In a nutshell
- The catamaran trip from Arbatax with lunch is the roomy pick: from US$276 for 8 hours, rated 4.91 from 268 reviews.[1]
- A RIB from Arbatax reaches Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzè in 3 hours, from US$69, rated 4.84 from 705 reviews.[2]
- The Baunei Coast day tour by boat leaves Arbatax from US$86 and runs 9 hours with a guide in English and Italian.[3]
- A Gulf of Orosei cruise from La Caletta or Orosei starts from US$78 and runs 7 to 9 hours.[4]
- The August sea averages 26.5 °C, and Cala Goloritzé needs a reservation from April to October.[5][6]
- Top choice Catamaran with lunch from US$276 Duration8 hours[1]Rated4.91 from 268 reviews[1]Guide languagesEnglish, French, Italian, Spanish[1]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours[1] Check availability
- Baunei Coast day tour from US$86 Duration9 hours[3]Rated4.87 from 1,036 reviews[3]Guide languagesEnglish, Italian[3]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours[3] See this tour
- RIB to Cala Mariolu from US$69 Duration3 hours[2]Rated4.84 from 705 reviews[2]Guide languagesEnglish, Italian[2]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours[2] See this tour
The Gulf of Orosei stretches 30 kilometres along the eastern coast of Sardinia, marked by the foothills of the Supramonte massif.
Which Gulf of Orosei boat tour should you book?
Things to check
On the day
- Mornings are the calmest and coolest part of the day on the water.
- The Gulf of Orosei averages 26.5 °C in August, warm for long swims.[5]
- Take shoes for pebble beaches; the coves are stone, not sand.
- Sun cream, a hat and water. Shade is scarce on the rocks.
Why a Gulf of Orosei boat tour is worth a day
The Gulf of Orosei stretches 30 kilometres along the eastern coast of Sardinia[7], and it lies within the Parco Nazionale del Golfo di Orosei e del Gennargentu, a protected area in Sardinia, Italy.[8] From the water the coast shows itself properly: limestone walls dropping straight into the sea, caves opening at the waterline, and coves that are far easier to reach by boat than on foot.
Cala Mariolu is famous for its crystal-clear water, white pebbles, and dramatic limestone cliffs that plunge into the sea.[9] Cala Luna is in Sardinia, on the central eastern coast, and is reachable from Cala Gonone, a hamlet in the township of Dorgali in the province of Nuoro.[10] Cala Goloritzé has its own rule: reservations are mandatory from April to October, and access is limited to a maximum of 250 people at the same time.[6]
Plan on swimming. The boats anchor in calm water, you step off a ladder, and the cliffs throw shade in the afternoon. Bring a mask if you have one, because the rock below the surface is as dramatic as the rock above it. Between stops there is little to do but watch the coast slide past, which is the whole point of a day out here.
From Arbatax, Cala Gonone or Orosei: choosing a departure
Arbatax sits at the southern end of the gulf, and its harbour sends out the widest spread of trips: a sailing catamaran with lunch, day boats along the Baunei coast, and fast RIBs that run straight to the best-known coves. The town's own landmark is the Rocce Rosse, a view named after the porphyry cliffs that rise from the sea in the Red Rocks Bay east of the Arbatax port, a tourist neighbourhood of Tortolì, backed by white rocks and tall red granite boulders.[11]
Cala Gonone, further north, is the other main gateway to the gulf. Cala Luna is reachable from Cala Gonone, a hamlet in the township of Dorgali in the province of Nuoro.[10] Dinghy excursions from Cala Gonone run 7 hours from US$81, and that listing is wheelchair accessible.[12]
Orosei and La Caletta have their own cruise, from US$78, lasting 7 to 9 hours.[4] Further south, Santa Maria Navarrese sends speedboats through Cala Goloritzé, Cala dei Gabbiani, Cala Biriala and Cala Mariolu, from US$102 for 8 hours.[13] Wherever you start, the cliffs and the water are the same. For a Gulf of Orosei Sardinia boat tour, the harbour you pick mostly decides how long you spend getting to the coves and how early you have to get up.
Limestone cliffs and clear water on the Gulf of Orosei coast.
The Arbatax catamaran trip with lunch, step by step
The catamaran trip from Arbatax is the roomiest way to spend a day in the gulf. It starts from US$276 and runs 8 hours, with a live tour guide in English, French, Italian and Spanish.[1] It is rated 4.91 from 268 reviews, scoring 5 for the guide, 4.9 for transportation and 4.8 for value for money.[1]
A catamaran changes the feel of the day. The deck is wide and stable, there is shade under the canopy, and the pace is slow: anchor, swim, eat, move on. The trip is sold with lunch, which means you do not have to carry a picnic or queue at a beach bar between swims.
Booking is flexible. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later.[1] The same terms apply to the other Arbatax listings, including the RIB and the Baunei coast day tour.[2][3]
Faster and cheaper trips from the same harbour
If the US$276 catamaran day is more than you want to spend, Arbatax still works.[1] The RIB tour to Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzè starts from US$69 and takes 3 hours, with a driver who speaks English and Italian, and it is rated 4.84 from 705 reviews.[2] Three hours on this boat is enough for two coves and a swim, and a small RIB gets close to the rock.[2]
The Baunei Coast day tour by boat starts from US$86 and runs 9 hours with a live tour guide in English and Italian, rated 4.87 from 1,036 reviews.[3] A full-day guided boat tour of the Baunei Coast from Arbatax starts from US$75 and calls at Cala Mariolu, Cala Luna and Cala Sisine.[14] There is also a Gulf of Orosei cruise from Arbatax with an optional Fico Cave visit, from US$67, with stops at Cala Goloritzé, Cala Mariolu, Cala Luna and Cala Sisine.[15]
What you trade at the lower prices is space, shade and a slower pace. The cheapest seats are often on the busiest boats, while a catamaran or a small dinghy carries fewer people and stays longer in each cove. Boat tour Gulf of Orosei prices tell you about comfort and crowd, not about the coastline, which is the same for everyone on board.
from US$276
The catamaran boat trip from Arbatax with lunch runs 8 hours and is rated 4.91 from 268 reviews.[1]
More boats leaving from Cala Gonone and Orosei
Cala Gonone has the deepest bench of options. A Gulf of Orosei cruise to Cala Goloritzè runs 7.5 hours and starts from US$79, with an audio guide in Italian, English, German and French, rated 4.30 from 3,722 reviews.[16] A dinghy excursion to Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzè runs 7 hours from US$81 and is wheelchair accessible, rated 4.74 from 2,218 reviews.[12]
Further north, a cruise from La Caletta or Orosei runs 7 to 9 hours from US$78, rated 4.54 from 1,299 reviews.[4] From Cala Gonone there is also a dinghy cruise with swim stops, limited to 12 participants, from US$109 for 7 hours.[17]
If you would rather be your own skipper, a 6 metre dinghy can be rented at Cala Gonone without a boat licence, from US$270 for 8.5 hours, for a private group.[18] No licence is needed to hire a dinghy for exploring the Gulf of Orosei, though the driver must be at least 18 years old.[19] That gives you your own route between the coves, with nobody else's timetable to follow.
When to go and what the sea is like
August is the warmest month on the water. The average sea water temperature in the Gulf of Orosei in August is 26.5 °C, with a minimum of 24.4 °C and a maximum of 29 °C over the last decade.[5] That is warm enough for a long swim without a wetsuit, and the anchorages fill with swimmers in the middle of the day.
Cala Goloritzé has its own rule. Reservations are mandatory from April to October, and access is limited to a maximum of 250 people at the same time.[6] If that bay is on your list, sort the reservation before you choose a boat, because the boat does not get you onto the beach by itself.
Ashore, the Grotta del Bue Marino is a common add-on: adult tickets cost €10 in the ordinary season and €12 in June, July, August and September.[20] A boat trip from Cala Gonone to the cave runs 2 hours from US$46, rated 4.52 from 237 reviews.[21] In high summer, morning departures are cooler, and the light on the cliffs is at its best before noon.
How to choose, and what to take with you
Start with your base. Arbatax, Cala Gonone and Orosei are not interchangeable, and a long transfer before a long day on the water is the fastest way to spoil it. Prices for a Gulf of Orosei boat trip range from a short RIB hop to a full catamaran day, so match the trip to the time and the budget you actually have.[1][2]
Take shoes you can walk on pebbles in, a towel, sun cream, a hat and more water than you think you need. Shade in these coves is limited to the shadow of the cliffs, and the stone gets hot by early afternoon. A light long-sleeved top is useful on the return leg, when the boat picks up speed and the wind comes off the water.
Walkers can see the same coast from above as well. The Selvaggio Blu is a trekking route that starts in Pedra Longa and ends in Cala Luna, winding through unspoiled paths hanging within sea and mountain.[22] From the cliff path the coves look different: bigger, quieter, and much harder to reach than they look from the deck.
How long Gulf of Orosei boat tours from Arbatax last
Durations as listed for the catamaran boat trip with lunch from Arbatax, the Baunei Coast day tour by boat and the RIB tour to Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzè.[1][2][3]
From prices for Gulf of Orosei boat trips
US dollar from prices for these listings: the Arbatax catamaran, the Baunei Coast day tour, the RIB tour and the Orosei Gulf cruise.[1][2][3][15]
When to book and when to go
Plan your day on the water
Pick your harbour
Arbatax, Cala Gonone and Orosei all send boats into the gulf. Start from the harbour nearest your base.
Match the boat to your day
The catamaran trip runs 8 hours and the Arbatax RIB 3 hours, so decide how long you want to be out.[1][2]
Sort the Goloritzé reservation
If you plan to go ashore at Cala Goloritzé, reserve in advance: bookings are mandatory from April to October.[6]
Check the cancellation terms
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund applies to the main trips, including the Arbatax catamaran.[1]
Pack for a day at sea
Shoes for pebbles, a swimsuit you can move in, sun cream, a hat and water. Shade on the rocks is scarce.
Confirm the meeting point
Starting times are confirmed when you book. Check your voucher and the meeting point the day before, and arrive with time to spare.
Ready to see the Gulf of Orosei from the water?
from US$277Reserve now & pay later
