La Maddalena National Park: the cash fee, the Pink Beach and the rules
The whole archipelago is a national park, and that shows in two things that surprise people on the day of the boat: you have to pay a fee in cash that is not in the trip price, and the most famous beach of all, Budelli’s Pink Beach, is for looking only.
The park fee
The trips call it a “port fee” or “landing fee” and charge it separately, in cash, on the day. According to the operators’ listings:
- €5 per person from June to August and €2.50 in May and September, “only applies to over-6s” (boat with lunch).
- “Between €2.50 and €5 per adult, depending on season; paid in cash only on the day of the activity” (classic boat).
- “Landing fee: €5 per person” (cruise from Olbia).
Bring coins or small notes: no card payment and it cannot be paid in advance when booking. We could not read the Park’s official rule (its website was not responding on the day of verification), so we give the figures as the operators publish them.
The Pink Beach is off limits
Budelli’s pink sand is the archipelago’s postcard and it is protected: no trip lands on it. The listings say so in three ways: “we will sail past the pink-sand beach”, “we will admire the famous Spiaggia Rosa”, “Budelli, with its peculiar pink-sand beach” from the boat. Where you do swim at Budelli is the Porto della Madonna, the natural pools between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria, on the other side of the island.
What to know on the day of the boat
| Check-in | The classic boat asks for check-in from 9:45 to 10:00 at Palau harbour and leaves at 10:30. The lunch one leaves at 9:00. A customer warns: the boat is not always visible from the meeting point; call. |
| Wind | Stops are chosen “depending on weather conditions”: in a mistral, the boats switch coves. Check the weather first. |
| Food | On the small islands there is nothing. Either bring it, or choose a trip with lunch (€65, sailing boat €150, Olbia €150). |
| Shade | Little in the coves and none on a sunny deck: a cap, sun cream and water. |
| Children | Under-6s pay no fee. Child prices in each trip’s booking widget. |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before on all, except the speedboat (3 days). |
Fees and conditions as published by the operators on Civitatis on 6 September 2026. As soon as we can read the National Park website we will add the official rule.