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 April 3, 2021
Capo Coda Cavallo is a protected area located between Olbia and San Teodoro, on the northeast coast of Sardinia. Along the beach, which ends in a rocky point, snorkelers can discover a rich underwater life in crystal-clear water. While you will spot in the rocks octopus, wrasse, red mullet and combers, also take a look at the sandy bottoms, in which flounders and starfish hide.
Capo Coda Cavallo is a granite peninsula located south of the Gulf of Olbia, on the northeast coast of Sardinia. You can easily get there by car. A parking lot has been set up near the beach, but it fills up quickly during the day and it may get hard to find a slot. Driving time is approximately 35 minutes from Olbia and 20 minutes from San Teodoro. It is also possible to get there by boat.
We recommend that you enter the water near the rocky areas, at the northern end of the beach. If you enter or exit on the rocks, watch out for the purple sea urchins.
You can snorkel all along the horseshoe-shaped beach, which is nearly 500m long, but we advise you to focus on the rocky areas near the rocky point (see map). The most experienced snorkelers (and equipped with a dive flag) can consider snorkeling to Isola di Proratora, located less than 200m from the rocky point.
North of the beach, you’ll explore shallow rocky beds with varied profiles, sometimes covered with algae or interspersed with Posidonia meadows. Many fish can be seen here, such as the rainbow wrasse, the ornate wrasse, the painted comber, the striped red mullet and several species of seabream.
With a bit of luck, you might also spot a common dentex darting over the seabed. In the screes, look for small octopus, quite common in the bay.
If the sandy areas are home to fewer species, you can still find nice sightings there, such as wide-eyed flounder and sand sea stars buried in the substrate.
There is no bar or restaurant on the beach, which is in a natural setting. You’ll find many tourist residences on the peninsula.
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.
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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.
