Gallura · North-east Sardinia
Palau is where the boats leave for the archipelago. This guide tells you which one to take, which beaches you can actually land on, and how to plan around the wind.
15–20min
Ferry to La Maddalena
Delcomar sails all year, day and night; adult ticket €4.70 in summer.
7islands
In the national park
La Maddalena and Caprera by road; the other five by boat only.
€5
Landing fee, Jun–Aug
Charged on boat trips to the smaller islands; €2.50 in April, May and September.
NW
The maestrale
The wind that decides which coves you see.
IThe day everyone comes for
Almost every boat that leaves Palau runs a version of the same loop through the national park. Knowing the shape of the day makes it easy to choose the right boat.
Morning
Check in at the quay. Big boats board in a short window, so arrive early and have the landing fee ready in cash if it is not included.
First swim
Cala Corsara or Cala Granara: pale sand between granite boulders, usually an hour or more at anchor.
Slow pass
Seen from outside the buoy line only. Landing, anchoring and swimming here are banned.
Long stop
The shallow channel of Porto della Madonna, the “natural pools”. Often the stop with lunch.
Late afternoon
Free time in town on many itineraries, before the short run back to Palau around 17:30.
Order and stops change with the wind and the park’s rules. On a strong maestrale day, boats keep to the sheltered side and may skip Budelli altogether.
IIChoose your boat
The islands are the same; the day is not. Price follows group size, and group size decides how crowded every swim stop feels.
The classic “giro delle isole”
Fast and small
With lunch on board
Your boat, your route
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Large motor boat · full day
from ≈ €51 per person
Best for: the lowest price for the full loop
Traditional wooden boat · skipper
from ≈ €110 per person
Best for: couples who want a slower day
Catamaran · max 12 · lunch
from ≈ €140 per person
Best for: comfort and space on deck
All prices side by side → Every boat trip from Palau on GetYourGuide ↗
IIIBeaches, and their rules
The park protects its most famous beaches with bans and quotas. Here is what each one allows.
All beaches around Palau →
Guided visits only
Caprera
The water people call “Tahiti”. On foot only with an authorised park guide, 60 people a day.
No landing
Budelli
The pink beach, closed since the 1990s. You see it from a boat, outside the buoys.
By boat
Spargi
The first swim on most boat trips: white sand, granite boulders, glassy water on a calm day.
By car
West of Palau
Where the wind goes to work: windsurf and kite schools on a sandbar to the Isola dei Gabbiani.
IVBefore you book
01
The north-west wind funnels through the Strait of Bonifacio. On strong days, operators reroute to sheltered coves or cancel. Book early in your stay so a cancelled trip can be moved. Live wind forecast.
02
The sea averages 21 °C in June and 23.5 °C in September, with full timetables and fewer boats at each cove than in July and August, when it reaches 24–25 °C.
03
La Maddalena charges a landing fee on boat trips to the smaller islands: €5 a person from June to August, €2.50 in April, May and September, under-7s free. Some boats include it, others collect it in cash.
Wind & weather in Palau, next four days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: MET Norway (yr.no), updated every 30 minutes. Wind in knots, daytime maximum.
VAbove the harbour
Four kilometres east of Palau, wind and salt have worn a granite outcrop into the shape of a bear, looking out over the strait.
The Roccia dell’Orso is a ten-minute walk up from the car park at Capo d’Orso. It opens from April to early November; tickets are €3 for adults, €2 for ages 11–18 and free for younger children. Go late in the day: in August it stays open until 22:30, and the whole archipelago lines up in front of you.
VIPlan the rest
Our comparison covers every kind of trip leaving Palau, what each includes, and what to check before you pay.
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