Caves of Drach from Cala Millor: Bus, Boat, Taxi & Tours

Cala Millor is close enough to the Caves of Drach that this is, genuinely, the easiest of the resort day trips on this site. Ten kilometres. A ten-to-fifteen-minute drive. A local bus to Porto Cristo. A taxi that will not dent your holiday budget.

There is also an option unique to this stretch of coast: arriving by boat. A scenic coastal cruise from Cala Millor or Cala Bona drops you at Porto Cristo harbour, a short walk from the caves — which is a completely different thing from the underground boat ride inside the caves themselves, and worth being clear about before you book anything.

The short version: Everything works from here. Drive, bus, taxi or boat — pick based on what kind of day you want, not out of necessity.

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Why This Origin Point Is Different

From Palma or Alcúdia, getting to the caves takes real planning. From Cala Millor, it does not. You are close enough that:

A same-day decision is realistic, as long as you book your timed ticket online before you set off
You can reach any session, including the quiet first slot of the morning
A taxi is genuinely affordable, not just an option for groups
A local bus runs to Porto Cristo — check the current TIB timetable for stops and dates

The one thing that does not change: book your timed ticket online, since popular times can sell out regardless of how close you live.

Driving from Cala Millor

Distance: about 10 kilometres. Time: 10–15 minutes, via Son Servera and the coast road down to Porto Cristo.

Mallorca has no toll roads, so this costs a few euros of fuel each way.

Parking: a large free car park right by the ticket office, with the cave entrance about 200 metres away.

Car hire locally: you do not need to hire at the airport. Cala Millor, Cala Bona and Sa Coma all have rental offices, several within walking distance of the beach. Hiring for just the day of your cave visit is often smarter than carrying a car for your whole stay.

The Bus

Several seasonal TIB lines run from this stretch of coast directly to the caves’ “Coves del Drac” stops. In 2026, line 425 from Cala Bona ran from 15 May to 16 October, and line 424 from Cala Rajada from 27 March to 31 October; check the current TIB timetable for your starting point.

Seasonal caveat: none of TIB’s 2026 timetables shows a winter bus to the caves. Outside the season, check tib.org or simply drive or take a taxi.

Paying

Interurban transport is free in 2026 for residents holding the local travel card. Visitors should tap a contactless bank card on boarding and alighting — cheaper than a cash single, with one card covering up to five passengers. Given how short this hop is, the fare is small, a fraction of the Palma or Alcúdia journey cost.

Arrive by Boat: The Local Speciality

This is the option that sets Cala Millor apart from every other origin point on the island.

Glass-bottom boats and small cruisers run scenic trips along the coast from Cala Millor and Cala Bona down to Porto Cristo, passing coves and sea caves along the way. Operators include established local companies running this route regularly through the season, with departures typically mid-morning and return sailings in the early-to-mid afternoon.

You disembark at Porto Cristo harbour, from where it is a 15-minute walk to the caves.

The clarification that matters

This boat trip is not how you get inside the caves, and it does not include cave admission. It is a surface cruise along the coastline. Once you are in Porto Cristo, you walk to the caves and buy a separate, timed cave ticket.

This gets confused constantly. The boat ride inside the Caves of Drach — the short crossing of Lake Martel after the concert — is a completely different thing, included in your cave admission, and happens entirely underground. The coastal cruise from Cala Millor gets you to Porto Cristo. It does not get you into the caves.

If a boat trip and a cave visit both appeal, plan the day as two separate bookings: the coastal cruise for the journey, a timed cave ticket for the visit.

Verify before booking: boat schedules are seasonal and weather-dependent, and quality varies between operators — some travellers report a harder sell at harbourside kiosks than with pre-booked reputable operators. Book a named operator in advance rather than deciding on the day.

Other Experiences You Might Enjoy

This corner of the island packs a lot into a short radius. Alongside the Caves of Drach, day trips from Cala Millor, Cala Bona and Sa Coma take in the Coves dels Hams at Porto Cristo, the pearl workshops and Rafa Nadal museum at Manacor, Capdepera castle, the Coves d’Artà at Canyamel, and glass-bottom boat trips along the east coast.

Organised Half-Day Tours

Coach excursions from Cala Millor, Sa Coma, S’Illot, Cala Bona and Son Servera are shorter than their Palma or Alcúdia equivalents, given the short distance.

Typical structure: round-trip coach transport, pre-booked skip-the-line cave entry, the Lake Martel concert and boat ride, and — almost universally — a stop at the Majorica pearl factory near Manacor. Some products extend to a full day and add the Coves dels Hams or more time in Porto Cristo.

These suit travellers who would rather not think about logistics at all, though given how easy the DIY options are from here, a tour buys you less convenience-per-euro than it does from further afield.

The east-coast half-day tour in the project data is the closest match for this origin point — a coach trip with pickup, cave entry, the Lake Martel concert and the boat crossing: Check availability & prices →

Taxis — Genuinely Worth Considering Here

At a 10–11 minute ride, a taxi from Cala Millor to Porto Cristo is a real option, not just a fallback for groups with no other choice.

Split between two or three people, it competes well against bus fares plus walking time, and gives you complete control over timing — including hitting the first session of the day.

Verify before booking: fare estimates vary by source. Confirm with the driver or a booking app before setting off.

Timing: Making the Most of the Short Distance

The caves run fixed timed sessions:

Summer (16 March – 31 October): 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00 — no 13:00
Winter (1 November – 15 March): 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30
Closed 25 December and 1 January

Because you are so close, you can make any session, including the first one — something visitors from Palma or Alcúdia often cannot manage. If you are going independently, take the first session of the day (10:00) or one of the last two (16:00 and 17:00), which the operator says are normally the quietest.

Book your timed ticket online in advance regardless of how close you are. Proximity does not help if the time you want has sold out — it just means you found out later than everyone else.

For ticket types, session rules and how far ahead to book, see the Drach Caves tickets guide.

Walking and Cycling

The full walk from Cala Millor is not realistic for most people, but cycling is a genuine option — a signed coastal route runs via Sa Coma, S’Illot and Cala Morlanda into Porto Cristo, connecting to a dedicated cycle lane for the final stretch. Bike hire is available in Cala Millor.

Once you are in Porto Cristo itself, the caves are a 15–20 minute walk from the town centre.

Making a Half-Day or Full Day of It

Given the short distance, most Cala Millor visitors treat this as a half-day outing rather than a full day away.

Good additions:

Porto Cristo — town, harbour, beach, a short walk from the caves
Coves dels Hams — the second cave system, easy to pair for a two-cave morning
Manacor (~15 min) — Majorica pearls, the Rafa Nadal Museum, the Monday market
Cala Romàntica or Cala Mendia — a swim to finish the day

A simple half-day plan

Morning — first cave session, then walk into Porto Cristo
Lunch — at the harbour
Afternoon — Coves dels Hams, or straight back to the beach at Cala Millor

A sea-based alternative

Morning — coastal boat from Cala Millor or Cala Bona to Porto Cristo
Midday — walk to the caves for a pre-booked afternoon session
Return — by boat or bus

If you are pairing the two caves, the Coves dels Hams vs Caves of Drach comparison explains what each one does differently, and the Hams entry ticket can be booked separately. For the town itself, see the Porto Cristo guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is the Caves of Drach from Cala Millor?

About 10 kilometres — a 10–15 minute drive, and one of the shortest resort-to-cave trips on the island.

Is there a direct bus from Cala Millor to the Caves of Drach?

Check first. Lines 424 (from Cala Rajada) and 425 (from Cala Bona) stop at the caves in season: in 2026, 424 ran from 27 March to 31 October and 425 from 15 May to 16 October. Check the current TIB timetable for your date.

Can I take a boat from Cala Millor to the Caves of Drach?

You can take a boat from Cala Millor to Porto Cristo harbour, then walk 15 minutes to the caves. The boat trip itself does not include cave admission — book that separately. Do not confuse this coastal cruise with the underground boat ride inside the caves, which is a different thing entirely and included in your cave ticket.

Is a taxi worth it from Cala Millor?

Yes — it is a short, inexpensive ride, and unlike from further afield, genuinely competitive for two or three people, especially if you want to hit the first session of the day.

Can I visit the caves without planning ahead from Cala Millor?

Largely, yes — being this close makes a same-day decision easy. Book online first, though: tickets are timed and non-refundable, and popular times can sell out.

What’s the best session to book from Cala Millor?

The first session of the day, or the last two in the afternoon, which the operator says are normally the quietest. Being able to reach them easily is exactly the advantage of staying nearby.

Is parking free at the Caves of Drach?

Yes — a large free car park, about 200 metres from the entrance. It can fill in peak summer.

Can I cycle from Cala Millor to the caves?

Yes. A signed coastal cycling route runs via Sa Coma, S’Illot and Cala Morlanda into Porto Cristo, with bike hire available in Cala Millor.

What else can I combine with the caves from Cala Millor?

Porto Cristo town and beach, the Coves dels Hams, Manacor’s pearl factory and Rafa Nadal Museum, and the coves at Cala Romàntica or Cala Mendia.

Caves of Drach from Cala Millor: Day Trip Guide, Tours and Transport