Maggior Leggero Tour review: three boats from Palau, 2026 prices and who each one suits

Maggior Leggero Tour is one of the Palau names you will see on the kiosks at Piazza del Molo, and Maggior Leggero reviews cover three quite different boats: a motor ship, a sailing vessel and a motor yacht. The company’s owner is described on its site as having thirty years of experience, and all three boats are stated to be authorised by the Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena for daily cruises.

What makes it worth a separate look is the range: in 2026 it publishes the lowest motor-ship fare we found from Palau and, at the other end, sells a sailing day for less than the small-group catamarans. We compare the port’s other operators on the operators hub and the departure logistics on our Palau guide.

What they offer

Three types of escursioni, one address.

M/N Maggior Leggero II runs the classic shared day to Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria, with La Maddalena town on the route from Palau. Third-party listings quote 10:15 from Palau returning around 17:30 and 10:30 from La Maddalena returning around 16:30; the operator’s site does not print a timetable, so confirm on booking.

M/V Colorado is a sailing vessel selling the same islands as a shared day at a higher fare, with sail set when the wind allows. Capacity is not published.

M/Y Edelweiss is a motor yacht for private charters, events and celebrations, with the price list noting departures from both La Maddalena and Palau and routes to the archipelago and to Corsica. No prices are published for it.

The company’s own text mentions group discounts, reduced fares for children and an eco line: ISO 14001 certification and biodegradable products on board.

Boats and comfort

Here the site lets you down. It names the three vessels and says all are certified by Bureau Veritas, but gives no lengths, passenger numbers, toilet counts or shade details. A bar and refreshment service is confirmed on every boat. We could not verify snorkel gear.

From reviews, the motor ship is a typical Palau tour boat with open and covered areas; the Colorado is the one to ask about if you want to be under sail rather than motoring with sails furled. For any of the three, ask two questions before paying: how many passengers on the day, and where the shade is.

Prices and what’s included

Maggior Leggero prices for 2026, from the price list on the operator’s site in September 2026.

Motor ship Maggior Leggero II, adults: €53 from 15 May through June; €57 in July; €65 in August; €60 from 1 to 6 September; €55 from 7 to 30 September and from 1 to 15 October. Children 4 to 6 and 7 to 10 have separate reduced fares (from €30 and €35 in the low bands up to €50 in August); infants 0 to 3 pay €15 to €30.

Sailing boat Colorado, adults and children 4 to 10: €65 and €45 in June; €73 and €50 in July; €78 and €55 in August and from 1 to 5 September; €72 and €47 from 6 to 14 September; €68 and €40 from 15 to 30 September.

Not included, and the thing to remember: the island landing fee, paid in cash at boarding, €2.50 per person in May, September and October and €5 per person from June to August, with children under 6 exempt. Whether a pasta lunch is part of the fare is not stated on the price list; the site only confirms a bar. Budget for food as an extra unless told otherwise.

Insider tip: The June motor-ship fare of €53 plus €5 landing fee is the cheapest published full-day price from Palau we found for 2026. Combine it with a late-June date and you get August water temperature without August queues.

What customers say

The Tripadvisor listing “Maggior Leggero Tour” showed 4.7 out of 5 from 1,019 reviews at the time of writing, ranked 18th of 99 outdoor activities in Palau. Recurring praise: pleasant scenery, a crew described as excellent, a guide singled out repeatedly for friendliness and languages, good stops for swimming, and staff who accommodate families.

Recurring complaints are about the shore side, not the sea: poorly organised check-in with long queues and too few staff in high season, a strict departure policy (one reviewer stuck in traffic missed the boat and describes the company as unwilling to refund or reply), and management that did not respond to compensation requests. One reviewer also reports guides encouraging swimming during a lightning storm; we cannot verify it and mention it once, as a question to raise if the sky looks wrong.

Departure logistics

The kiosk and meeting point are at the Porto Turistico di Palau, Piazza del Molo, next to the ferry landing. Paid parking is at the port and the multi-storey car park; free spaces are gone by 09:30 in August. Given the queue complaints, be at the kiosk 30 to 40 minutes before the stated departure with the landing fee in coins or small notes.

Departures from La Maddalena are listed for the Edelweiss and quoted by third parties for the motor ship; if you are island-based, phone first to confirm which boat boards where.

Who should book it, and who should not

Book the motor ship if price is the deciding factor and you want the standard four-island day. Book the Colorado if you want a day under sail for two adults at a fare below the 12-person catamarans compared on our catamaran and sailing guide. Book the Edelweiss if you are a group that wants a private motor yacht from Palau or La Maddalena.

Skip the shared boats if you want facts before you pay (capacity, timetable, lunch) and cannot get them by phone, if you are likely to be late, or if you want a small-group experience. The Palau big-ship day is crowded in August whoever runs it.

How to book

Online at booking.maggiorleggerotour.com, by phone on +39 345 379 5202, via WhatsApp or Messenger, by e-mail at info@maggiorleggerotour.com, or at the kiosk on Piazza del Molo. Its Facebook page is “Maggior Leggero Tour | Palau”. We did not find the company on GetYourGuide at the time of writing.

Alternatives you can book online

For the same formats with free cancellation and a fixed listed price, start at all La Maddalena boat tours on GetYourGuide. The Palau boat tour with four stops is the direct motor-ship equivalent; the Palau catamaran tour with lunch is the sailing alternative with lunch included and a maximum of 12 guests; and the archipelago boat tour from La Maddalena or Palau (€76 on GetYourGuide at the time of writing) is a smaller vintage motorboat with four swim stops. Prices are shown on each listing.