Costa Smeralda Boat Tour: Hybrid Boat, Swim Stops & Aperitif

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.92 (193 reviews) 95% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/10

Duration5h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN · IT

Mobile ticketAccepted

A Quiet Boat in Crowded Waters: Costa Smeralda Without the Noise

You board a hybrid boat at Palau's Tourist Port and spend a half-day sailing the Costa Smeralda with a skipper and up to eleven other people. You swim at two beaches — Grande Pevero and Liscia Ruja — pass Bear Rock and Cala di Volpe, and return with a Sardinian aperitif on board. The quiet engine and small group size mean you're not competing for space or fighting engine noise the whole time.

Step-by-step itinerary

Costa Smeralda boat tour with swim stops

Set sail from Palau port
Cruise past Bear Rock
Sail by Baia Sardinia and Poltu Quatu
Swim and snorkel at Grande Pevero beach
Stop at Baia del Principe for swimming
Pass Cala di Volpe bay
Swim and sunbathe at Liscia Ruja beach
Enjoy Sardinian aperitif on return

The Experience

Most boats that leave Palau are loud. This one isn't. The hybrid engine means you're cruising past Bear Rock and Baia Sardinia in near-silence, which sounds like a small thing until you're actually on the water and can hear the wind instead of a diesel motor. The group stays under twelve people, so there's no scramble for deck space or the feeling that you're one of fifty on a floating bus.

The route moves south along the coast in a rhythm that makes sense — you're not backtracking or sitting still. First stop is Grande Pevero, a long stretch of white sand backed by green hills where the water is so clear you can see the seabed if you snorkel, or you can just float and look at the rocks. Then Baia del Principe, which is smaller and quieter, the kind of place that feels like you've found it by accident. On the way you pass Cala di Volpe — the famous one from the films — but you're passing it, not stopping at it, which somehow makes it better. The last swim is at Liscia Ruja, where the beach is wide and the water shallow enough that you can wade out for a long time without it getting deep.

The return to Palau is when the aperitif comes out — Sardinian wine or beer or prosecco, depending on what you drink, plus stuffed carasau bread and soft drinks if you're not drinking alcohol. You're moving slowly back toward the Tourist Port, the boat is quiet, and you're eating something local while the coast slides past. It's the kind of ending that doesn't feel rushed.

What’s included

Your half-day includes pickup at Palau's Tourist Port, a professional skipper and on-board assistant, two swim stops at Grande Pevero and Liscia Ruja, views of Bear Rock, Baia Sardinia, Poltu Quatu, Cala di Volpe, and Baia del Principe, and a Sardinian-style aperitif on the return with carasau bread, prosecco, wine, beer, and soft drinks.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by You Know!

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Costa Smeralda sights and two proper swim stops in a half-day without arranging your own boat or timing — the hybrid engine and small group size are what make the difference between a crowded afternoon and a quiet one.