Arbatax (Italian pronunciation: [arbaˈtaks];[1] Sardinian: Arbatassa) is the largest hamlet (frazione) of Tortolì, Sardinia, in Italy with a population of almost 5,000 inhabitants.

[2] This theory is nowadays denied because it has no logical coherence and no historical or cultural connection with Sardinia: the linguist Massimo Pittau believes that it derives from the Latin arbutus, "strawberry tree", a common plant in the area and which gave rise to other Sardinian toponyms, since the location in the Sardinian language is written Arbatassa not Arbatax.

[3] The founders of Arbatax were Campanian fishermen from the island of Ponza, located in Lazio, close to the coast of the Italian Peninsula.

The port is used by ferries to and fro Civitavecchia and Olbia, and is also monopolized by the marine construction company Intermare, which builds gas rigs and vessels.

The town is connected to Lanusei and Cagliari by a narrow gauge railway, today used for touristic purposes, owned by Ferrovie della Sardegna.