Cala Luna is one of the most prestigious beaches overlooking the Golfo di Orosei, divided between the municipal districts of Dorgali and Baunei.
Indeed, the beach is the outlet of the rio Illune, which marks the border between the two municipal districts. The river hollowed the limestone rock over thousands of years, forming a long canyon, nowadays known as Codula di Luna, in line with local toponymy. The Codula di Luna extends across more than 15 kilometres, originating at the foot of the Monte Oseli (984 m a.s.l.), in the municipality of Urzulei.
The original place name “Elune” appears to have been one given by the shepherds who arrived at the foot of Baunei, after walking for eight hours, as though they were “going to the moon”.
The Cala Luna beach presents fine, clear sand. It extends for around 500 metres, slotted between 300-metre-high, steep, white limestone walls. There are five large caverns in these walls, due to wave erosion on the rock, also known as “Grottoni di Cala Luna”. These caverns are easy to reach and offer shelter during the hottest hours of the day.
To the south, the beach is protected against the Scirocco winds by the Su Masongiu promontory, while to the north, the punta dei Lastroni is clearly distinguishable with the presence of large square blocks of rock.
At the back of the sand shore, we find the stagno di Cala Luna, a wetland in the backshore with pink oleander, juncus, juniper, holm oak and other typical essences of Mediterranean shrub. The pond is also the end of the Codula di Luna and has often been the scene of flooding, at times severe.
The beach can be easily reached from the sea while trekking enthusiasts can follow different paths with varying levels of difficulty.
Certain natural elements can easily be spotted along the path. Worth noting is the panoramic point of Punta Sarbaulargiu, on the left slope of the Codula, in the district of Urzulei and the Ziu Eneittu cave, a natural karstic cavern along the route.
More difficult to reach is the Carcaragone sinkhole, where most of the water from the Rio Elune flows, or the narrow limestone gorge of Scala ‘e S’arga.
Cala Luna and the entire area of the Codula di Luna are part of the Sites of Community Importance (SCI) “Golfo di Orosei” (ITB020014) regulated by the Rete Natura 2000.
The unusual feature of this important naturalistic site convinced different cinema productions to use it as a set. Some of the most famous ones include “Travolti da un insolito destino nell’azzurro mare d’agosto” (1974) by Lina Wertmuller, with Mariangela Melato and Giancarlo Giannini; “Il signor Robinson, mostruosa storia d’amore e d’avventure” (1976) interpreted by Paolo Villaggio; “Swept Away” (2002), remake of the Wertmuller film, directed by Guy Ritchie and interpreted by the pop star Madonna.
