Tour details
- 4.9/5 GetYourGuide rating
- 2,300+ reviews
- From $135 per person, 16 October 2026
- 7 hours listed duration
- 12 guests maximum per departure
What to expect on the Palau catamaran tour
Zefiro Experience runs its catamarans from pier 5 in Palau, in front of the Stazione Marittima. Its full-day catamaran tour with lunch started from $135 per person when we checked on 16 October 2026, shown as a reduction from $224. That price includes the national park fee, a snorkelling kit, an aperitif, lunch and drinks.
The calendar below shows which dates still have space and the price of each option on the day you pick. The listing currently offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
The format is simple. A boat of no more than 12 guests leaves Palau in the morning, anchors at three coves for swimming and snorkelling, and serves food through the day: coffee and cake as you set off, a board of Sardinian ham, cheese, salami and olives with prosecco, then malloreddus (small Sardinian gnocchi) in sausage sauce with pecorino, fruit in the afternoon and a glass of mirto. Paddleboards and pool noodles come out at the stops on some boats.
GetYourGuide's category scores for the tour are 4.9 for the guide and 4.9 for transportation. Value for money is the lowest of the three, at 4.7. Many reviews name and praise the crew, and describe calm water at the stops and plentiful drinks.
We have not taken this tour. This page is built from the listing and from reviews at every star rating, read in English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Dutch and several other languages. There are five things to know before you book:
- The captain chooses the three stops on the day, so a particular island, Caprera or a walk in La Maddalena town is not guaranteed.
- Lunch is one pasta course with antipasti and fruit, and some guests found it simple for the price.
- Reviews mention a standard and a premium catamaran, and a few guests said the boat they boarded looked older than the photos.
- Commentary about the islands is brief on some boats.
- The trip goes ahead in wind and cool weather, with limited room under cover.
Travellers who expected a tour of several islands and got a slow day at two or three coves account for many of the lower ratings. About one review in fifty is below four stars, and GetYourGuide reports that 92% of English-speaking travellers gave the tour a perfect score.
The tour suits travellers who want a relaxed day in the water with lunch and drinks taken care of.
Five tips before you book the catamaran
- Compare the standard and premium prices for your date before you pay. Both options appear, with their prices, once you pick a date.
- Book your whole party in one booking and on the same option. Several catamarans leave pier 5 for this listing, and one reviewer whose friends booked separately spent the day on a different boat.
- Message the operator before you book if one island matters to you. Ask what is likely that week rather than counting on a stop at Caprera or in La Maddalena town.
- Arrive at pier 5 at least 30 minutes before departure. That is the listing's check-in time. Paid parking close to the harbour costs about €12 for the day. The free car park the listing suggests is about a 10-minute walk away.
- Pack your own mask if snorkelling is a priority. A snorkelling kit is included, but a few reviewers found only one or two masks for the whole boat.
How the catamaran day runs
Starting times appear on the listing when you choose a date.
At pier 5 a member of staff on the quay gives out boarding cards and sends each group to its catamaran. The crew is usually two people, a skipper and a host who serves the food and drinks. Commentary is in English and Italian.
Recent reviews describe three stops of about an hour or more each. The antipasti come out at the first stop, and lunch is served at the second or on the way there. At some stops guests go ashore, and at others they swim from the boat. One reviewer described a small tender taking guests to the beach.
The listing gives a duration of seven hours. A few recent reviews describe getting back to Palau about an hour earlier than they expected.
The listing description calls the trip a sailing tour. A couple of reviewers said their boat ran on its engines all day, while another described sailing on a windy day in April.
Which islands the three stops visit
The listing description mentions more than seven islands, naming Razzoli, Budelli, Santa Maria, Spargi, Caprera and Santo Stefano, while its list of inclusions says three stops in the archipelago, chosen by the captain. The captain sets the route each morning according to wind and sea traffic, and it can change during the day.
A few reviewers said two of their three stops were on the same island, in two cases Spargi, whose coves include Cala Corsara. Budelli's Pink Beach is seen from the water, because landing there is banned. La Maddalena town was a stop for some guests and left out for others, and one reviewer was told it had been skipped because visitors can reach it on the ferry from Palau.
The listing warns that July and August bring more traffic to the places the boats visit. Some guests who paid for the smaller boat expected quieter beaches and found the same coves as the large group boats.
On a good day reviewers describe three well-chosen coves, clear water and plenty of time to swim. The day is noticeably weaker if you wanted to see several islands up close, or if your stops fall at the busiest coves in July and August.
Catamaran, group boat or private boat from Palau?
Two other formats from Palau publish a fuller list of stops, and a sailing tour offers a similar day on a different kind of boat:
- Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Trip by Boat lists La Maddalena town, Spargi, Santa Maria and Budelli with set times, and passes the Pink Beach. It is a larger boat with a guide speaking English, French and Italian, rated 4.5 from more than 2,900 reviews, and it started from $59 per person when we checked.
- La Maddalena Archipelago: Private Full-Day Boat Tour & Lunch is a 10-metre motorboat for your own group of up to 10, from $1,347 per group on 16 October 2026. Its published plan is Cala Soraya on Spargi, the Pink Beach, lunch at the natural pools, La Maddalena town, then Caprera or Santo Stefano depending on the weather. At the catamaran's $135 per person, a full group of ten would pay about the same. It is rated 4.8 from 28 reviews, and the listing gives Italian as the guide's language.
- Maddalena Archipelago: Island-Hopping Sailing Tour and Lunch is a 6.5-hour day on a sailing yacht, rated 4.9 from more than 1,700 reviews and from $123 per person when we checked. It is not open to children under 10. Its lower-rated reviews raise the same points about busy coves and simple food.
Our catamaran tours guide compares the boats in more detail, and the sailing guide covers the yacht trips.
Lunch and drinks on the catamaran
The listing includes an aperitif with Sardinian products, a typical Sardinian pasta lunch, snacks, fruit, water, white wine, prosecco and soft drinks. The description adds a glass of mirto, the island's myrtle liqueur, after the meal. Several reviewers watched the skipper cook the pasta in the galley.
Most reviews describe the food as good and the wine and prosecco as plentiful. The lower-rated reviews say the same menu feels simple at this price: one plate of pasta, no seafood and no dessert beyond fruit.
The boat, the group and the two options
The listing caps each departure at 12 participants, and recent reviewers describe between 8 and 12 guests on board. The catamarans have a shaded area, nets at the bow for lying in the sun, a toilet and space below deck for bags.
Reviews mention two options, a standard and a premium catamaran, sold at different prices. One guest in 2025 said others on the same boat had paid about €50 less. A few guests in 2024 and 2025 said their standard boat looked older and smaller than the one in the photos, while one premium guest in 2026 saw no difference from the other boats leaving the pier.
Does it run in October and in poor weather?
When we checked on 16 October 2026, the calendar showed departures on every day to 31 October. Reviews describe trips from mid-April to mid-October, and we found no winter timetable. Availability can change, so check the calendar for your dates. Our La Maddalena in October guide covers sea temperatures and which other boats still run.
The tour goes ahead in wind and cool weather. Guests on cold, choppy days in May said the bow nets and top seats moved too much to use, and that there was not enough room below deck for everyone when it rained. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, so check the wind forecast two days ahead and decide before the cut-off.
Other practical things to know
- The listing promises live commentary from the captain. On some boats it is brief, and a few guests said nobody told them the names of the stops. Ask the crew if you want to know more about the islands.
- A few reviews from 2025 and 2026 mention crew smoking or vaping on deck. The listing bans smoking indoors only, so mention it at the start if smoke bothers you.
- Confirm any dietary requirement with the operator through GetYourGuide before the day. Two reviewers with dietary needs found the crew had no alternative ready.
- Pool noodles are on board on many boats. One reviewer said no life vests were offered to weak swimmers, so ask at check-in if anyone in your group needs one.
- The listing says the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users, and asks anyone prone to seasickness to bring their own medication. Hotel pickup is not included.
Is the Palau catamaran tour worth it?
Yes, if you want a slow day of swimming, food and drink on a small boat. The price includes the park fee, an aperitif, lunch and drinks through the day, on a boat limited to 12 guests, and it started from $135 per person on 16 October 2026.
It probably isn't the best fit if you want to see a list of islands or walk round La Maddalena town. A group boat with published stops costs far less, and a private boat gives a family or group of friends more say in the route. Anyone hoping for a seafood lunch or a day under sail may find the price harder to justify.
The listing asks you to bring a towel, swimwear, sunscreen, a hat and flip-flops. Food, drinks and the park fee are already paid for.
Common questions about the catamaran tour
Is the La Maddalena catamaran tour worth the price?
It is if you want a slow day of swimming, food and drink on a boat of no more than 12 guests. The price includes the national park fee, an aperitif, lunch, fruit and drinks. If you want to see particular islands or La Maddalena town, a group boat or a private boat with a published route is a better match.
Which islands does the catamaran visit?
The tour makes three stops in the archipelago, chosen by the captain on the day according to wind and sea traffic. Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria, Razzoli, Caprera and Santo Stefano are all possible, but no single island or a stop in La Maddalena town is promised.
Can you land on the Pink Beach on this tour?
No. Landing on Budelli's Spiaggia Rosa is banned, so any boat, this one included, can only show it from the water.
What is served for lunch on the catamaran?
Coffee and cake on departure, an aperitif of Sardinian cured meats, cheese and olives with prosecco, then malloreddus (small Sardinian gnocchi) in sausage sauce with pecorino, followed by fruit and a glass of mirto. White wine, water and soft drinks are included. There is no seafood course.
Is the national park fee included?
Yes. The listing includes access to La Maddalena National Park, so there is no separate park fee to pay on board.
Does the catamaran tour run in October and winter?
When we checked on 16 October 2026, the calendar showed departures on every day to 31 October. Reviews describe trips from mid-April to mid-October, and we found no winter timetable. Availability can change, so check the calendar for your dates.
Where does the tour leave from, and where can I park?
From pier 5 in Palau, in front of the Stazione Marittima. Check-in is at least 30 minutes before departure. Paid parking near the harbour costs about 12 euros for the day, and the free car park suggested on the listing is about a 10-minute walk away.
How we put this together
We have not taken this tour ourselves. This page draws on the GetYourGuide listing, checked on 16 October 2026, and on the tour's reviews at every star rating, including all of the lower-rated ones. Prices, ratings and the stop list change, so check the live listing before you book. We earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you; see our affiliate disclosure.