Scandola & Piana Semi-Rigid Speedboat Day Trip from Ajaccio

Ajaccio and Porticcio: setting off along the west coast

The day begins at 8:00 AM in Ajaccio, the main city of southern Corsica, or at 8:15 AM across the water in Porticcio, the seaside resort on the southern shore facing the town. The Ajaccio boarding point was recently moved to a spot with easier and cheaper parking, which makes the early start far less stressful if you are driving.

From the first minutes the semi-rigid boat heads north along a coastline of granite headlands, coves and turquoise water, and the skipper explains the landscape as it unfolds. Many travellers search for a Scandola boat trip from Ajaccio because the reserve is a long way by road; by sea the ride itself becomes part of the adventure, fast and exhilarating, with the wind and spray of open water. Sit towards the back if you prefer a smoother ride.

Scandola Nature Reserve: red cliffs, sea caves and seabirds

Scandola is the heart of this trip. Created as a nature reserve in 1975 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, this rugged peninsula is made of volcanic rock formed around 250 million years ago. Over time the sea has carved it into columns, arches, needles and caves, and the rock glows in shades of red, ochre and purple when the sun strikes it.

The boat glides close to the cliffs so you can look into grottoes and narrow passages that are impossible to reach on land. The protected waters are among the clearest in the Mediterranean, with rich fish life, cormorants and ospreys nesting on the rock pinnacles, and dolphins sometimes follow the boats. Landing and swimming are restricted inside the reserve, so this is a scenic cruise; the swims come later in the day.

Girolata: the hamlet without roads

Your first stop is Girolata, a tiny village tucked into a sheltered cove between the sea and red cliffs. No road reaches it: the only ways in are by boat or on a footpath of roughly an hour and a half from the mountain pass above. Its stone Genoese fort, built in the 16th century to guard the anchorage, still stands on the rocky spur over the beach.

You have about two hours here, the longest break of the day. Have lunch at one of the small waterside restaurants (not included, and some prefer cash), relax on the pebble and sand beach or wander up towards the fort for the view over the cove. The cows that sometimes stroll along the beach are part of the village's charm. It is the perfect pause before the afternoon on the water.

Calanques de Piana: a maze of red granite

After Girolata the boat crosses towards the Calanques de Piana, known in Corsican as the Calanche, part of the same UNESCO site as Scandola. Here pink and orange granite rises in towers, needles and arches several hundred metres above the sea, sculpted over millennia by wind, salt and rain into shapes the locals compare to animals and faces.

A semi-rigid boat is the ideal way to see them: it slips between the rocks and into narrow channels where larger cruise boats cannot go, and every turn reveals a new passage or cave. Many visitors drive the famous road above the Calanques; seeing them from the water, with the cliffs towering overhead, is a completely different experience and one of the best photo moments of the day.

Capo Rosso: the swim stop

The last highlight is Capo Rosso, a bold red headland that rises more than 300 metres from the sea, crowned by an old Genoese watchtower. At its foot the water is astonishingly clear, shading from emerald to deep blue, and the boat stops so you can dive in and swim in a magnificent natural setting.

Bring your swimwear, a towel and biodegradable sunscreen to protect this fragile coast. Those who prefer to stay dry can simply enjoy the panorama of the cliffs from the boat. On the way back to Ajaccio or Porticcio the late-afternoon light warms the coastline, a calm and beautiful end to a long day at sea; you are back around 4:00 PM.