La Maddalena boat tour from Baia Sardinia: piers, routes and the alternatives

A La Maddalena boat tour from Baia Sardinia means a motor ship leaving the northern side of the Gulf of Arzachena, from a pier that may be at Laconia, at Cannigione or at Baia Sardinia itself depending on the day. The route is the classic western one: Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria, with Caprera added on Saturdays and Sundays.

What follows is the direct trip as published on GetYourGuide, the Cannigione motor ships a few minutes down the coast, what the sailing itself is like, where you actually board, and a table to help you decide between staying local and covering the 15–20 km to Palau.

Baia Sardinia in two sentences

Baia Sardinia is a resort on the Gulf of Arzachena, next door to Cannigione and on the edge of the Costa Smeralda, built around one main beach, a small square and the hotels and apartments behind. Stay here and Cannigione is minutes away, Palau about 15–20 km.

For archipelago trips that combination is a good one: a motor ship departure on your doorstep, and Palau’s much wider choice less than half an hour off when the roads are clear.

The direct trip: Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and Caprera at weekends

The archipelago boat trip from Baia Sardinia is the local benchmark. As listed on GetYourGuide in September 2026 it is rated 4.4 out of 5 from 324 reviews, with the price shown on the listing.

According to that listing, here is how it runs:

• swimming stops at Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria on weekdays;
• on Saturdays and Sundays, departing from Baia Sardinia, the route also includes Caprera;
• boarding takes place at Laconia, at Cannigione or at Baia Sardinia, depending on the day of the week.

That last point causes more confusion than anything else on this stretch of coast. Laconia is the piece of shoreline between Cannigione and Baia Sardinia; the correct pier for your date is stated on the listing and then on the voucher. Read it before you pay and read it again the night before, because turning up at the wrong quay means watching the boat leave.

The alternatives from Cannigione

A short drive away, Cannigione has the most booked motor ships on the gulf:

• the Caprera, Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria trip, the best rated in the area at 4.9 out of 5 from 499 reviews on GetYourGuide: four islands in a day, with Caprera guaranteed rather than dependent on the calendar;
• the full-day cruise from Cannigione, 7 hours with two swimming stops and free time in La Maddalena town, rated 4.4 from 2,314 reviews.

If the local trip does not board at Baia Sardinia on your date, or if you want Caprera on a weekday, the four-island tour from Cannigione is the answer. Our page on boat trips from Cannigione describes every motor ship in that harbour.

What the sailing is like

You leave the Gulf of Arzachena on flat water, then the ship runs along Caprera towards La Maddalena town and the western islands. When the mistral blows from the north-west the open stretch can be choppy, but these are big, steady vessels and most passengers never notice.

The stops follow the usual archipelago pattern: Cala Corsara on Spargi, with its wind-carved granite and four small beaches; the natural pools of Porto della Madonna between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria; and the long white sand of Cala Santa Maria. Spiaggia Rosa (the Pink Beach) on Budelli is viewed from the deck, because according to the Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena landing there has been forbidden since 1994. At weekends, with Caprera on the programme, a stop along Garibaldi’s island is added.

Insider tip: given a free choice between a weekday and a weekend, Saturdays and Sundays hand you Caprera but also more people on board and in the coves. With small children, a Tuesday in June with three islands beats a Sunday in August with four.

Logistics: piers, meeting point, parking

Departures from Baia Sardinia and Laconia use small quays rather than a proper marina like the one at Cannigione. In every case the exact meeting point and the check-in time are printed on the voucher, and you want to be there at least 20 minutes early.

If you drive, the spaces near the quays fill up as boarding time approaches. Staying in Baia Sardinia with a departure from Baia Sardinia? Walk. For a Cannigione departure, allow for the road and for finding a space in the village.

Some listings offer pickup from accommodation in the area, shown among the options at the booking stage. If it is available on your date, take it.

In the rucksack: cash for any park contribution at check-in (see the “Not included” part of the listing), sunscreen, a hat, water shoes, mask and snorkel, a towel and a warm layer for the run home.

Sailing from Baia Sardinia or driving to Palau?

Who should choose what

Stay local if you are sleeping in Baia Sardinia or Cannigione, if you are travelling as a family and want a motor ship with lunch, and if the last thing you want is a morning drive.

Head for Palau if a 12-seat catamaran, a RIB or a private boat appeals, or simply if you want a different departure time. Our guide to boat trips from Palau compares every format, while anyone wondering what each stop actually looks like will find the detail on the pages about the archipelago islands and Caprera.

Practical advice

• Book on GetYourGuide with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead and the reserve now, pay later option.
• In July and August book one to two weeks out, since the cheaper motor ships sell out first.
• Confirm the departure pier the night before. It is the one detail that shifts from day to day.
• A mask makes the difference in the natural pools off Budelli, and it is not always supplied on board.
• You can land at Santa Maria and Spargi, but taking away sand, shells or pebbles is forbidden and fined.

Booking a La Maddalena boat tour from Baia Sardinia

For anyone staying on this side of the gulf, the archipelago trip departing from Baia Sardinia is the most convenient La Maddalena boat tour from Baia Sardinia, with Caprera thrown in at weekends. The four-island trip from Cannigione is the alternative when you want Caprera midweek or the higher rating. To weigh up every departure in Gallura, our overview of trips from other towns lines up Palau, Cannigione, Santa Teresa Gallura and Olbia side by side.