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There’s one little spot in Sardinia which looks like a piece of the Caribbean that was dropped into the Mediterranean: Punta Molentis, the most popular beach in Villasimius. Its translucent, bluish water invite visitors to wear their mask and snorkel and explore the underwater world of the bay. In the heart of a protected marine area, Punta Molentis hosts an abundance of sea life. Schools of hundreds of seabream, magnificient ornate wrasse, soles and weever lying on the sand are waiting for you in this little underwater paradise.
Punta Molentis, Sardinia
Punta Molentis seen from a boat.

How to get to Punta Molentis snorkeling spot?

To explore this spot, two main options are available to you:

  • Enter the water from Punta Molentis beach (Spiaggia di Punta Molentis). By car, take the coastal road SP18 from Simius in the direction of Costa Rei. After about 2.5 km, turn right onto the dirt road that leads down to the beach. Please note that access is limited to 300 visitors per day. So come early in the summer, or you may find the door closed. Access to the beach costs 10 euros per vehicle, +1 euro per person (2021). Once parked, you have to walk about 200m to reach the beach.
  • If you prefer to go by boat, or if the beach is already full, you can get there on a boat tour. Tours can be booked directly at Villasimius marina, and while there are several options, most of them pass through Punta Molentis. The classic half-day tour includes snorkeling stops at the Madonna del Naufrago (a monumental underwater sculpture), at Simius Beach, known for its triggerfish, and at Punta Molentis. It costs about 25 euros/pers. for a 2 to 3 hour tour. If you choose this option, you will not land on the beach, but you will snorkel in the bay.

Punta Molentis snorkeling map, Villasimius

Water entrance for snorkeling Punta Molentis

Water entrance is from the beach. If you are in a boat trip, you will enter the water directly from the boat.

Punta Molentis snorkeling exploration tips

Punta Molentis offers a varied underwater relief, between sandy bottoms in front of the beach, scree on the left and polished rock outcrops on the right. The underwater landscapes are mainly mineral, interspersed with some rare clumps of Posidonia.

You can explore the whole small bay, watching out for boat traffic.

Two-banded seabream in Punta Molentis
Two-banded seabream is very common at this location.

As soon as you enter the water from the beach, you will be surrounded by dozens of saddled seabream, sometimes mixed with salema porgy and damselfish. We advise you to snorkel along the coastline on the right side, exploring the rocky areas (zone 1 on the map, ↕0,5-3m). You will discover a singular underwater landscape, made of many polished rocks with spectacular shapes.

Beautiful ornate wrasse, looking like tropical fishes, swim around the rocks. Two-banded seabream is also very common here, as well as many other species. Looking in the small caves and in the shade of the boulders, you might also spot small dusky groupers.

Spotted weever in Punta Molentis
In the sandy beds, you may be lucky enough to spot a spotted weever. Keep your distance, as it has 3 poisonous spines in its dorsal fin.

On your way back to the beach, move away from the shore and “fly” over the sandy beds facing the beach (zone 2 on the map, ↕2-5m). The sandy areas allow some nice sightings, such as wide-eyed flounders, spotted weevers, and occasionally small stingrays.

Ornate wrasse in Punta Molentis
A bright-colored ornate wrasse found in the rocky areas.

If you want to snorkel more, go take a look at the rocky outcrops located at the foot of the restaurant I Due Mari (zone 3 on the map).

Restaurants and accommodation nearby

On the beach, there is a bar, a restaurant, a snack and deckchair rental.

 

  • Level required Beginner
  • Protected areaArea naturale marina protetta Capo Carbonara
  • Maximum depth15ft/5m
  • Water entranceFrom a sandy beach or a boat
  • Potential DangersBoat traffic
  • Visitor numbersHigh
  • Access costs10 euro per vehicle + 1 euro per visitor
  • Restaurants nearbyYes

MAP Spot

These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life.

This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.