A Dubai-based influencer has been fined €1,800 for illegally accessing an off-limits pink beach in Sardinia and posting videos of her visit on social media. The woman, of Brazilian origin, arrived by dinghy at Spiaggia Rosa, a beach renowned for its distinctive pink sand located on the small Sardinian island of Budelli. Despite clear prohibition signs, she ignored the restrictions, according to reports in the Italian press.
Spiaggia Rosa has been closed to tourists for walking and swimming since the 1990s due to the frequent theft of its unique sand. Visitors can still explore the island by boat during the day and walk along a designated path behind the beach. However, direct access to the beach itself is strictly prohibited.
The influencer, who goes by @Rogeriaguiadubai on Instagram and has more than 35,000 followers, documented her visit in a series of video clips and photos. One particularly striking video featured her footprints in the pink sand set to the tune of Édith Piaf’s “La Vie en rose.” This video, along with others, quickly drew the ire of local Sardinians and prompted authorities to take action.
The La Maddalena archipelago coastguard, which oversees Budelli, launched an investigation and soon traced the influencer to Dubai. She was subsequently notified of her fine, which included €300 for violating the beach access ban and €1,500 for using a vessel without the necessary authorization to reach Budelli. The woman had rented the dinghy, and the rental company owner was reportedly unaware of her plans to visit the restricted island.
The Instagram account @Rogeriaguiadubai is currently set to private, and attempts to reach the influencer for comment have gone unanswered.
Budelli, although uninhabited now, has a storied past. For over three decades, it was home to Mauro Morandi, who arrived on the island in 1989 after his catamaran broke down en route to the South Pacific. Morandi, often likened to Robinson Crusoe, became the island’s unofficial caretaker. However, in 2021, at the age of 84, he was asked to leave by the authority managing La Maddalena National Park.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of preserving protected natural sites and the impact of social media on these delicate environments. Despite the allure of capturing unique content for followers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting environmental regulations and the potential consequences of flouting them.