I'm debating between staying in the Cala Gonone or Santa Maria Navaresse areas and would like to know which area you'd recommend for scenic beauty, restaurants, and

ease of renting a little boat to visit the beautiful beaches between them.

If Cala Gonone, we're thinking of staying at Nuraghe Arvu and if Santa Maria, possible the Lanthia resort, but we're open to your suggestions.

We live and work (running a guesthouse for climbers, walkers, mountain bikers, cyclists and kayakers) 3 km from Santa Maria in Lotzorai and know the whole Gulf of Orosei very well. Cala Gonone has a great view of the Gulf of Orosei south, better than Santa Maria's view across the Gulf of Arbatax; Santa Maria is more chic than Cala Gonone in general, although the best restaurants like the Nascar (and I'm told the Lanthia though we've never been there) are not open all year and so we don't go there (we work 11 months a year and therefore prefer to work with places that are open all year round); Santa Maria is a better base for walking, with (for instance) one of the Rother guide's 10 recommended walks in Sardinia starting from there, climbing to the top of Monte Oro and coming back around the coast from Pedra Longa; ditto for other sports...Santa Maria is generally a better base. There are more big passenger boats running from Cala Gonone than from Santa Maria but at both places you can rent RHIB's. We use Nautica at Santa Maria for RHIB hire, and this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EquPJ5kQf1o is taken in part from a Nautica RHIB going up the coast. They can also rent you a RHIB with a driver.

Peter

Peter, thank you for your expert opinion....I've read a lot of your previous posts. We definitely won't be scaling rocks...but your video link showed the beauty of the area. I thought Cala Gonone looked like it was closer to the most beautiful beaches...but we don't want to go out with a big passenger boat.
If we stayed in the Santa Maria area, where would you recommend we stay?....want a great view, local charm boutique type lodging.

My other concern is that we have something else to do in case it's not beach weather...we're going during the third week of September. We like to hike but 2 hours would be our max...and nothing too strenous.
We'll be driving from the Santa Teresa area and continuing on to Cagliari afterwards....8 nights in Sardinia and then going on to Sicily.

"I thought Cala Gonone looked like it was closer to the most beautiful beaches...but we don't want to go out with a big passenger boat." The whole coastline is spectacular. Our favourite beach is Cala Goloritzè which you walk to: 1 hour down 1:30 back up, 30' drive from Santa Maria. The big boats don't drop off people there, so unlike Cala Luna, Cala Sisine, Cala Mariolu no big crowds, though in September you should be OK at least mid-week.

"If we stayed in the Santa Maria area, where would you recommend we stay?....want a great view, local charm boutique type lodging." We don't stay in the hotels. There are two 4-star hotels in Santa Maria, the Lanthia and the Nascar. We know the owners of both and they're both good hotels. Have a look at their sites.

"My other concern is that we have something else to do in case it's not beach weather...we're going during the third week of September. We like to hike but 2 hours would be our max...and nothing too strenous." The walk to Goloritzè is quite steep coming back but is fine for kids from age 8 upwards - You can also walk from Genna Silana to Europe's deepest gorge, the Gola su Gorruppu, down the path we're riding down in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JueEQ8xA1ro There are many very good archeological sites to see and also the Maria Lai museum at Ulassai. We have a quick summary of local culture at http://www.peteranne.it/ogliastra-sardinia/ .

ciao Peter

Thanks again Peter. That is some biking! The area does look beautiful. I think we could manage the walk to Cal Goloritze.