Tavolara Excursions: The Complete Guide

Tavolara is one of Olbia's symbols and one of its most Instagrammable destinations. Find out which excursions you can take, where they depart from and prices

Tavolara excursions, which are the best and where they start from

Tavolara is one of Olbia's symbols and one of its most Instagrammable destinations. Find out which excursions you can take, where they depart from and prices

1. Snorkelling Tavolara

With flippers and mask, get ready to explore the wonders of the Tavolara Marine Protected Area. Accompanied by expert guides, you can observe the most beautiful life forms that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea. Colourful fish, birds, marine mammals and rich, fragrant vegetation. Usually the snorkelling excursion to Tavolara lasts four hours, including snack breaks, navigation and of course beautiful swims. An experience recommended for everyone, adults and children alike.

👍 DST Sardinia departs from Olbia and Golfo Aranci: choose your location

2. Tavolara excursions by dinghy

Choose your starting point from the surrounding ports, such as Porto San Paolo, Capo Coda Cavallo, Olbia or Golfo Aranci. From here, you can start your adventure to Tavolara, already admiring the crystal-clear waters and spectacular views.

Hiring an inflatable boat to Tavolara means discovering the impressive cliffs, isolated coves and secluded beaches. An inflatable boat offers the flexibility of approaching places that might be inaccessible with other, larger boats.

Always sail safely and don't forget to take a bath at the Natural Pools of Molara.

3. Tavolara Diving

Diving in Tavolara offers the opportunity to explore truly spectacular underwater sea caves. Dives to see a cave underwater certainly include Il Grottone in the Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo Protected Marine Area.

Not far from the world-famous dive Secca del Papa there is an equally spectacular dive site, the Grottone: it is a colourful dive with unique views and rock formations. Divers can immerse themselves in a spectacular world, illuminated by lights filtered through the water, a site rich in a great variety of fish and invertebrates that inhabit the Tavolara Capo Coda Cavallo Protected Marine Area. Dives in Tavolara such as Tedja Liscia and Occhio di Dio are absolutely a must do during a diving holiday.

Tavolara is recognised as amarine protected area among the most populated with life. Diving enthusiasts are required to follow the rules and zoning to preserve the integrity of the marine ecosystem. The protection of coral and respect for marine life are priorities to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy this underwater oasis.

Very suggestive are also the dives in the waters of the Molara Island, dive spots such as Punta d'Arresto, the shoal of Punta Levante, Il Relittone - Wreck of the Oued Yquem always offer unexpected emotions.

The main diving centres offering this experience are in Golfo Aranci, Olbia, Porto Taverna, Porto San Paolo, Porto Ottiolu

4. Sailing Day in Tavolara

Sailing is always a wonderful feeling. Then sailing in the crystal-clear waters of Tavolara promises an unparalleled experience.

Le Tavolara excursions by sailboat They depart from Porto San Paolo, Porto Ottiolu, Budoni, Olbia, Golfo Aranci and Cannigione and last one day.

Usually the staff on board cook lunch and you can enjoy a relaxing day of diving, aperitifs and beautiful views.

5. Dolphin sightings

Tavolara is a very large marine protected area, which is why it is pleasantly inhabited and frequented by so many animal species, both in and out of the water. It is therefore not uncommon to come across dolphins swimming and playing freely and happily.

Among the most frequently sighted species in MPA waters are bottlenose dolphins. Sightings of various cetacean species, whales, minke whales and pilot whales are not uncommon.

👍 Dolphin watching excursions depart from Olbia and Golfo Aranci

6. Trekking in Tavolara

Trekking excursions on Tavolara are very popular, but not all treks on the island are suitable for everyone.

There are a number of well-marked paths on the island that lead to the Prolagus path, Cala Tramontana, the Cemetery of the Kings of Tavolara and the point called 'I due Mari'.

These routes last between 10 and 30 minutes and are suitable for everyone; care must be taken during the hottest hours, taking care to bring water to drink and a hat.

There are also more demanding excursions and treks that lead to the summit of Tavolara via vie ferrate, for which it is necessary to rely on an expert guide.

Tavolara excursions: where to start from

Tavolara excursions from Olbia

A strategic point for those wishing to see Tavolara is to start from Olbia, one of the most important cities in northern Sardinia. With its Olbia Costa Smeralda airport and the Isola Bianca marina very close to the airport and reachable from the city in 10 minutes, Olbia is an ideal gateway for boat excursions to Tavolara

Choosing Olbia as a starting point for excursions to Tavolara also means seeing a fascinating stretch of sea such as the promontory of Capo Ceraso. A granite peninsula that dominates the Gulf of Olbia and is dotted with spectacular beaches and inlets. Capo Ceraso is located in the municipality of Olbia, in the province of Olbia-Tempio in north-eastern Sardinia.

Excursions to Tavolara from Olbia mainly depart from MOYS - if you are looking for information on the Olbia marina visit the website of the Olbia marina near the Costa Smeralda airport Moys.

You can find dinghies, motor boats and sailing boats. The crossing to Tavolara takes about 20 minutes and you can admire several points of interest.

Tavolara excursions from Porto San Paolo

Another of the main starting points for excursions to Tavolara is Porto San Paolo. This delightful village with its picturesque harbour offers a wide range of tourist services, including organised tours and dinghy hire. From here, excursion enthusiasts can set off towards Tavolara in various ways, including boat trips and dinghy excursions.

In general, Tavolara excursions depart from the following locations:

from San Teodoro
from Porto San Paolo
from Olbia
from Golfo Aranci
from Cape Coda Cavallo
from Porto Ottiolu

Tavolara excursions: prices

Prices for Tavolara excursions can vary depending on several factors, including the type of excursion, the duration, the time of year and the chosen tour operator. In general, we can say that shared Tavolara excursions cost much less than chartering boats exclusively. Here is a general overview of the prices you can expect:

Snorkeling Tavolara

30 to 70 euros per person. Children usually get a discount and sometimes free (depending on age, it is always best to check the provider's website carefully).

DST Sardinia for example offers snorkelling excursions Tavolara and children up to 1 year are free

Guided group tours: Approximately 40 to 80 euros per person, depending on duration and services included.

Inflatable boat hire

The rental of an inflatable boat can vary from around 100 to 500 euros per day, depending on the size of the boat and the type of dinghy. There are larger inflatable boats with powerful engines that can cost between 500 and 2,000 a day
A 40hp dinghy without a licence for Tavolara costs on average around 150/200 euro in low season and around 300 euro in high season.

Sailing Boat Excursions

80 to 150 euros per person for a one-day tour.

Sailing boat rental

The rental of an exclusive sailboat can range from around 500 to 3,000 euros per day, depending on the size, characteristics of the sailboat, any extras agreed with the charter company, and of course the distance to the port of departure.

Catamaran Excursions

Approximately 60 to 150 euros per person, depending on the duration and the services included.

Catamaran charter

chartering a catamaran can range from around EUR 800 to EUR 3,000 per day depending on the size and services offered on board and the port of departure.

Scuba Diving

Single guided dives: 50 to 100 euro per dive, depending on duration and whether or not diving equipment is rented.
Dive packages: Multiple packages can offer discounts, with prices ranging from around 150 to 400 euro for a 3-5 dive package.

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