Sardinian Shores Unveiled: An Unforgettable Self-Guided Boat Journey Along the Rugged East Coast

The east coast of Sardinia is a little paradise for beach and nature lovers with its rugged cliffs, crystal-clear water and small, hidden bays such as Cala Goloritzé – and a dream destination for a boat trip.

One of the best ways to explore the Gulf of Orosei is by boat. Conveniently, in Italy motorboats up to 40 hp can be operated without a boat license.
As a result, there are over 20 booking offices in Cala Gonone ready to rent out the “Gommone”, the high-speed inflatable boats with a powerful outboard motor to tourists and leisure captains.

Starting point Cala Gonone

Whether it’s a sailing boat tour with lunch and swimming stops, a cruise on a motorboat or a boat rental: The offer from the “Nuovo Consorzio Trasporti Marittimi” is extensive.
I’m immediately intrigued by the possibility of renting a boat so that we can organize the day to our liking.
Walter is (surprisingly) not keen on the idea – because, as an experienced diver, he has a lot of respect for the sea.
But then I managed to change his mind. Because let’s be honest: if they rent out hundreds of boats day in, day out, it can’t be that dangerous?
And so we make our way to the port of Cala Gonone and book our rubber boat for the next day.
We receive our first instructions from Anna as to when and where we need to be and what they have available for us for the day: In addition to our “gommone”, we are given a parasol – in case we want to go to the beach in one of the bays. And a cool box for our drinks and snacks.

Along the coast of the Golfo di Orosei

We arrive at the port of Cala Gonone right on time at 09:00. We are given a quick briefing on how to operate the dinghy, how close we can sail to the bays, how to drop anchor and other valuable tips.
Anna recommends that we head to the furthest beach, Cala Goloritzé, first. Due to the steep rocky coast, it gets shady here from the early afternoon.
So we make our way directly to the southernmost bay in the Gulf of Orosei and glide gently over the turquoise waters.
We can hardly cease to be amazed: this untouched coastline, the majestic limestone cliffs rising out of the water, the rugged cliffs – and not least the beautiful colors of the sea form a breathtaking backdrop and immediately cast a spell over us.

On the way: Picturesque beach of Cala Luna

Cala Goloritzé: a piece of untouched paradise

After just under an hour, we reach Cala Goloritzé – the small, secluded bay that is often described as one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia.
The characteristic, pyramid-shaped rock needle, the famous “Goloritzé Point”, which rises above the beach, forms a unique picture together with the white sandy beach.
The rock needle, which is so popular with climbers – also known as Punta Caroddi – is 143 meters high and is made of limestone.
But the bay has another natural monument: the rock gate “L’Arco di Goloritzé”, which rises impressively from the crystal-clear water, also gives the bay its characteristic appearance.
We anchor here, unfurl the awning and enjoy the idyllic setting.
Like most bays along the Gulf of Orosei, Cala Goloritzé can only be reached on foot or by water. The bay has been a nature reserve since 1993. Mooring on the beach is prohibited for motorboats
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White sandy beach, limestone cliffs and turquoise blue water

After a first swim in the turquoise sea, we sail to the next bay. There are six more bays in total on the way back to Cala Gonone: Cala delle Sorgenti, Cala Gabbiani, Cala Mariolu, Cala Briola, Cala Sisine and Cala Luna.
We also drive past the famous Grotta del Bue Marino, which can also be visited on a guided tour. This cave system in the Golfo di Orosei owes its name to the Monk Seal (Bue Marino in Italian), which lived here until the 1980s and used the crevices of the cave to wean its pups.
We drop anchor two more times and enjoy the spectacular panorama and the snack we brought with us: cured ham, pecorino cheese, olives, bread and a glass of Sardinian Cannonau. It doesn’t get any better than this!
At 4 pm, we make our way back to Cala Gonone. We call Anna so that the boat rental company can meet us in the port of Cala Gonone. Sometimes so that we can fill up the tank again straight away.

Prices and other useful tips

• Renting the inflatable boat costs € 120 for the whole day or from 09:00 – 16:30 (as of October 2023). There is also the cost of fuel. For us, this was € 39, so the rent cost us just under € 160 in total.
• You can also reach Cala Goloritzé by boat from Arbatax or Santa Maria Navarrese.
• If you don’t want to drive a boat yourself and prefer to be ferried around, there are plenty of other offers that you can book directly in Cala Gonone or via getyourguide.
• You can find more tips about the beaches on Sardinia’s east coast in this article.

The beaches on Sardinia’s east coast