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South of Orosei, beyond the enterprising and prosperous town of Dorgali famous for its leather, ceramics and filigree jewellery, lies the village of Cala Gonone. Until recent times, this independent community of seafaring folk was only accessible by boat or on foot by a perilous path hewn out of the cliff-side. However, thanks to the marvels of modern engineering, Cala Gonone can now be reached via a road tunnel that cuts straight through the mountainside to reveal a splendid panoramic view of the Golf of Orosei. From the tunnel’s exit, a steep and winding road leads down through wooded hillsides, (still inhabited by wild boar!) until you reach the village centre with its tree-lined promenade, restaurants, shops, fine sandy beaches and colourful fishing harbour. From the harbour there are regular boat trips to the many fabulous beaches to the south of the village, which are virtually inaccessible by land. Cala Luna the nearest is recognised as one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia, with high cliffs protecting a glorious crescent of white sand and a lagoon fringed by pink Oleander. Further south are numerous smaller coves such as Cala Sisine and the evocatively named Ispuligidenie, and all have the remarkable crystal clear turquoise waters for which Sardinia is renowned. Nearer to Cala Gonone the extraordinary cave of Bue Marino can also be visited by boat and has 900 metres of well-lit tunnels and underground streams to explore. As well as incredible stalactites, the cave contains a number of prehistoric cave drawings and until the 1970’s was the habitat of the rare and timid Monk seal. The coastal waters here are some of the cleanest in the entire Mediterranean with a wealth of marine flora and fauna, as well as historical artefacts littering the ocean floor. If you are interested in scuba diving, our old friend, Fabio is a qualified diving instructor and runs a diving school in Cala Gonone. Being local born and bred, he knows all the best dive sites in the area! Fabio, naturally, is always delighted to organise a few dives ranging from half-day introductory taster sessions to a wide choice of full diving courses, so if you are interested, please contact us for further details. Finally, if you really crave excitement, just north of Cala Gonone, the entrance of another huge cave is the awesome venue for bungee jumping, but check your insurance first! Trekking, Caving, Canyoning, Kayaking & Scuba Diving in Sardinia Accommodation Guestbook Cala Gonone
We had a fabulous time, loved Sardinia, thought the apartment was in a great spot and pretty well equipped - we would certainly love to go back again! Heather Flanagan, Aug 2008 |
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