The Pink Beach can be found at Cala di Roto, in the south-eastern part of the island of Budelli, in the Maddalena Archipelago.
Its name comes from the colour of its sand, which turns coral pink in the presence of Red foraminiferan shells. This is a foraminifer with calcareous shell which grows on the
rhizomes of the Posidonia oceanica, the most important marine plant in the Mediterranean area.
The beach falls within the limits of Zone A (full protection) in the Maddalena Archipelago National Park. In the XX century, thoughtless moorings, together with irregular movements in the wave motion led to the deterioration and withdrawal of the Mediterranean tapeweed meadow. This, together with the “theft” of sediments, led to a change in the sand’s composition which was losing its typical pink colour. In 1998, with the introduction of regulations on integral protection of the beach, closing it off to docking, swimming and mooring, its colour was fully restored.
Navigation is allowed as far as the area marked with buoys which encircling the bay, positioned about 70 metres from the shore.
Its colours can still be admired from the sea, accompanied by guides from the Maddalena Archipelago National Park. The Park corporation provides a free virtual tour.
The film director Michelangelo Antonioni shot parts of his film “Deserto rosso” (1964) here.
The island of Budelli was private property up until 2016 when it was assigned to the park, after the failed attempt to purchase it by a New Zealand tycoon.
