A Guide To Golfo Di Orosei, Sardinia’s Famous Baunei Coast

The Golfo di Orosei (Gulf of Orosei in English, but you may likely know it as the Baunei Coast) is one of the most intact places in Sardinia. For a long time and until very recently, it was nearly impossible to get to many of its coves and beaches because of the terrain’s conformation.

I go to the Baunei Coast all the time – I was there once again a couple of weeks ago. It’s one of my favorite areas to stay for a holiday in Sardinia; there are many gorgeous beaches and fun things to do.

The beautiful landscape, the cliffs and mountains surrounding the area, and the peaceful vibes you get once there make the trip completely worth it. You will forever remember your holiday in the Gulf of Orosei.

Curious to find out more about Sardinia’s Baunei Coast? Continue reading to discover the best beaches in the Baunei Coast, the activities you should not miss, and for a practical guide to help you plan your trip.

Where To Sleep And Eat In The Gulf Of Orosei, Sardinia

The Baunei Coast is one of the best places to stay in Sardinia to enjoy pristine beaches and plenty of boat tours, and there are some great restaurants too. You can base yourself in several locations.

Just remember that Cala Gonone and Santa Maria Navarrese – where most boat tours depart from – are located on opposite ends of the gulf.

I have selected the best places to stay and eat in each location around the Golfo di Orosei.

• Cala Gonone – Hotel Nettuno
• Dorgali – Rifugio Gorropu
• Dorgali – Agriturismo Canales
• Orosei – B&B Sa Domo de sos Massaios
• Orosei (Sos Alinos) – Residence Cala Liberotto
• Baunei – B&B I Cinque Mori
• Santa Maria Navarrese – Hotel Nicoletta
• Arbatax (Porto Frailis) – La Bitta

My posts Where To Stay In Cala Gonone and The Best Hotels In Santa Maria Navarrese share more accommodation options in these hamlets

With regards to restaurants, these are my recommendations:

• Dorgali – Agriturismo Canales, best for traditional Sardinian food.
• Cala Gonone – Il Pescatore, the best fish and seafood traditional restaurant.
• Orosei (Cala Ginepro) – Juncu e Luna, gorgeous location by the beach, excellent fish and seafood dishes.
• Siniscola (on the way to Berchida Beach, just outside Orosei) – Su Meriacru, excellent agriturismo with a modern twist.
• Arbatax (Porto Frailis) – La Bitta (same as the hotel), wonderful beachfront location, and delicious food. It’s one of my favorite restaurants in Sardinia, and it makes delicious culurgiones.
• Santa Maria Navarrese – McPuddu, great for pizza, charcuterie, and traditional dishes.

Best Beaches In Golfo Di Orosei, Sardinia

The Gulf of Orosei is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia. The water here is a pristine turquoise color, and the sand is incredibly white (though it’s a special kind of sand).

The beaches are a bit wilder than most beaches in Sardinia – don’t expect much in the way of services, for example (though they get crowded). That’s because they are hard to reach (it takes a boat ride or a long, strenuous hike for most of them).

Here are the best beaches in the area.

Cala Goloritze

Cala Goloritzè is a small cove that originated from a landslide in 1962. It is also the most famous beach of the Baunei Coast.

The main attraction, other than the crystal-clear water, is its rock formations, especially the arch (beware that diving from the arch is forbidden as there is no lifeguard on duty). There’s also the pinnacle, the symbol of the Golfo di Orosei itself (and one of the best rock climbing spots in Sardinia).

Boats can only stop 300 meters (328 yards) from shore, so if you take a boat tour, you will only see the beach from afar.

My post, The Best Boat Tours To Cala Goloritzé, guides you to all the boat trips that stop by this beach.

This means that the only way to get there is via a hike that starts in the Golgo Plateau. It takes about 1.5 hours to walk to the beach on a downhill trail, and most people take about 2 hours to walk back up to the parking lot.

Only 250 visitors per day can access the trail and the beach (this is one of Sardinia’s protected beaches). To do that, you need to book 72 hours in advance. You can do that via the app Heart of Sardinia.

My post, The Best Guide To Cala Goloritze, explains how to book your visit, how to tackle the hike, and shares other useful information.

Cala dei Gabbiani

Cala dei Gabbiani is not as famous as other beaches in the Golfo di Orosei (though don’t expect to have it to yourself). You can only get there by boat.

Its name, literally meaning “the seagull’s cove,” comes from the fact that there is a huge colony of those birds that, every night after the visitors leave, fly down to the beach and feed.

Cala dei Gabbiani is particularly pretty because of the birds’ footprints in the morning and because of the very unique white pebbles. The sea is an incredible shade of blue!

Cala Sisine

Cala Sisine can be reached by boat or with an easy hike that starts in the Golgo Plateau. In fact, if you have a 4-wheel drive car, you can get to a small parking lot that’s just 2 km (1.2 miles) from the beach and walk from there.

It is one of the broadest beaches in the Gulf of Orosei. It’s not the most crowded cove around the Baunei Coast, because it’s wide and people tend to spread out a bit more.

Like the nearby beaches, Cala Sisine offers a wild, natural vibe and pure, turquoise water. It’s the finishing point of the Selvaggio Blu trail (more about it in a bit) and was formerly used as a docking point for the boats that transported coal in and out of the island.

If you plan to spend the day there, bring everything you need for the day.

My post A Useful Guide To Cala Sisine shares more tips to plan your visit.

Cala Biriola

Cala Biriola is yet another stunning cove in the Golfo di Orosei.

You can get there via a very challenging hike – one of the best hikes in Sardinia, in my opinion. It takes about 2.5 hours to walk down to the beach, and roughly 2 hours to walk back up. The terrain is incredibly challenging: think rocks and stones everywhere, narrow passages, and parts where you have to walk down rock or metal ladders, only holding on to a cable.

Otherwise, you can get there on a (much more comfortable) boat tour. If you join a boat tour, you normally get to spend about one hour at this beach.

Whichever way you choose to reach Cala Biriola, you will love it. It’s a stunning, small beach with clean, transparent water and tiny white pebbles, giving off a paradise-like vibe. Keep in mind that there’s nothing in terms of services here.

Cala Mariolu

Together with Cala Goloritzé, Cala Mariolu is the most famous beach in the Golfo di Orosei. It is also the most crowded, although no more than 650 people at once can access it by boat.

It got its name from the monk seals that used to steal the fresh fish from the fishermen’s boats and were therefore considered thieves (marioli in the local dialect).

You can get to Cala Mariolu by boat. Every boat tour along the Gulf of Orosei includes a stop of about one or two hours there.

Alternatively, you can reach the beach via a rather strenuous hike that departs from the Golgo Plateau (13 km – 8 miles – there and back): it takes about 3 hours to walk down to the beach, on a moderate to difficult terrain, and another 3 to 4 hours to walk back up on a steady uphill trail.

The beach consists of tiny white pebbles that look like snow (hence its Sardinian name: “is puligi de nie”- literally, snow flakes). The sea is almost immediately deep, and it is filled with fish. It is an ideal spot for families and snorkeling lovers.

If you wish to visit the beach without the crowds, join a tour that departs as early as 7:00 am, which will stop at Cala Mariolu before exploring the rest of the coast. I once visited on a tour that departed at 7:00 am from Arbatax.

Head over to my post, A Quick Guide To Cala Mariolu, to learn more about this gorgeous beach.

Cala Luna

Cala Luna is the result of millennia of erosion by a small river, which has its estuary here. Its constant flow has caused the formation of the 800-meter-long (about half a mile) beach.

The beach is surrounded by high cliffs. There are five small caves (five in total) along the northern side of the beach that you can also visit.

Behind the beach, the river has slowly carved a small pond, now encircled by a small forest, where you can find a kiosk and a restaurant.

You can get to Cala Luna via a hike that starts in Cala Fuili, a small cove a short driving distance from Cala Gonone. Otherwise, you can go there by boat. All boat tours from Cala Gonone stop there, but only some tours from Santa Maria Navarrese do.

The trail to Cala Luna is well-marked and easy to follow. If you don’t have your own car, you could consider this guided hike that includes pick up from either Dorgali or Orosei.

My post, The Ultimate Guide To Cala Luna, shares more tips to make the most of your visit.

Piscine di Venere

This isn’t a beach really – Piscine di Venere (literally Venus Pools, in English) is among the prettiest natural pools in Italy and one of the most popular stops during boat tours along the Baunei Coast.

The water here is so clear and clean that if you look at drone photos, it looks like boats are floating in the air!

You can also get there via an incredibly strenuous hike. You would need to hire a local guide to take you there as the trail isn’t well-marked.

In recent years, the Piscine di Venere have become so popular that they can be crowded with boats. Make sure to pay a lot of attention when you swim there!

Perda Longa

Perda Longa (or Pedra Longa, as it is sometimes written) is the symbol of the Gulf of Orosei and marks the beginning of the Baunei Coastal area of jurisdiction.

It’s a huge rock pillar (128 meters or 420 feet tall) that broke from the nearby mountains and fell into the sea a long time ago.

The rocky bottom makes it a perfect living place for fish of every kind, so this is a fantastic snorkeling spot; however, there’s not much of a beach here, just rocks to sit on.

Perda Longa is also one of the few spots in the Golfo di Orosei where you can get to by car – you will even find a restaurant there!

The rock was used as a reference spot in the ancient navigation books because it’s easy to spot from afar. Also, its traditional name (Agugliastra) is the one from which the area’s name, Ogliastra, derives.

Cala Fuili

At opposite ends of the Baunei Coast compared to Perda Longa, and close to Cala Gonone, there’s Cala Fuili, a small pebbly cove you can reach by car.

It’s not the most comfortable, and also not the most suitable for a family with kids, as there’s no sand. I’d also advise bringing a small chair to sit as lying on the pebbles may be uncomfortable. Water is pristine, but tends to get quite deep close to the shore.

The parking space is minimal (plan to arrive early), and you’ll have to follow a trail of steps to get to the beach below.

Oasi Bidderosa

A series of small coves located in a natural oasis, complete with a pine forest and a pond, Oasi Bidderosa is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the Golfo di Orosei. The coves have powdery, white sand, beautiful rock formations, and very clear waters perfect for snorkeling. The rest of the park is a great place for hiking and biking too.

You will find Oasi Bidderosa about 13 km (8 miles) from Orosei. You can get there by car or bike. Once there, you can rent a kayak to explore further afield – for example, you can go to the stunning Curcurica Pond.

As it is a protected site, access is limited and you will have to reserve your spot via the official website here (the website is in English and easy to use) or by calling +393423559975 or +393331798335.

You can also consider this tour of Oasi Bidderosa and Capo Comino beaches that includes transportation. It’s a unique way of exploring the area.

My post A Short Guide To Oasi Bidderosa explains everything you need to know to plan your visit.

Boat Tours Of The Golfo Di Orosei

Boat tours are a great way to enjoy the Gulf of Orosei. You can join a hop-on hop-off boat trip, a private zodiac cruise with a guide, a sailboat, or you can also rent your own zodiac (no license required) or even a small sailboat if you have the right license.

Prices of boat tours and rentals vary slightly depending on the season, and most of them do not include lunch.

The best starting points for boat tours of the Baunei Coast are Cala Gonone and Santa Maria Navarrese. You can also depart from Arbatax and Orosei, which are a bit further.

Stops vary depending on the cruise you opt for and on the departure point. For example, tours departing from Santa Maria Navarrese don’t usually go all the way to the Sea Oxen Grotto or to Cala Luna, whereas some tours from Cala Gonone don’t make it all the way to Cala Goloritzé.

Here are the various options available:

My favorite tour is this small boat tour departing from Santa Maria Navarrese that lasts about 9 hours. It’s run by Tortuga, an excellent local operator. You’ll have plenty of time to spend at Cala Mariolu, Cala Biriala and Cala Sisine.

This hop-on hop-off cruise departing from Cala Gonone is one of the best-rated that you can book online. It’s ideal for a family with children, and if you want a larger boat with toilets on board. However, hop-on hop-off cruises don’t stop at Piscine di Venere.

For a smaller boat tour, consider this small group zodiac cruise departing from Cala Gonone that includes an aperitif but not lunch.

If you are departing from Santa Maria Navarrese, you should definitely consider this zodiac tour – it moves faster than a hop-on hop-off cruise which means you get to see more. There’s also this slightly cheaper option that follows a similar itinerary.

If you are traveling in a group, you may want to consider booking this sailboat tour that departs from Arbatax, not far from Santa Maria Navarrese.

There’s also this hop-on hop-off cruise from Arbatax. The boat is larger and it carries more people, so it moves more slowly. But it’s definitely a valid alternative if you are traveling with children or on a smaller budget.

You could also join a sailboat tour from Arbatax, which includes an aperitif, drinks, and lunch, so it’s a good and completely hassle-free option.

If you are in Orosei, you could consider this cruise that departs daily from Orosei and stops at Cala Sisine and Cala Mariolu too. The stop at the Grotta del Fico is optional.

Finally, there are several companies in Cala Gonone and Santa Maria Navarrese where you can rent a small zodiac. The price is in the range of €250 per day, plus petrol. Book in advance if you are visiting in the peak season. For example, you could consider this 5-meter zodiac rental that is quite convenient.

My post The Best Gulf Of Orosei Boat Tour includes more options for boat tours along this beautiful coastline.

Caves In The Baunei Coast

The peculiar geology of the Gulf of Orosei has created several unique natural wonders: among them, the Golgo Plateau and the enormous Su Sterru hole are worth mentioning, and so are two of the most beautiful caves in Sardinia – the Ispinigoli and the Bue Marino caves.

My post The Nicest Caves In Sardinia shares more interesting caves to visit during your trip.

Ispinigoli

Ispinigoli Cave is located in a huge Karstic cave complex, which hasn’t been explored in full. The cave was first opened to the public in 1974. It is considered among the most unique in Europe. Its main attraction is the 40-meters(131 feet) tall limestone pillar in the middle of the main chamber.

People have been using the cave since ancient times, as the many findings show. Researchers thought Phoenicians performed human sacrifices here. But more accurate research showed the place was a simpler, less cruel Nuragic burial ground.

Grotte del Bue Marino

The Bue Marino (Sea Oxen) Grotto complex is one of the most famous attractions in the Golfo di Orosei. It gets its name from the monk seals that used to populate the area until a few decades ago.

Unfortunately, monk seals have been chased away by fishermen. Some believe that they still live in the deepest part of the cave, where the humans can’t reach, but no signs of their presence have been recorded in the last decades.

The cave can only be reached by boat. You can book a guided tour of the cave complex departing from Cala Gonone via the official site – the area open to visits is around 800 meters long (about half a mile).

The tour goes to the four main chambers, each with its unique features: the candelabra room, with tons of limestone hanging from the ceiling; the mirror room made of several small lakes; the organ room, where the rocks resemble this instrument’s pipes; and the beaches’ room, where a freshwater river brings sand every year, creating a small beach.

I have written a more in-depth Guide To Visiting The Sea Oxen Grotto In Sardinia that shares more helpful information to plan your visit.

Grotta del Fico

Not as famous as the next-door Grotta del Bue Marino, the Grotta del Fico is stunning. I visited on a recent trip to the Baunei Coast, and I must admit I was impressed. Much like the rest of the coast, this cave used to be a safe haven for sea-oxen.

You can only get to the Grotta del Fico by boat. Tours depart from various places including Cala Gonone, Arbatax, and Orosei, but generally don’t include admission to the caves. You can get tickets on-site.

Once you have your tickets, you will join a tour of the cave with a local guide (several languages are available). You may want to bring a light jacket to visit if you go in the summer months, as temperatures are much colder than they are outside!

Climbing In The Baunei Coast

The Golfo di Orosei has some of the best climbing spots in Sardinia, suitable for climbers of intermediate to expert level.

There are several great climbing spots along the Selvaggio Blu trail (ask your guide for tips and directions). Moreover, many of the cliffs and rocks near the various coves are equipped for climbers. The most famous place is probably Perda Longa, as well as the Pinnacle at Cala Goloritzé.

Orosei’s municipality itself has a few great climbing spots to offer, and they are less crowded than their seaside relatives: among the best ones, you can try Conca Arrubia and Monte Bellavista.

No matter which rock(s) you choose to climb, remember to be careful and bring all the right equipment with you!

The Golgo Plateau

I have mentioned the Golgo Plateau as the starting point of several hikes to the Baunei Coast beaches. This is located only 8 km (around 5 miles) from Baunei and is home to several unique attractions.

The most famous is the deep abyss that the locals call “Su Sterru,” a hole on the ground that goes down to 270 meters (886 feet) inside the mountain.

The legend says that, in ancient times, there was a dragon that used to destroy the land and petrify its inhabitants, until one day St. Peter promised to get rid of the monster in exchange for the locals’ eternal gratitude and prayers.

The dragon (which is actually a basilisk) was caught by the Saint and smacked so hard on the ground that a hole (Su Sterru) opened. Locals say that if you listen carefully, you can still hear the monster’s growls.

Once the land was finally free of the terrible basilisk, the inhabitants built the small church of San Pietro in the plateau. You can still visit it from the outside. Mass is celebrated there on special occasions only.

The Plateau was inhabited since pre-Nuragic times, and human traces are still quite evident with sites such as domus de Janas and nuraghe.

Among the unique things you can only see here, you can’t miss the Piscinas, natural tanks where rainwater is collected all year long. They were ancient religious grounds to celebrate the Water Goddess.

Another very special natural formation is the “Anthropomorphic Bethel”, a big human-shaped menhir. It is an essential relic from prehistory because of its clearly defined shape, in contrast with the majority of bethels, which usually have less precise features.

My post, A Concise Guide To The Golgo Plateau, shares more information on places to visit and things to do in the area.

Best Time To Visit The Golfo Di Orosei

If you want to hit the beaches, definitely plan to visit the Golfo di Orosei in the summer months – though I would avoid visiting in August. Come the summer, you can reach the beaches by boat and relax in the beautiful resorts of Cala Gonone or Santa Maria Navarrese. But the beaches will be crowded.

If you intend to hike and climb, avoid going in the summer as it may be too hot for that, and plan to visit the Gulf of Orosei in the spring (April and May, and even early June, are ok) or in the early fall between the end of September and mid-October.

I went on a hike to Cala Mariolu in May, and it was also perfect beach weather (but the water was freezing).

How Long To Stay In The Gulf Of Orosei

How many days should you spend on the Baunei Coast? Of course, it depends on what you are planning to do.

If you are short on time, three days are enough to visit the key places in the Gulf of Orosei. You could try a hike, visit one of the caves, and do a boat tour.

However, you could even spend a week here to enjoy the area to its fullest.

How To Get To The Baunei Coast

There are several places where you can base yourself to explore the Golfo di Orosei – Cala Gonone (a beach hamlet of Dorgali) and Orosei are on the northern end of the coast (south of San Teodoro and Posada), whereas Arbatax, Santa Maria Navarrese, and Baunei are on the southern end. They are all located along the SS125 (Statre Road 125).

While they are all connected to Cagliari and Olbia by public transportation, the trip can be long (over 5 hours in most cases) and requires several bus changes, which is not ideal.

You will honestly need a car to explore the Golfo di Orosei. Unless you are arriving to Sardinia by ferry and with your own car, plan to rent one from one of Sardinia’s airports to explore the area.

Check the prices of car rental in Sardinia on Discover Cars, my recommended comparison site for car rental (I use it all the time whenever I travel), and make sure to read my post A Guide To Renting A Car In Sardinia for more helpful information.

Guided Tours Of Orosei And Surroundings

Most of the tours and activities you will find are boat tours to the gorgeous beaches of the Baunei Coast. However, if you want to explore inland, that’s also possible and there are some guided tours.

I recommend this guided tour that visits a Nuraghe and also includes wine tasting. It’s run by Simone and Melina, two of the best guides in Sardinia.

There’s also this wonderful kayak tour that explores Oasi Bidderosa at sunset. It goes around Curcurica pond.

If you want to hike, you could consider this guided hike from Dorgali or Orosei, which goes to the Gorropu Canyon. It’s one of the most iconic hikes in Sardinia.

Another tour you could consider is this off-road tour that takes you to some of the best panoramic spots in the area, and includes a stop at Capo Comino beach.

Conclusions: Is The Baunei Coast Worth Visiting?

By all means, yes! The Baunei Coast – which, let me remind you, we call Golfo di Orosei or Costa di Baunei here in Sardinia – is one of the most beautiful places in Sardinia, and probably one of the most beautiful places in the world.

While it’s very touristy, it’s also so beautiful that it’d be a pity to miss it if you visited the eastern coast of Sardinia. Just go knowing what to expect, and embrace the fact that most of the island is rather busy during the summer months, and I am sure you will be able to appreciate it!

Make sure to apply lots of sunblock, stay hydrated, and enjoy the clearest waters you’ll ever see in your life.