Porto Pollo occupies a low-lying peninsula on Sardinia north coast, sheltered from the prevailing maestrale by the hills behind Palau and facing south into the Straits of Bonifacio. Its twin bays, one facing east and one west, give motor yacht crews reliable shelter regardless of wind direction, which makes it an unusual and practical base at the edge of the La Maddalena National Park. Motor yachts chartered from this part of Sardinia cover the full range from compact 20-metre cruisers to expedition-capable 60-metre vessels. The nearby anchorages in the national park are shallow in places, favouring yachts with a shallow-draft tender for access to the smaller coves. Crews based here typically provision in Palau, a short tender ride across the strait, which has a daily market and well-stocked chandlery. Charter rates for motor yachts in this area of Sardinia range from around 60,000 to over 1,000,000 euros per week before expenses, with the advance provisioning allowance running to roughly 30 percent of the base fee to cover fuel, food and berths. Early June and September offer the same consistent winds and visibility as July and August at rates typically 15 percent lower. Itineraries from Porto Pollo are among the most rewarding in northern Sardinia. The national park islands of Spargi, Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria lie within an hour under motor. The Cala Granara anchorage on Spargi shelters a crescent of white sand rarely visited by day boats. Bonifacio on the Corsican coast is three hours north, with its harbour carved into chalk cliffs and a walled medieval town above.
