- 35 minPalau to the first anchorage
- 62 islandsand islets in the archipelago
- 180 kmof protected coastline
- €2.50–€5national park fee, cash on board
- From $66full-day group tours from Palau
Why Take a Boat Trip from Palau
A wide-decked boat slips out of Palau Marina on a bright Sardinian morning, and within about 35 minutes it drops anchor over a sandy seabed so clear the hull seems to float on air. That is the La Maddalena Archipelago: 62 granite islands and islets stretched across 180 kilometres of coastline in the Strait of Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica, protected as a national park since 1994. A boat is the only way to properly see it.
Palau sits directly opposite the archipelago, which makes it the closest mainland departure point of all. From the marina it is a short hop to Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and Razzoli — less time motoring, more time in the water. Most of the archipelago's most beautiful beaches are uninhabited and reachable only by sea, so the crossing you save at the start is time you spend swimming.
For the wider picture of the islands, see our guide to the seven main islands; for the beaches you will actually swim at, our beaches guide; for the famous pink sand, our Pink Beach guide; and to plan the crossing itself, our Palau–La Maddalena ferry guide.
From Palau: La Maddalena Boat Tour, 4 Islands in One Day
Why we recommend it: it leaves from Palau Marina rather than from the island, it is the newest boat in the Palau fleet, and its live guide translates in four languages — which matters on a seven-hour day where the skipper is explaining why today's route is not yesterday's.
Sea conditions decide the order of the stops each morning. Check live dates and prices below.
What Makes a Great La Maddalena Boat Tour
Not the marketing photos — these four, in roughly this order of importance.
Small group vs large boat
The big motor vessels carry many passengers and are cheaper, with a bar and toilets on board. Smaller catamarans carry around a dozen guests, reach quieter coves and feel more relaxed. There is no universally right answer — choose by your priorities.
Local skipper knowledge
This matters more than anything else on the list. An experienced local skipper reads the wind each morning to choose sheltered coves and avoid the crowds, which is both why the itinerary is never fixed and why the good boats end up somewhere calm while others roll at anchor.
Park fee inclusion
The La Maddalena National Park charges a per-person landing tax: €2.50 per person in May, September and October; €5.00 per person June–August. Most tours do not include it. Bring cash.
Snorkelling gear, food and drink
Better tours provide masks and snorkels. Food ranges from a paid bar on the large boats to a full Sardinian lunch with wine served on the catamaran — worth checking before you book, because there is nowhere to buy lunch at any of the stops.
Other Experiences You Might Enjoy
If the archipelago day is already booked, these are the trips travellers most often pair with it.
Most visitors who take a La Maddalena Archipelago boat tour from Palau spend at least one more day on the water. A small-group RIB tour is the surest way to reach the wilder coves around Razzoli and the Porto della Madonna natural pools; a sailing trip trades speed for a quieter deck and a long lunch at anchor; and a late-afternoon sunset cruise with aperitivo puts you at Spargi and Budelli once the day boats have gone home.
Our picks for those two: From Palau or La Maddalena: Archipelago Sailing Ship Tour — 4.5 stars across 1,147 GetYourGuide reviews, from $75 — and the sunset cruise in the comparison above.
On land, Caprera is a half-day in itself — Garibaldi's house at the Compendio Garibaldino, the Blue Flag Spiaggia del Relitto, and the guide-only hike to Cala Coticcio — bookable as Caprera: Hiking to Cala Coticcio with Aperitif, from $68, 4.8 stars but only 28 reviews so far, so read the recent ones first. Further round the coast, the Costa Smeralda beaches and the granite Bear Rock above Palau fill the hours either side of a boat trip.
Where a Full-Day Boat Tour from Palau Actually Takes You
Departure from Palau Marina mid-morning, then approximately seven hours island-hopping with swim stops. A typical itinerary takes in five places.
Spargi — Cala Corsara and its sister coves
Voted Italy's most beautiful beach in 2016 and included in Forbes' 2018 list of Italian beaches to visit. Fine white sand, juniper-backed dunes, and the granite formations known locally as the "Witch's Rock" and the "Bulldog". A Roman cargo ship from around 120 BC lies offshore; the finds are held at the Museo Nino Lamboglia in La Maddalena. Our full Cala Corsara guide covers the cove in detail.
Budelli — the Pink Beach (Spiaggia Rosa)
Sand coloured by the foraminifer Miniacina miniacea. The beach has been under Zone A protection since 1998 — no landing, no swimming. You admire it from the buoy line, roughly 70 metres offshore, which is as close as anyone now gets. See our Pink Beach guide for the full story.
Porto della Madonna — the natural pools
Between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria sits a vast, calm lagoon of shallow turquoise water. It is many visitors' favourite stop of the whole day, and the one people describe first when they get home.
Santa Maria — the largest beach in the archipelago
Over 200 metres of fine white sand with a shallow, gently sloping seabed, ideal for relaxed swimming. It is the easiest water of the day and the best stop for anyone in the group who is not a confident swimmer.
Razzoli — the wildest island
Cala Lunga: sheltered, fine white sand, clear blue-green water and superb snorkelling. Not every boat reaches it, which is part of the appeal — our Razzoli and natural pools guide explains which formats do.
Itineraries always remain flexible: the skipper varies stops and their order according to wind and sea conditions on the day, and a route that reads as fixed in the listing rarely is.
Group Boat, Catamaran or Sunset Cruise: Which to Book from Palau
The same archipelago, three genuinely different days. Ratings and review counts are GetYourGuide's own, checked 11 September 2026.
The Shared Full-Day Group Tour
The default La Maddalena day and the one most people book: a large motor vessel, a bar and toilets on board, a multilingual guide, and roughly seven hours covering Spargi, Budelli, the natural pools and Santa Maria. Cheaper per head than anything else that reaches the same water.
From Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour
Why we recommend it: 4.6 stars across more than 6,100 verified reviews is the largest sample of any tour in the archipelago, and it swims at Budelli's natural pools, Santa Maria and Spargi in a single day.
- Swim and snorkel stops at Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria
- Free time in La Maddalena's historic centre
- Multilingual guide commentary on board
- Bar and toilets on board
- Departs Palau or La Maddalena town
National park landing fee (€2.50–€5, cash) collected on board and not included in the price.
From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Catamaran Tour with Lunch
The catamaran's twin-hull design creates a huge single-level deck, forward sunbathing nets — the trampolines — and a shaded cockpit, with far less rolling and pitching than a monohull. Groups are capped around twelve, and a proper Sardinian spread is served on board: antipasti, seafood pasta, Vermentino and Mirto. Reviewers routinely call it "the best boat tour I've ever done." Our catamaran tours guide compares the boats in detail.
Palau: Spargi and Budelli Sunset Boat Tour with Aperitif
A shorter experience of about two and a half hours, departing late afternoon. With fewer boats on the water you get the coves almost to yourselves, and the crew serves a Sardinian aperitivo — Prosecco or chilled Vermentino with local cheeses, cured meats and bread — as the sun goes down. Ideal for couples, honeymooners and small groups of friends, and the one format that works as a second day rather than a whole one.
Palau or La Maddalena: 4-Hour RIB Tour of the Archipelago
Not one of the three main formats, but the fourth option worth knowing about from Palau: a fast half-day on a certified skipper's RIB with swim stops chosen on the day. It is the most likely boat to reach Razzoli and the quieter coves when conditions allow.
How Palau Boat Tours Actually Rate
The figures below are GetYourGuide's own verified review scores, checked 11 September 2026.
Full-day motorboat tours from Palau cluster around strong ratings of roughly 4.6 out of 5. Small-group catamaran tours rate even higher, at about 4.9 out of 5 — which is the price difference showing up in the scores. The most common review themes across both: "crystal clear water," "the best day of our holiday," "the skipper was amazing," "well organised."
The complaints, where they exist, are consistent too and worth knowing before you choose: on the large boats, food and drink quality relative to price, and crowding at the most popular stops in August. Neither applies to the catamaran, which is most of what the extra money buys.
Practical Information
Where to meet, what it costs on the day, and what to bring.
Where to meet
Palau Marina / Stazione Marittima. Arrive early — port parking is limited in summer and fills long before the boats leave.
Getting there
About 45 minutes from Olbia airport via the SS125. If you are crossing by sea instead, see our Palau–La Maddalena ferry guide.
National park fee
€2.50–€5.00 per person depending on the month, paid in cash and not included in most tour prices.
What to bring
Swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, hat, a light layer, water, cash, and your own snorkel if you have one.
Who it suits
Families, yes. Non-swimmers, yes. Elderly travellers are best on the larger boats and catamarans. Children, yes, with life jackets provided on board.
Weather and cancellations
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. The skipper may alter the route for wind, and does so often — this is normal, not a downgrade.
Best time to go
June and September. July and August are peak season, when the boats fill weeks in advance — see our month-by-month guide.
Review counts, star ratings and park fees update continuously; every figure on this page was checked on 11 September 2026. Verify current park rules at lamaddalenapark.it before you travel.
Boat Tours from Palau: Frequently Asked Questions
Timings, the meeting point, the park fee and the Pink Beach rule — answered.
How long is a La Maddalena boat tour from Palau?
Full-day tours run about 7 hours from Palau, leaving the marina mid-morning and returning in the late afternoon. The sunset tour is a much shorter trip of about 2.5 hours, departing late afternoon.
Where do La Maddalena boat tours leave from in Palau?
Palau Marina, beside the Stazione Marittima on Sardinia's northeast coast. Arrive early: port parking is limited in summer and fills long before the boats leave.
Can you swim at the Pink Beach?
No. Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli is Zone A of the national park, with no landing, swimming or anchoring permitted. Boats hold at the buoy line roughly 70 metres offshore and you view the beach from the water.
Is the national park fee included in the tour price?
Usually not. The La Maddalena National Park landing tax is €2.50 per person in May, September and October and €5.00 per person from June to August, collected in cash on board. Check your tour's inclusions and bring coins and small notes.
Which islands will a boat tour from Palau visit?
Typically Spargi, Budelli, the Porto della Madonna natural pools and Santa Maria, sometimes Razzoli, and often a brief town stop in La Maddalena. The skipper varies the stops and their order each morning according to wind and sea conditions.
Catamaran or large boat — which should I book from Palau?
The large boat is the best value and the most sociable, with a bar and toilets on board. The catamaran is more comfortable, caps its group at around twelve, includes a full Sardinian lunch and reaches quieter coves. Choose by whether you care more about price or about space.
When is the best time to take a boat tour from Palau?
June and September, when the sea is warm and the archipelago is far less crowded. July and August are peak season — the boats fill weeks ahead, so book well before you travel.