Maldiventre

MALDIVENTRE "The island of "evil winds"

"MALU ENTU", meaning "evil wind" owes its name to the strong mistral wind which blows for most of the year. During the Piedmonts occupation, the name become transformed into Maldiventre.

The little island, 8km from the coast and with an area of 86 hectares, consist of a single block of Porphyrius granite. Its highest point is just 18m above sea level, and the island is completely covered by a dense macchia of cyst, mastic and rosemary, "shaved" by the wind which keeps it very low.

The abundant marine-life in the water around its coast are a testament to the lack of pollution here. The island, together with the cliff of Catalano (where the famous traveller Lamarmora wrote of seeing many hooded seals), is to become a protected marine reserve.

While the west coast of the island consist almost entirely of granite cliffs, along the east coast are a succession of small, beautiful bays.

There are two nuraghe and evidence of Phoenician-Punic and Roman occupation.

Many marine birds, such as cormorants and some rare species of sea-gull nest on the island. The dense macchia provides a habitat for many wild rabbits.