Water taxi in Olbia — private transfers departing from the Gulf

Not from the terminal itself — the airport is on land at the head of the gulf, so there is no pontoon at arrivals. We meet you at the terminal exit, drive you the short distance (roughly ten minutes) to Marina di Olbia or Molo Brin, and you are aboard within minutes of clearing baggage. Send us your flight number and we track it: a delayed landing does not cost you the booking.

In shoulder season the road and the sea are broadly comparable over that 25 NM leg, and the boat wins mostly on comfort and on arriving at the marina rather than a car park. In July and August the comparison changes completely: the coast road and the Arzachena approaches back up badly, while the sea route round Capo Figari runs at the same pace all summer. The other gain is at the end — we land you on the pontoon, not at a taxi rank.

The maestrale, the north-westerly, is the dominant wind of northern Sardinia and it builds a real sea in the exposed stretches, especially in the Bocche di Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica. Inside the Gulf of Olbia you stay sheltered, so short hops usually run regardless. For the Corsica crossings the skipper decides on the morning forecast and will propose a re-timing — often departing early, before the wind fills in — or a full refund. We never sail a transfer we would not put our own family on.

Our partner boats carry up to around ten passengers with a closed cabin, so you travel dry and out of the wind even on the longer legs towards Corsica. Luggage comes aboard — tell us how many hold bags and any golf or dive kit when you book, so the skipper picks a hull with the right space rather than turning cases away on the pontoon.

Yes. Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio are France, so bring passports or ID cards for everyone aboard, children included, and let us have the passenger list in advance — the crew files it before departure. It is the single most common cause of a delayed start from Olbia.

Often, yes, and it is one of the nicest reasons to take a private boat here. Bear in mind that the Tavolara–Punta Coda Cavallo marine protected area and the La Maddalena archipelago park are regulated: some zones restrict anchoring and access, and fees or authorisations can apply. Tell us at booking what you want to see and the skipper builds a route that is both legal and worth the detour.

They are starting prices, shown as "from". The final quote depends on the date, the departure time, the number of passengers and luggage, and on any stop you add along the way — a swim call at Tavolara or a detour through the archipelago is not the same run as a straight airport transfer. We confirm a firm price in writing before you pay anything.