How to Get to Caves of Drach from Anywhere in Mallorca

The Caves of Drach are in Porto Cristo on Mallorca’s east coast — not in or near Palma, and not close to most of the island’s largest resorts. Getting there requires planning regardless of where you’re staying. This guide covers every transport option from every major base on the island, with honest advice on what actually works.

Where Exactly Are the Caves?

Address: Carretera Coves, s/n, 07680 Porto Cristo, Mallorca GPS coordinates: 39.5484°N, 3.3333°E

Porto Cristo is a small fishing village and resort town on the east coast of Mallorca, approximately midway between the island’s northern and southern tips. It is not serviced by the Mallorca train network and is not easily walkable from any major resort.

Option 1: Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup (Recommended)

The vast majority of visitors to the Caves of Drach arrive by guided coach tour with hotel pickup — and for good reason. The pickup takes care of all logistics: transport from your accommodation, cave entry, timed entry management, the concert and boat ride, and return transport. You don’t need to navigate, park, or coordinate time slots.

Journey times from major areas (approximate):

Tours depart from pickup points throughout each resort area — most operators pick up from a central point in each town (typically outside a large hotel or at the resort’s main bus stop area) rather than door-to-door. The pickup point for your specific accommodation will be confirmed at booking.

See available guided tours with hotel pickup →

Option 2: Self-Drive

If you’ve rented a car, the Caves of Drach are a very straightforward self-drive from anywhere on Mallorca.

From Palma: Take the Ma-15 motorway east toward Manacor, then continue on the Ma-4014 to Porto Cristo. Journey is approximately 65 km and takes 55–65 minutes in normal traffic. In July–August, add 10–15 minutes for summer resort traffic around Manacor.

From Alcúdia (north): Take the Ma-13 south toward Inca, then the Ma-15 east toward Manacor, then the Ma-4014 to Porto Cristo. Approximately 80 km, 80–90 minutes.

From Cala Millor (east coast): The caves are only 20 km south of Cala Millor — a 20–25 minute drive via the Ma-4023 and Ma-4014. This makes the east coast resorts by far the closest base for independent visitors.

Parking: There is a dedicated car park directly at the cave entrance (signposted from the Porto Cristo approach roads). In peak season (July–August), the car park fills from mid-morning — arrive by 09:30 for a first-session entry or accept that you may queue for a space. Outside peak season, parking is rarely a problem.

Navigation: All major GPS and mapping apps (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze) navigate directly to “Coves del Drac” or “Caves of Drach” — the cave entrance appears as a named destination. Do not follow signs for Porto Cristo centre and then navigate from there; signs for the caves diverge from the town centre approach.

Option 3: Public Bus

Mallorca’s TIB (Transport de les Illes Balears) bus network serves Porto Cristo, making the caves theoretically accessible by public transport — though this requires planning and is only practical from certain bases.

From Palma: The 412 bus runs from Palma’s Estació Intermodal (the main bus and train hub) to Porto Cristo. Journey time is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on stops. Frequency varies by season — check the TIB website for current timetables.

From Manacor: The 481 bus runs from Manacor to Porto Cristo in approximately 25 minutes. Manacor is the nearest major town to the caves and is served by train from Palma (approximately 55 minutes on the Manacor line), making a combined train + bus journey possible.

From Cala Millor: Bus 442 connects Cala Millor and Sa Coma with Porto Cristo. Journey approximately 30–40 minutes.

Important limitations of public bus:

• Bus frequency drops significantly outside peak season
• Porto Cristo village is approximately 800m from the cave entrance — you’ll walk 10–15 minutes between the bus stop and the caves
• Return timing must coordinate with both the cave session schedule and the bus timetable — missing the last bus is a real risk
• Total travel time (Palma to caves and back) by public transport is typically 4–5 hours vs. 2–2.5 hours by guided tour or car

Public bus is a viable option for independent travellers on a tight budget or those who enjoy the journey — but for most visitors, a guided tour or rental car is significantly more practical.

Option 4: Taxi or Private Transfer

Taxis are widely available from Palma airport, Palma city centre, and all major resort areas. A private taxi from Palma to the Caves of Drach costs approximately €80–100 one way. From Cala Millor or the east coast resorts, fares are considerably lower (€25–40).

Private transfer services — bookable in advance — offer fixed-price round trips that include waiting time at the caves. These are worth considering if you’re travelling in a group of 3–4 people where the per-head cost becomes competitive with guided tours.

Note that taxis in Porto Cristo itself are limited; if you’re planning to take a taxi back from the caves, arrange this before your visit rather than hoping to find one at the exit.

Closest Resorts to the Caves

If the Caves of Drach are a priority for your Mallorca visit and you have flexibility on accommodation, these resorts are closest:

• Porto Cristo itself — walking distance to the caves; a quieter resort town popular with families
• Cala Millor / Sa Coma — 20 km north, 20–25 minutes; Mallorca’s most popular large east coast resort
• Cala d’Or — 35 km south, 30–40 minutes; upmarket marina resort
• Porto Colom — 30 km south, 30 minutes; quieter Mallorcan fishing village

Ready to Book?

The easiest way to visit the Caves of Drach from any Mallorca base. Hotel pickup included, cave entry and concert included — no navigation required. See the featured Caves of Drach tour →