BEACHES

This is a large beach, not so popular due to the lack of parking facilities. It has a bar, toilets and umbrella and sunbed hire.
Marina Maria is a meeting point for surfing enthusiasts who gather on this stretch of coastline as soon as the wind blows. The width of the beach, the shallow water and the abundant fine sand also attract families, many of whom live in the Murta Maria or Olbia area

There are three main beaches in Porto San Paolo, all of which can be reached on foot or by bicycle. The historic square of the tourist village overlooks a small beach that comes alive in the central hours of the day. It is frequented mainly by resident tourists, mostly families with small children.
The second beach in Porto San Paolo is called by the locals “Spiaggia del Vecchio faro” (Beach of the Old Lighthouse), although you will not see any. It is located in a natural environment that is very rich in vegetation. The sand is made up of tiny grains and the seabed is a mix of rock and sand ideal for snorkelling. There is a wide variety of fish such as salps and mullet. The view of Tavolara is spectacular, it is always uncrowded, it is easily accessible and nearby there are services of renting umbrellas and sunbeds, the ticket office for boarding the ferries to Tavolara and the boat rental.
The third beach that can be reached on foot going up to the I Fari village is the Costa Corallina beach, which serves the residential complex of the same name and is therefore mainly frequented by tourists renting houses in this area. If you are travelling by car, entering the Costa Corallina residential complex directly from the SS125 road, you can reach a large car park by following the signs for the port. Once parked, the beach is just a few minutes’ walk away.
On the beach of Costa Corallina there is a kiosk that offers restaurant services, sunbed and umbrella rental.

Porto Taverna beach is the most important and dynamic beach. Families, young sportsmen and women, tourists and residents meet here to spend the whole day, alternating convivial moments in the numerous refreshment areas with sport and fun. There are two large car parks to facilitate access, and it is also thanks to their presence that the beach is very crowded throughout the summer season.
Even in the case of Porto Taverna beach, the early hours of the morning or the evening after 6 p.m. are the best times to enjoy it in peace. From one of the two car parks, the one furthest away, you can reach the beach via a wooden jetty that crosses the lagoon behind Porto Taverna. In spring and autumn, flamingos and herons are often seen in the lagoon. We advise you to walk along it in the evening or early morning, you will not regret it.

Near the small port, along a dirt road, after a few dozen metres you come to a wild cove with a suggestive view of Sla Tavolara. The colours are beautiful: the blue shades of the sea and the orangey pink of the stones.
The beach is narrow and has little sand, making it unsuitable for children.It is ideal for snorkelling: there are lots of fish. Parking is free and there is a bar in the square.

Coves for a few sheltered from the mistral.
When the mistral is strong, which is not uncommon in Sardinia, the beach and coves of Punta Don Diego are the shelter for those who don’t want to miss a day at the sea. The first beach you come across is relatively wide and is frequented by residents of the Costa Dorata complex and guests of the Hotel Don Diego. This is followed by a short walk along the coast, with small coves to be conquered in the early hours of the morning. Parking availability is limited and it is therefore necessary to move in good time.
For those who enjoy walking, we recommend the coastal path between Punta Don Diego and Cala Finanza, which passes through Mediterranean scrub and small sandy coves alternating with granite rocks, always offering spectacular views of the Molara and Tavolara Islands.

The beach of Cala Girgolu is reached by a white road that descends to the sea from the hill of Monte Petrosu. Parking is limited and this beach is the starting point for exploring a very picturesque stretch of coastline on foot. Along the way, along a narrow path interrupted at times by rocks, you will come across tiny coves, rocks polished by the wind and the sea. Among these, the best known are the so-called ‘flat stones’ found immediately after the ‘spiaggia delle vacche’ (cows’ beach), a tongue of sand surrounded by striking granite rocks that have always inspired the imagination of those who discover it.

The beaches of Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu are both wide beaches located beyond Capo Coda Cavallo, heading south. Parking at Cala Brandinchi beach is limited. They are popular for the very white colour of the sand and the clear blue sea that has made them famous as the ‘Caribbean beaches’ of the stretch of coast between Porto San Paolo and San Teodoro. On Lu Impostu beach you can find space even in the most crowded moments, just walk towards the centre of the beach. There are bars, kayak and rubber dinghy rentals and this is another reason why there are so many families and sports enthusiasts here.

Punta Est beach at Capo Coda Cavallo has a wide strip of white sand and a bay with typical emerald and turquoise colours. Thanks to its northern exposure, it is sheltered from the sirocco wind. Parking is limited and it is therefore advisable to leave early in the morning in order to find space both for your car and for the beach. From the beach there is a beautiful view of the island of Tavolara and Molara. There are many services, umbrellas and deckchairs, a boat rental service, public toilets and a small bar.

Spalmatore Beach is located on the western side of Tavolara Island. It can be reached by sea, hiring a dinghy, or by ferry from the small port of Porto San Paolo. The beach is long and never too crowded. The beach starts from the landing stage of Tavolara Island and stretches as far as Punta Spalmatore, a small promontory that, depending on the tide, can be reached by walking on the sand of the last stretch of beach on the surface or by ankle-deep in the water.
On the opposite side of the beach from Spalmatore is Cala Tramontana, a beautiful little bay at the foot of the green mountain of Tavolara, made up mainly of pebbles and smooth stones. Scarcely frequented, rich in fish for those who want to snorkel and ideal when the sirocco is rather strong.