La Maddalena Sailing: 16m Boat, Pink Beach & Snorkeling

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Duration8h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN · IT +1

Mobile ticketAccepted

Sail to Pink Beach and three island bays in one morning from La Maddalena

You board a 16-meter sailing boat from La Maddalena or Palau and spend the day anchored at three island bays — Spargi, Pink Beach (Budelli), and Razzoli — with snorkeling gear included and time to swim in each. Lunch and a Sardinian aperitif are served on board, along with wine tasting and Mirto liquor. The boat returns to the same boarding point by late afternoon, and the route adjusts for weather safety.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sailing tour of Maddalena archipelago

Board from Maddalena or Palau
Sail to Spargi island bay
Swim and snorkel in turquoise water
Visit and photograph Pink Beach
Explore Razzoli and Santa Maria islands
Snorkel in Port Madonna lagoon
Stop at Cala Santa Maria beach
Enjoy aperitif with Sardinian products
Have fish pasta lunch on board

The Experience

You're standing at Marina di Cala Mangiavolpe in Piazza Umberto I, or at Pier 1 in Palau if you chose that boarding point, and the 16-meter sailing boat is already there. The crew is ready. You step aboard and within minutes the sails go up, and the Maddalena Archipelago opens in front of you — turquoise water so clear you can see the seabed from the deck. The first stop is Spargi, about an hour out. You drop anchor in one of those bays that look photoshopped, and the water is so transparent it doesn't feel real. Snorkeling gear is already on board. You go in, and the white sand is right there beneath you, close enough to touch.

After Spargi, the boat heads north to Budelli and the Pink Beach — Spiaggia Rosa. You can't swim here or step on the sand; it's protected as part of the Maddalena Geomarine National Park, a natural monument. But from the water, you see why. The beach is coral-colored, and the granite rocks around the cove are sculpted like something from a museum. The director Michelangelo Antonioni filmed here for "Red Desert," and standing offshore you understand why he chose it. The chromatic intensity — that's the phrase they use, and it's the only one that fits. You take photos. Everyone takes photos. Then the boat moves on.

The third leg takes you to Razzoli and Santa Maria, separated by a narrow strait called Passo degli Asinelli. Razzoli has cliffs that rise sharp and dramatic, and the rocks are shaped like sculptures. Cala Santa Maria is one of the largest beaches in the archipelago, and the water here shifts between emerald and turquoise depending on the light. This is where the snorkeling areas are set aside by the Park, and where most boats linger. You can swim again, drift in the shallows, or just float and look at the granite shapes above the waterline. The return to port takes about an hour.

While you're anchored or sailing between stops, lunch happens on board — pasta based on fish, prepared in the galley. Before that, there's an aperitif of typical Sardinian products: wine, beer, soft drinks, and Mirto liquor, which is made from myrtle berries and tastes like nothing else. Coffee and tea come after. Bottled water and soda are available all day. The snorkeling equipment stays with you the whole time, so you can go in whenever the boat stops. If you have food intolerances or special requests, the crew recommends bringing a packed lunch instead, since the boat's kitchen can only manage no-fish or vegetarian options as alternatives. The itinerary can shift if weather changes — the master adjusts the route to keep navigation safe, so some stops might swap or the order might change, but the three main islands and the sailing experience stay the same.

What’s included

Your day includes snorkeling equipment, a Sardinian aperitif with wine and Mirto liquor, a fish-based lunch on board, coffee and tea, bottled water and soft drinks, and access to three island bays — Spargi, Pink Beach (Budelli), and Razzoli — with time to swim and explore at each stop. The boat departs from either Marina di Cala Mangiavolpe in La Maddalena or Pier 1 in Palau and returns to the same boarding point.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sardinia Sailing Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the Maddalena Archipelago's three most striking islands and swim in multiple bays without arranging your own boat or timing the stops yourself — the sailing schedule and included snorkeling gear mean you arrive ready to go in.