The stunning island of Isola Budelli is part of the beautiful La Maddalena Archipelago, which is a group of islands composed of La Maddalena, Caprera, Spargi, Santo Stefano, Santa Maria and Razzoli.
These islands are located between the islands of Corsica in France and Sardinia in Italy, being part of the second.
The island is small, with approximately 1.6 km2, while the highest point is at Monte Budello, which, from its 87 meters high, offers a breathtaking view.
Isola Budelli was once private, but nowadays is part of the Maddalena National Park and the only person who lives on the island for the last 30 years, is a gentleman named Mauro Morandi, who was the “caretaker” of the place for the former owner.
It is mainly known for Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach), in the southeastern part of the island, which owes its typical colour to microscopic fragments of corals and shells and is therefore considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean.
The famous Spiaggia Rosa is protected, and public access is strictly prohibited. However, most boat trips stop at sea, allowing you to have a distant view to admire the colour of this beautiful beach.
Still, some parts of Budelli are accessible for swimming and enjoy the wonderful colour that makes Sardinia so memorable.
The island has small coves, rocks and cliffs that uniquely colour the sea. The waters are excellent for those who like to dive and snorkel, both to enjoy the underwater landscape and to see a large amount of fish and crustaceans.
But, unfortunately in the summer, between July and August, the island is way too crowded. Dozens of boats anchor there with hundreds of tourists, making the landscape just a sea of people in front of you.
How to get to the island?
The only way to get to Isola Budelli is by boat, private, rented or from tour companies, departing from Costa Smeralda, La Maddalena, Palau and Santa Teresa di Gallura.
Several companies make trips where they go directly to the island or make some stops passing through the other islands of the archipelago.
Bear in mind that not all the islands can be visited, but the organized tours stop at the best spots to see – albeit from a distance – the places of interest and allow tourists to dive in the most crystalline and gorgeous waters of Sardinia.
We took a tour from Palau and went to Isola Budelli and Isola di Spargi, which was unbelievable. I highly recommend it!
If you want to go with your private boat, you need to get permission from the Maddalena Park Administration and access is only allowed in some parts of the island. See more information here: http://autorizzazioni.lamaddalenapark.it/index.php?ln=en
As I mentioned in my previous post (here), Sardinia is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and the tour on Isola Budelli, Isola di Spargi and on the La Maddalena Island (which I wrote here), were unforgettable.
I can’t believe how blue the water is! I would love to see it in person.
Never knew these islands even existed – now to find someone with a private boat 🙂