Spanish ‘heaven’ turned into a trash mountain by TikTok

The once-hidden fine-sand beaches in Spain have quickly gone from Insta-dreams to environmental disasters.

Once the “crème de la crème” of Mallorca’s hidden beaches, Calo des MoroSantanyi is now awash in garbage. It’s all due to the selfie-driven tourist wave.

A 40-metre strip of beach attracts 4,000 visitors a day

A strategy behind the scenes has backfired spectacularly. Last summer, tourism officials encouraged content creators to visit lesser-known places in Mallorca. They wanted to relieve the pressure on the island’s popular hotspots. The whole thing blew up right in front of their faces.

Calo des Moro was the ideal destination for “selfie-tourism,” with crowds far exceeding its capacity of 100 people. Calo des Moro was hailed as the best beach on Mallorca by the AI.

The authorities have now removed all images of the cove from their official website and asked that media outlets stop promoting this. Too late.

Local outlets in Mallorca claim that AI and influencers have turned this 40-metre stretch of road into a disaster. Up to 4,000 people visit the area every day. The area also had tons of trash.

One night can produce 30 bags of trash

After the Night of San Juan at the end of the month of June, the locals woke up to a surreal sight: the shoreline was covered in debris.

Santanyí’s municipal workers cleared 30 bags of rubbish in a single morning, according to Cronica Balear.

Naturally, the social media was flooded with anger from many of the 12,000. On Twitter, a local wrote: “Mallorca does not deserve this”. In the meantime, viral TikTok videos and memes have shown the whole situation.

The protest is not about tourism. It’s about protecting their nature.

This was not their first warning that their local heavenly beaches are rapidly becoming a dump.

In June 2024 around 300 locals staged a dramatic protest with banners that read “Ocupem vostres platges”. They asked tourists to take a step back, and allowed residents a few moments of peace.

It was a peaceful demonstration, but the message was loud enough: This isn’t a protest against tourists, and it never has been, but rather a call to preserve a fragile oasis.

There will be no Calo des Moro soon!

Mayor Maria Pons has warned that if this situation continues, “Calo des Moro will not exist soon.”

Numbers tell the tale: 1,200 cars and 4,000 beachgoers per day are wrecking havoc on local infrastructure and the ecosystem.

In addition, the cost to maintain the area — cleaning services, police patrols, temporary toilets, signage — has become unsustainable for the town’s small budget.

What can be done?

In a bid for real rescue, Santanyí is launching a scientific study with the University of the Balearic Islands. By using sensors, drones and environmental data to model and manage crowd flows, the project aims to create a sustainable cap on visitors. It’s a forward-thinking idea, yes, but it is long overdue.

The officials also plan to introduce regulated quotas, more tourist taxes and intensify education for tourists before they walk on the sand. This once-secret cove could become completely unrecognisable if serious action is not taken.

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