The salt pans at the northern end of Formentera are part of the Ses Salines Natural Park, a protected area that extends across the water to include the southern tip of Ibiza and the channel between the two islands. Salt has been harvested here since Roman times, and the shallow, mineral-rich water of the pans draws birds that you will not easily see elsewhere in the Balearics. Flamingos are the headliners — small flocks are present through much of the year, feeding in the shallows in their characteristically awkward way. Herons, egrets, and wading birds are reliable; osprey appears in migration season.
The salt flats sit immediately behind the dunes that back the Ses Illetes beach, which means you can combine a morning's birdwatching with an afternoon on one of Europe's finest beaches without moving the bicycle. A track runs along the edge of the pans and is accessible on foot or by bike. The colours of the water shift with the season and the light — in summer the evaporation turns parts of the pans pink. It is the kind of detail that makes Formentera feel like more than just a beach destination, even if the beaches are the reason most people come.