The little village was inhabited by the future founders of Stintino until 1885, the year in which the penal colony was established. Since then, Cala d’Oliva no longer has any permanent residents. For a century, it was a maximum security prison: commanders, guards and their families lived in the village. It remained so until 1997, when Asinara became a national park. Today. the premises are the headquarters of the managing institution: the Botanical Observatory is located inside. The occasional inhabitants are seasonal workers, forest guards and visitors, in the only accommodation, a hostel - formerly the prison guards’ barracks - which accommodates 70 people, with a restaurant and bike rentals. Around Cala d'Oliva, there are two white sandy beaches: to the south sa Murighessa (or ‘dei Detenuti’, meaning of the Prisoners) and to the north, a small beach washed by a sea with light and dark blue waters. The seabed is full of trusting fish, in an environment where they feel safe.