Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on September 23, 2022
Cala di Reta is a beautiful rocky cove in Pointe de la Parata, boasting turquoise waters and a preserved environment. It is an ideal snorkel spot if you want to have refreshing snorkeling after visiting the neighboring Sanguinaires Islands. Small fish and cuttlefish abound on the rocks bordering the cove. Be careful, however, as this spot can become dangerous in bad weather conditions.
Cala di Reta is a small rocky cove located at the foot of Parata Point, which is the starting point for shuttle boats leaving to Sanguinaires Islands. It is possible to get there by car (with a parking fee) or by bus from Ajaccio city center.
The spot is located behind the earth mound bordering the parking lot. The walk from the parking lot to the sea takes only a few minutes by the small paths.
If the beach is covered with humps of dried Posidonia, which often happens, we advise entering the water from a small passage between rocks, located below the access path (see map).
Cala di Reta is a dangerous place for snorkeling when water is not perfectly calm, notably because it is very exposed to swells when the wind blows from the West. Ask for information on site and do not enter the water if there is wind or waves.
The most beautiful seabed is to be seen on the rocky areas bordering the southern side of the cove, where rocky slopes and huge granite boulders fall into vast white sand areas.
Most rocks are covered with algae. Here and there, purple sea urchins and small sea anemones have taken shelter on the rocks.
The fish dwelling in Cala di Reta are mostly juvenile, but you will have the opportunity to see a good diversity. Common two-banded seabreams, sargo and saddled seabreams are notably quite easy to spot here.
More colorful fish like painted combers and East-Atlantic peacock wrasses appreciate the numerous cavities hidden between rocks. So do the cuttlefish, which can mainly be seen here during spring.
Huge schools of forage fish often gather in this sheltered cove. The fish density regularly attracts hungry cormorants in Cala di Reta. If lucky, you will spot one of those birds diving and chasing fish underwater.
Cala di Reta boasts exceptionally clear water, ideal for underwater photography when the sea is quiet and suitable for snorkeling.
Pointe de la Parata is home to a café – restaurant located about 600m after the parking lot. On your way back to Ajaccio, you will also find a lot of restaurants and snacks along the road, for example around Moorea beach, which happens to be a nice neighboring snorkel spot.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. 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.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
