How to Rent a Boat in Cala Gonone and Explore the Gulf of Orosei

If you’ve found this post, maybe you’ve already heard of the Gulf of Orosei or you’ve seen it in a picture like I had. I’d been mesmerized by the aqua water and dramatic sheer cliff formations and knew I had to see it for myself. The best (and technically only) way to see it is by boat, but more specifically, by renting your own so you have some freedom. This post will hopefully tell you everything you need to know about how to rent a boat in Cala Gonone to explore the Gulf of Orosei.

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About Sardinia

Sardinia is a large mediterranean island of 9,305 square miles and the coasts are 1,149 miles long. It is 190 miles away from the mainland of Italy, but quite close and directly south of Corsica, France. The history is convoluted and complicated with lots of influences resulting in its unique culture.

The Gulf of Orosei, you can see on the map, is on the central to northeastern part of the island.

Getting to Sardinia

Sardinia has two major airports in Cagliari in the south and Olbia in the north. We visited both cities and I fell in love with Cagliari instantly and wished we had more time there. It feels like a small Rome with a New York City twist, or maybe that was just my impression. It’s an incredibly vibrant city center right by the port with endless restaurants, bars, cafes, and nightlife. Olbia, on the other hand, felt more modern. We missed the old part of the city, Corso Umberto, but the waterfront area had some nice restaurants and views.

If I was picking a city to fly into and spend a couple days, I’d definitely pick Cagliari. You can find low cost nonstop flights from many cities in Italy with Ryanair.

Getting Around Sardinia

Sardinia does have some public transportation options like trains and busses. You could reasonably expect to travel around the island this way, but just expect to have some hiccups, delays, difficulty if you don’t speak Italian, etc. Traveling by train is slower than driving, which is contrary to most places in mainland Italy. You can get from Cagliari to Olbia nonstop in about 3.5 hours, but other smaller routes will require the bus. Check Omnio for available routes and schedules and to buy tickets or you can use Italy’s website, Trenitalia.

We easily took an airport train from Cagliari airport to the city center for very cheap (less than 2 Euro) and it runs every 20 minutes (although ours was delayed significantly).Tickets can be bought at the vending machines at the station and the ride only takes about 6-8 minutes and drops you off at the city center near the port where the heart of the city is. I chose a hotel within easy walking distance of this port.

Renting a Car in Sardinia

But the truly best way to get around Sardinia is by car. I highly recommend the freedom of having your own vehicle here. If you pick up a car at one of the airports, especially Cagliari, they are far away enough from the city that you won’t have to drive through a busy city. You can head straight to the freeway and your destination.

I won’t lie and tell it was all smooth sailing; renting and driving a car in another country is often stressful. Vehicles are typically manual transmission, roadsigns can be new and confusing, the way they do exits and entrances to freeways can be a little convoluted and confusing, people drive really fast and tailgate, many roads are incredibly windy, and everything is in Italian.

But after the initial day of stress getting to our apartment for the week, we were able to relax and truly enjoy the freedom of our own car.

Keep in mind that any town you go to, especially if you get off the main street through town, will have a maze of tiny narrow streets. Sometimes it will be impossible for two cars to pass by each other or you’ll be watching both mirrors to make sure you don’t scrape something. Getting dings and scratches is very possible. We did not use the additional insurance the car rental place offered because we have a collision damage waiver and theft protection with our credit card, two things required for Italian car rentals. But this adds extra stress because if something happens to the car, your credit card will be charged for the deductible and it’ll be up to you to get reimbursed from your credit card.

We rented our car through a local company right at the airport, Dinamica, but you can certainly compare prices and shop options with RentalCars.com. We also used Discover Cars a lot throughout Eastern Europe and I’d recommend comparing on their site too. They often had the best rates and most options available in Albania and Croatia.

Exploring the Gulf of Orosei in Sardinia by Foot

The Gulf of Orosei is an area of rugged coastline on Sardinia’s central eastern coast that spans about 30 km. It’s a small area but incredibly inaccessible. There are no roads to the beaches and they must be accessed by boat, with the exception of hiking to some.

This region is prized for its untouched coastline, dramatic rocky landscape, and turquoise clear waters.

Hiking to Cala Goloritzé

There are some hikes to some beaches, most notably Cala Goloritzé. This is one of the most famous beaches in Sardinia and for good reason. The rock formations are dramatic and stunning. Depending on the tide, there may not a ton of beach to relax on though, so if you hike there, go as early as possible before the crowds arrive.

In terms of geologic history, Cala Goloritzé is incredibly young. It is thought to have been formed in the 1950’s after a landslide. Only occasional rock climbers would visit until the 1980’s. It’s been forbidden to moor a boat less than 300 meters from the beach since 1989.

In order to hike to Cala Goloritzé, you must reserve your permit by going to HeartofSardinia.com or the Heart of Sardinia app. You put in the date (it won’t allow you to put in for the current day), you pay 6€ and can go between 7:30 am and 5 pm. You’re allowed to stay at the beach until 6 pm.

Trail Details

Distance: 3.5 km each way
Loss/Gain: 500 meters (what goes down, must come up)
Pets: No
Permit Required: Yes
Misery Level: High
Necessities: Lots of water, snacks, tennis shoes, sunscreen, hat, layers depending on weather.

I’m partially going to blame having a migraine this day, but I found this hike to be atrocious. I’m not in terrible shape, I mean I hike and backpack miles and miles with weight and usually do it relatively quick. But this hike is straight down and back up when you hike out. You park in the parking lot, check in with the attendant, and begin your hike downhill, and it gets steeper and steeper until you’re at the water.

It’s a fairly scenic hike and you may see a number of wild pigs (give them distance especially babies) and watch for their poop all over.

I cannot emphasize enough the need for good footwear. This is one of the rockiest, loosest footing trails I’ve ever been on – loose oddly shaped rock that could easily make you twist an ankle.

When you get down to the beach, be very careful on the rickety steps and slippery rocks on the beach. There is a cave to explore and you can go swimming.

That’s all I’m going to say about hiking, as I want to focus on how to rent a boat in Cala Gonone to explore the Gulf of Orosei.

Where to Stay to Rent a Boat and Explore the Gulf of Orosei

There are a couple options for exploring the Gulf of Orosei. You can see at the top of this map, I’ve marked Cala Gonone. South of the Gulf of Orosei, I’ve marked the town of Santa Maria Navaresse and Baunei, the latter of which is not a coastal town on the water but a more mountainous town.

Baunei

We stayed in all three towns. If you want to get an early start on the hike to Cala Goloritze, Baunei is the place to stay. We stayed at a very comfortable and quirky family run guesthouse where they make you a hearty breakfast and then you can get on your way and drive to the hike not far from there. If you wanted to stay in Baunei you could, it’s quite pretty, but be prepared for a long drive (1 hour) to get to the Marina in Cala Gonone or about 15 minutes to Santa Maria Navaresse. Both of which you’d have to find parking and pay at the marina.

B&B Boladina

Santa Maria Navaresse

We stayed here one night after our two days of renting boats to explore the Gulf of Orosei. I wanted to compare how one would rent a boat here instead of Cala Gonone. There is a marina in town but it is farther from the main part of town than in Cala Gonone so you’d have to drive and pay to park at the marina rather than walk.

I also went to one of the booths selling boat rentals at the marina and inquired about renting a boat to explore the Gulf of Orosei from Santa Maria Navaresse. The price is higher than from Cala Gonone. I asked why and they said it was a combination of having to drive a bit further to reach the beaches as well as less competition from fewer rental companies. The town is cute and similar to Cala Gonone. We stayed at an adorable apartment very convenient and close for walking around the town.

Guesthouse Oleandro

Cala Gonone

We spent 4 nights in Cala Gonone and it is definitely where I would choose to rent a boat and explore the Gulf of Orosei The cost of rental is better, the marina is most convenient for an early morning, and you can walk to the boat from town and not have to pay for parking. We absolutely adored our apartment we rented here. Steps from the main street through town and minutes to lots of restaurants, we ended up booking an additional 3 nights because we liked it so much.

Loft Cala Gonone

Blue Marino Hotel

I’d also consider the Blue Marino Hotel because they are right near the marina and close to everything in town as well. It looked really cute as we walked by.

How to Rent a Boat in Cala Gonone to Explore the Gulf of Orosei

By far, the best way to see the entire coastline of the Gulf of Orosei is to rent a boat yourself. You have the freedom to see and do what you want.

Requirements

You don’t need a boat operating license to drive a boat under 40 horsepower. The boats you can rent without a license are all 4-6 meters long and some can carry up to 10 people.

How to Pick a Company

You can book your boat online ahead of time or you can go down to the marina in town the day before and inquire with different companies about availability. My advice would be to try to book it a couple days in advance. If you’ll be there during high season (July/August), I would email the company a couple weeks before you’re arriving to inquire how soon they recommend you should book.

My boat rental company choice was based on a few factors. I looked on Google maps at the marina and clicked on each company that showed up. I considered those with great reviews, then went to their websites and checked their boat rental conditions.

For example, some companies allowed pickup at 8, 8:30, or 9 am. Some allowed you to drop off at 4, 5, or 5:30. I compared prices, which were all relatively the same, around 100 Euros plus gas to refill the boat at the end of the day (around 40-50 Euros). We we’re there in May, so I think prices go up a little in June-August. Most provide you with a cooler and umbrella and have a sunshade onboard.

I chose Azzurra based on their reviews and the fact that they were the only ones with an 8 am start. Drop off time was 5 pm which was fine with me. We ended up dropping the boat off early both times we went out. Most important was to get out early to beat the crowds.

Driving and Anchoring the Boat

This may seem a bit intimidating at first if you haven’t driven a boat. Heck, I would’ve been nervous to do this by myself for sure. But like with most things that involve an engine, I made Chris do it with the exception of a few minutes of driving just to try it myself. But it IS honestly easy. The boat is a big rubber zodiac raft and even has reverse.

The main thing is to listen to the instruction by the boat company, ask if you’re not clear on anything, keep their pamphlet with their phone number with you on the boat, and message or call them on WhatsApp if you need help.

Good news is, there IS cell service along the coast where you’ll be boating.

Rules When You Rent a Boat in Cala Gonone

The main rules are: You can’t pull up to the beach of Cala Goloritzé. It’s been protected for a long time, as I mentioned. There is a barrier you’ll see. You can swim to the beach if you want. In May, when we were there, it was a bit too chilly for me to make the long swim…plus I saw a few jellyfish that totally put the nail in the coffin on that idea.

When you’re cruising at a higher speed, stay at least 100 meters from the shore. When you decide you want to land on a beach (other than Cala Goloritzé), reduce your speed waaaay down and coast in. If you come in with too much speed, you can get yourself stuck up on the sand (we saw a couple really struggling to get the boat back in the water) or worse, not see a rock and damage the propeller, which you’re on the hook to pay for.

Be on the lookout in any shallow water and lift the prop with the trim button as you come into the shore. Someone can always jump off and pull the boat closer to shore if needed.

You’re allowed to drop stuff off on the beaches, but you’re required to anchor your boat away from shore. How far away is unclear because there aren’t buoys or a rope at most beaches. This would require the driver to drive the boat out a little ways and then swim in to shore.

To be safe, we only landed at a beach first thing in the morning when no one else was around so our boat wouldn’t be in the way. Since I was in my swimsuit, I just pulled the boat out from shore until I was up to my chest in water and tossed the anchor out as far as I could. Then had to go get it again when we left.

There is a ladder at the back of the boat, but don’t forget to pull it up before you drive off. The anchor is in a compartment at the front of the boat and attached to a long rope you’ll need to secure. Don’t lose the anchor.

As you explore the Gulf of Orosei, you’ll see a number of caves along the coast. We did see some people drive into them quite a ways which looked a bit sketchy to me. We just barely drove into one and had a look around, then backed out. If you’re not a skilled driver, I’d probably just view the cave from outside. I don’t think it’s technically allowed but a lot of people seem to do it.

Where to Go in the Boat to Explore the Bay of Orosei

Ideally start your day on the boat by going to the farthest point that the boat companies allow, which is Cala Goloritzé. There are a couple reasons for this.

Cala Goloritzé

First, it is the most popular beach and only 250 people are allowed there each day. Whether or not, they would actually count someone who swam up as one of the 250 seems unlikely to me, but just a consideration. Chances are you can make it there before most – or maybe even all – of the hikers. We had it to ourselves for about 20 minutes. Remember though, you can’t land on this beach. Only observe it from a distance or swim in.

Secondly, the farther south down the coast you go, the cliffs are tall. Later in the day, the sun will descend behind them earlier and you lose your sunshine on the water. No bueno. Closer to Cala Gonone, the cliffs are shorter so the sun stays around longer.

Cala dei Gabbiani

Moving north back the direction you came from, is Cala dei Gabbiani. It’s beautiful, but depending on the tide, there may not be much beach. We didn’t see much of one in the morning when we were there. In pictures I’ve seen though, it looked like it was a pretty big beach.

Cala Marilou

This is one of my personal favorites and because I loved it so much, I decided to rent a boat a second day in order to head here first. It gets busy quickly because tour boats drop people off to hang out on the beach, which is larger than most of the others. It’s dramatic and beautiful and features a cave. I wanted to photograph this one without the crowds, so we headed there first on our second day renting a boat. We had it to ourselves for maybe half an hour. But by mid morning, many boats arrive and clutter the water and it’s less enjoyable.

Pools of Venus (Piscine di Venere)

This was my other favorite area and although the beach isn’t large enough for many people to lounge on, the backdrop is just so stunning. We came here quickly after leaving Cala Marilou to do some drone shots and swim around and we had it to ourselves. We found that it was an easy spot to randomly have empty throughout the day for a few minutes here and there because the lack of much beach. It was definitely one of the prettiest spots.

Cala Birìola

A popular larger beach for lounging on, this one has more space to spread out if you want to swim ashore. It was a bit crowded for my liking.

Cala Sisine

Another bigger popular lounging beach, this one may be extra crowded because it’s partially accessible by 4×4 or a long hike. There is also a small restaurant. Big boats pull up and drop off lots of people, which is perhaps less appealing if you rented a boat and want to enjoy some solitude.

Cala Luna

Cala Luna is a long stretch of narrow beach with caves along it where a number of people spend the day. It’s one of the closest big beaches to Cala Gonone that you reach by boat and there are a lot of people dropped off on boats to spend the day so it gets very crowed. But the caves are neat looking and provide one of the few predictable sources of shade along this stretch of the Gulf of Orosei. You can also hike here from Cala Fuili (which is the last beach you can drive to south of the town of Cala Gonone) which I think would only be worth it if you intended to be there by yourself in the early morning or evening when the tourist boats aren’t there.

Between Cala Luna and your starting point of Cala Gonone, there are a few other smaller little beaches that people sometimes kayak or paddle to from town as well.

Grotto del Bue Marino

Along the entire coast in this area, there are some interesting grottos. Grotto del Bue Marino is the most popular example. You can disembark to a walking platform and journey approximately 1 km into the cave and marvel at the natural formations. There are other grottos as well (pictured) but Bue Marino is the most popular.

In order to visit, you buy your entrance tickets at the port and pay to take a 15 minute boat ride there . You can only visit as part of a tour, which run every hour or two hours during high season and take about an hour. Tickets cost is around 15 Euro with the boat trip.

Click here for more information on the Grotto del Bue Marino

How Long Will It Take to Explore the Gulf of Orosei?

On a calm day without wind, you can cruise and make it to the farthest point of Cala Goloritzé in around 15-20 minutes. How long it takes you to explore the entire Gulf of Orosei is up to you, but you could literally drive down and back the entire length of it in 45 minutes. But you’ll want to stop at the different beaches, swim a bit, put the shade up on the boat and enjoy a lunch, etc.

When your exploring is over, you return to the port at Cala Gonone and the boat company will meet you to hop back on the boat and drive it to the gas station and you’ll pay to refill the boat. It usually costs around 40-50 Euros.

Will I Get Motion Sick?

The first day, the water was so calm, we weren’t bothered a bit with sickness. We got a bit motion sick on our second day of renting a boat. The sea was quite a bit rougher with more wind and swells. Because of this, if you’re a person who gets motion sick, I recommend taking preventative nausea meds like a Scopalamine patch behind the ear (prescription) or over the counter meclizine. If your dates are flexible, I highly suggest checking the website Windy.com to determine the forecasted wind speeds and pick a day with less wind.

We came in quite a bit early the second day because of the swells. The Azzura employee had to come back from their lunch to meet us and fill up the gas tank. We had to wait quite a while in the heat because people don’t typically bring the boats back so early.

Things to Bring When You Rent a Boat to Explore the Gulf of Orosei

The boat company will likely provide an umbrella and cooler, which is great. So bring yourself a lunch, like sandwiches made the night before, snacks, etc. I always freeze a water bottle or two overnight to not only keep the cooler cold but to have cold water throughout the day. Bring lots of water, sunscreen, a hat (which may blow off if it’s windy), a coverup from the sun (although the boats do have a  shade to put up), sunglasses, swimsuit, and towels. Also bring your cell phone because it will work and you can use WhatsApp to communicate with the rental company if needed.

Other things you may consider bringing:

Water Shoes

Yes they’re cheesy but the beaches are crazy rocky and hard to walk on. Something as simple as these would work. My Teva sandals were fine and I wore them for 2 months in Europe for everything from walking around towns to hiking a couple miles to a secluded beach, as long as the trail wasn’t too technical.