board.
The morning you board
A full day runs eight hours, typically 10:00 to 18:00, and starts at Berth H17 in Marina Santa Eulalia. There is parking at the marina and it's a short stroll from Santa Eulalia town — minutes from Es Canar, Cala Llonga and Roca Llisa if you're staying nearby. Come a little early, hand your soft bag across, and the day begins the moment the mooring lines drop.
For how the day itself unfolds once you're aboard — routes, swim stops, timing — read our guide to the perfect boat day in Ibiza. Packing, as you now know, is the easy part.
