The cave of the Bue Marino, where the monk seal lived

Among the many natural caverns on the coast of Nuoro, the biggest one and the most important is, without doubts, the renowned cave of the Bue Marino, in the territory of Dorgali. Accessible by boat from the tourist ports of Cala Gonone, Santa Maria Navarrese and Arbatax (overland it is very difficult to arrive in, since there isn't any indicated pathway), till some decades ago it was populated by the last specimen of Monk Seal, nowadays considered extinct.

On the walls inside the cave of the Bue Marino, some prehistorical graffiti are visible. The cave , spreads for kilometers with stretches of white sand that come one after the other in the shelter of underground lakes of crystalline water.

In the area of Dorgali, beside the Monte S'Ospile, you will find the beautiful cave of Ispinigoli: the entrance is followed by an underneath hall, reachable only going down about 300 stairs. A huge calcareous column, which is about forty meters high, stands in the middle of the cavern until reaching the vault which is considered the tallest one in Europe.

The caves of Sa Oche (the voice) and of Su Bentu (the wind) get through for kilometers in the bowels of the Supramonte, in the area of Oliena, and they are in large part flooded by the chilly waters of an underground stream, which nourishes some little lakes and attracts many speleo-scubas from all over the world. The few lucky people, who had the chance of going through it, obviously resorting to precautions, have documented the discovery of some spectacular environments. In this area the cave of S'Istampu, Sas Ballas and Sa Turgusa have been also found.