Blue Caves and Shipwreck Cruise

the tour round the island was good, only bad thing was i got in at 6am had to be on the boat by 9. bought a can of red bull and nurofen,, these people were laughing at me but we soon started getting drunk again.in the end they gave us the wine for free.... hahaha..... the ship wreck was so beautiful the colour of the sea was like blue mouth wash --(had some laughs about that one) sunbathed all day on the top deck and enjoyed the lovely breeze only paid 15euros,

we loved this trip, cheap and a full day out, was really great to see the sights and stand next to  the ship wreck, we wrote our names and dates on the side of the ship.

the crew entertained us with different water stops and swimming areas, water was so clear. we will never forget the trips as went two years in a row.

me and my friends paid 35 euros for the trip around the island. it was beautiful  in places.as we went to the smugglers cove it was packed with the tours boats. it took 20 mins. for everyone to get off the boat.

Best to view the shipwreck from the viewing deck

We drove to Alykes and took a boat rip from here, the boat was small but very fast. Went to the shipwreck and the blue caves, the ship wreck was a little boring but the caves were great. The crew were silent most of the way and gave little info. On the way back we stoppped at a bar and enjoyed the views out to sea. The trip was a little expensive for a family of four but we enjoyed the boat ride and would recommend it.

Hello, Ive been looking through the reviews and theres a mixture of suggestions of going on a speed boat and going on the bigger boats, can anyone tell me of a place in Alkies where we could get the speed boat, it would be great to hear from someone who has been on a speed boat from Alkies.Im going there on the 20th Sept 2005, thank you

We did this trip with Captain Spiros, Levante Speedboat Excursions www.zantelevante.com and would thoroughly recommend it. Because it is a speed boat, you only need half a day and you can get into the caves themselves.

Very Good...went with spring tours and found itvery great

We had a great time on the full day cruise. We went onto shipwreck beach but make sure you wear something on your feet as it is all small stones and kills you feet. We were able to swim there, at the Keri caves and at the blue caves.

We went from Zakynthos town and paid 15 Euros. The "fast boat" was 20 euros but they were packed on like sardines.

If you get sea sick easily then do not go on this tour. The boat absolutely stunk of sewage. The first hour or so of the journey was interesting and then everything just seemed the same. Cave after cave after cave. You see the shipreck from about a few hundred metres away along with the blue caves (this is obviously because the boat can't get closer). After these two stops it gets a bit boring. Threw up twice. Was walking around the boat and people were throwing up all over the place. At one moment I thought we were on some sort of death boat. However, the staff are quick to act and extremely friendly. The stop off at one of the beaches is really good. Carribbean style tuquoise waters and great sand.

We went on The Alexandros and, as several cruises had been cancelled due to bad weather on the previous couple of days, the ship was full to bursting and there was nowhere to sit.  As we cast off from our moorings, we got tangled up in the anchor chain of a very posh cabin cruiser and after much shouting and waving of arms, we sailed out onto the sea to be hit by a very harsh wind.  The waves were breaking over the bows, all the chavs got soaked and it was great fun.  We finally found somewhere to sit.

Not to be deterred by the weather, the captain took us down to the Keri Caves.  I think I may have been suffering from cave fatigue by this point but, hey, the cruise was 2 hours longer than expected and I managed to top up my tan on the lst day of my holiday.  It was worth the price alone just to see the chavs running for cover at the first sign of a wave. 

we went on the alexandros, thinking it was a boat trip that would inform us about the island and at least give us the opportunity to enjoy seeing the island. however, what it turned out to be was an 8 hour party boat, especially on the top deck, with the most inane techno pap being played as bikini clad girls pranced about, while the macho males looked on. after the first hour i could not wait for it to end. halfway through, there were a good few people glumly sitting looking bored rigid. the commentary was spa**e and totally uninformative. i have no issue with people enjoying themselves and indeed if i knew it was going to 8 hours non stop eurotrash music, i could have decided not to go or give my brain the day off and join in the "fun". zante is a lovely island with great views and the next time, i will be make sure i get on a trip that informs and allows people to enjoy the island, rather than 8 hours of noise!! the snack bar was a rip off as well, with that well known greek dish of nuggets and chips readily available.

Having been to Zante 2 years ago and did the whole island tour, we decided to just do a 3 hour trip on a speedboat to shipwreck and blue caves. Going by speedboat is definately worth it. Got to shipwreck in about 40 mins, had 30 mins at shipwreck, which is pretty much all you need, and then did the blue caves on the way back. The boat was small enough to go into each cave, which was about 6. You can certainly see why they are called blue caves. The water is literally blue, definatlely worth going on a small boat to get inside the caves.

If you make sure you get a good boat it's a great day out, not to be missed, so don't get the Delfini.Stunning views, great swimming etc etc. Freeze some water and take it with you to save a small fortune. Superb swimming at the wreck and a truly stunning location.

Loved this trip, Shipwreck has to be seen. I swam in the sea then had lunch sitting next to the wreck. This was the reason for booking Zante and did not let me down.

Last year we went on a big boat to see the caves - when we swam in the sea, it was like being on the titanic - no room to move! This year we went on a small boat from alykes (about 15 of us) and it was fantastic! our advice to you, is to always ask about the size of the boat!

We went on Alexandros boat, really good day saw everything we wanted to see, ie shipwreck and blue water caves, although going down the West side of Island was a bit boring as once you've seen one cave you've seen them all.  Only got one hour at Shipwreck Cove but still a must visit!!  Swimming stops amazing, deep blue water to splash about in for half an hour in three stops!! Take some food and drink with you as food on boat is a little expensive

We went on this trip with Thomas Cook, however we had been on a boat trip to see the turtles with Thomas Cook and it was too similar, we didnt even see any turtles, because our boat had really load music, it probably scared them away!.

the reps on our boat were lovely especially the tall lanky one- Matt?, he was really chatty and sweet,

 but the other one- Mark, i think?, was really irritating and very similar to David Brent!!.

it was a nice relaxing day out thought

zantelevante

Zante levante By far the best trip on the island, believe me, it had it all! With scenes of natural beauty, from the smugglers cove with its well placed malboro-fag smuggling shipwreck, and chalky beach, to the dramatic blue caves with their vibrant mineral deposits. All this you can absorb from the boat at close proximity. The boat edges its way through the caverns and crevices of the luminous caves: to think I thought they'd coloured it in on my brochure, silly me.This trip was 5 solid hours of fun and frolicks, from the unbelievably larger than life Captain Spyros, who thankfully owned a boat not only to sit 25 people, but to house an ego the size of a small East European country. Spyros is pure compressed entertainment, part John Travolta, part Barry White. He could swoon the shell off a turtle at 20 xiliometpo. This man, must have been the inspiration for the popular Shirley Valentine film from the tragic mid 80's! Any males wishing to honk Spyros' horn then I'd advise you to dress in drag or else steal his boat! But on a serious note, although Spyros may appear to be the aquatic Casanova of the Ionian waves, he is also a closet nautical supremacy whose factual competency, inexhaustable enthusiasm as well as relentless humour contributed to an all-round engaging, hence, memorable journey and much required respite away from the numbers. Also Ian's (the trip organisers)relaxed and honest approach was a refreshing change from other hard-sell tour excursion administrators.Thank you to all at Zante Levante!!!

In response to the views on "the Greek way of life".

We booked our trip with Dionisis Tours in Tsilivi.

We booked this trip through our tour operators airtours as apparantly its a must see! the cruise boat was very nice and clean however it was overcrowded and we had to sit inside the boat the whole trip as all the open air seats were taken but inside boat was spacious and cool! the trip is great if you are a confident swimmer as they stop at blue caves for you to jump in and swim but it is very deep so we just watched from boat and also the trip consisted mainly of young groups of people we only saw about two families. We went as a couple and we got some good snaps of the blue caves, now be warned as you depart from the blue caves on to the shipwreck island the sea can become very choppy like it did for us and everyone was feeling ill and the captain was handing out sick bags! I felt funny too and by the time we arrived at smugglers cove I felt to sick to move and just saw it from the window and also it was too dangerous to go any closer to it as the captain said it was too rough! apparantly this is the case on most of the trips there! you will be lucky if you get to go on it! the day is long and its best to take drinks and water with you as the prices on board are very pricey. We did like some aspects of the trip but it was along time on board.

I'm writing this to make a comment on Samantha Walpole 's (June 01, 2005) post. I am Greek and i just found my self to be insulted by her post.I would like to say that not everyone in Greece is unreliable and that she shouldn't say these things just because she had an unreliable coach.I think this is kinda racist approach;  You know, dear Samantha, these things happen all the time and not just in Greece.Thank you very much and remember to judge people as individuals and not as an entire nation...

The blue caves are wonderful. The ship wreck is worth a view but is slightly over-rated. No matter where you go in Zante you will be offered a trip to these. Levante tours is best if you want to do in it style on a speedboat. Or for a cheap option if you are driving, go to the top of the island (past the windmills) and you will find a couple of brothers who will take you on a short trip (approx 20 mins) on a glass bottomed boat to the caves.

We booked the Island Cruise with Smile Tours, a local company for 20Euros. The Tour Operator costs were very expensive and they advised us not to go with the local companies but there isn't anything to worry about. The boat they use is called the Alexandros which is fantastic to just relax and sunbathe on, there is a restaurant and snack bar on board which isn't particulary expensive. The cruise in itself is fabulous, taking you around the entire coast of the island  and stops three times for swimming stops. The most spectacular being the Shipwreck which is just breathtaking. The boat is too big to take in the Blue Caves properly so only passes by slowly. You may want to go on another trip to see the Caves better. It is the best all-rounder trip though.

My family are going to Zakynthos next year and are trying to find out as much as possible before we go. We are staying in Alykanas and want to know what trips go from there?

Just got back from our first trip to Zante. The blue caves and the ship wreck are a must. Don't miss it. You should make sure that you go on a small'ish boat as the big liners never get anywhere near the blue caves. If you have a hire car the best way to do this is to drive to Skinari. Keep going as far as you can North. When it looks like the road is going to run out you will find car park and a little hut on the cliff. I think they are called the Potamis brother boats, but not sure. These guys will charge you 7.50 Euros for the Blue Caves and the same again to take you to the shipwreck. What a bargain! They operate small glass bottomed boats and get right into the cave. Great trip! Make sure to bring your swimming cossy!

My boyfriend and I have booked to go to Argassi in two weeks time. We are very keen to go on the boat trip to Blue Caves and Shipwreck, however have seen so many mixed reviews. Is there anyone who can help... where is the best place to book to get a good price and with which boat. And any other tips for staying on the island?

We went on the Thomson trip Smugglers Cove and it wasnt worth the money at all you spend most of your time on a coach and then you go on some small boats for 1/2 an hour we couldnt stay at the smigglers cove because they said it was too rough so we were there for about 3 monutes and then they took uther beach where there was no sun! Complete waste of a day and I wouldnt recommend it to anyone 

Went on a trip with Delphini Voutirakos Cruises tours booked at a kiosk in Kalamaki.

There are so many companies offerring different prices for different versions of this tour that it makes your head spin.

Eventually we went with Mamfredas Travel (in Alykes high street) and the prices have gone up since 2004!! First Choice were offerring it at 42 euros per person - we got it for 23 euros per person. You get coach pick up and drop from as near as possible to your hotel included in the price. It also includes an hour at the shipwreck and two other "swim stops".

Make sure you book the "Alexandros" Island Cruise - its the biggest and the fastest. The "Delphini" left Zante dock 15 minutes before us, made all the same stops, and was nowhere to be seen when we got back on the coach. And the muck it pumps out of its funnels cannot be healthy!!

All the staff on the Alexandros were helpful and friendly, including the feuding Olympiakos and Panathanaikos fans in the kitchen! The Shipwreck is stunning but impossible to walk along in bare feet - wear jelly shoes or something - unbelievably, the Alexandros backed right up onto the beach. The Keri caves are amazing and the boat managed to squeeze right into one of the caves. Definitely worth it!

Me and my boyfriend have just returned from a weeks holiday on Zakynthos, we stayed in Laganas. We originally booked the above trip, just travelling around the North of the island, with our First Choice Rep, but the coach never turned up to take us to the boat!!! We were very annoyed but got our 32euros each back.

sorry

I am going to Zante Laganas for the first time with a whole bunch of friends.... we were quite interested in doing an excursion. and we saw the ship wreck on navagio beach, thought it looked beautiful. could anyone tell me how much this excursion is from laganas and what you do when you get there? xxx

Add your comment here.. I purchased some wine while on holiday I think it was called emogulu it was while we were on an evening trip is was a wine tour and greek night. Can i purchase it any where in England

Which is the best place to book excursions to the shipwreck and island tours in Alykanas?

WENT ON THE ALEXANDROUS THE BIG FAST BOAT. FOR 10 EUROS WE HAD A 8HOUR CRUISE WITH SWIMMING STOPS AT SMUGGLERS CAVE AND SOME MORE CAVES ON OTHER SIDE OF ISLAND. THE GREEK GUIDE WAS VERY CLEAR AND FRIENDLY AND ALTHOUGH THE FOOD WAS NOT CHEAP, IT WAS QUITE NICE AND A BOTTLE OF WATER WAS GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY. FIRST CHOICE WERE ADVERTISING THIS TRIP AT 25 EUROS EACH

This was by far the best trip you could go on, but please please be aware that you need to wear comfortable shoes preferably ones you can swin not sandels or fil flops the beach at the wreack is grvel and you cannot walk on it bare foot.
It is a long tiring day but well woth it, take sun cream and drinks the boot is a bit expensive for food and drink, dont use the delphini book with spring tours.

This was our first excursion that we went on when we arrived in Zante and it was a great way to see the island.
However, don't expect much in the way of comfort on the boat - we were on the Alexandros Cruiser. It was totally crammed and there were not enough seats to accomodate everyone. Luckily we were able to get a couple of seats on the right side of the boat which was great for seeing the coastline!
Smugglers Cove was worth seeing BUT we felt that it would be better visiting it on a smaller boat to beat the crowds as the beach was absolutely packed! We would recommend travelling to St Nicholas port and catching a boat to see the blue caves and shipwreck from there.

Susan & Dougie. September 2004.

My sister Julie and myself have about 24 hours ago returned to South Wales from Zante. During our stay of the first week the sun shone and temperatures soared into the 80's! On the 6th October we booked the trip from Smile Tours in Laganas Avenue (the main shopping strip) and was picked up by the Olympia Hotel and taken to Zante Town Harbour to catch the wonderful Alexandros Cruiser. It was built in 2000 and has 3 decks. First deck was the lounge, 2nd had seating areas and restaurant and 3rd deck seating area. We enjoyed a leisurely 9 hour cruise right around the island taking in some of the gorgous coastline you could ever imagine.

The seas were so clear and warm and we stopped at Smuggler's Cove where people were allowed onto the beach and swim in the clear blue waters and we also went to Keri Lighthouse and the Blue caves. The driver of the Alexandros cleverly drove the front of the boat into the entrance of the caves. For 15 euros this trip will stay in my mind for a long long time!
What a wonderful way to see the coasline! When we got off the boat the beach at the cove was very hard for our bare feet and I took video of the wreck close up and took a photo of Julie by the wreck before getting back onto the boat.

Normally this trip will cost 24 euros each in high season but we got it for 15 because it was end of season price. I will recommend this cruise to everybody as it is a great way to see the wreck and I even walked around it.

Julie and I ended up waist deep in water getting back aboard the Alexandros! Our trousers soon dried in the warm sun and we even saw holiday makers diving off the sides of the boat to swim in the clear warm sea. We met two girls on this cruise and a Scottish woman called Ruth was badly bitten on the leg by an insect.

From Diane Wilsher

Best 15 Euros spent each for this fantastic day out. We went with the big red fast boat, NOT the Delfini. 3 great swim stops but the wreck / smugglers cove was very rough. My wife got battered to bits trying to get back onto the boat here! Don't bother with a mask here as you cannot see in the milky water, and remenber that beach is pebbles, not sand!

A great way to see the island, so go do it! Get a seat on the top deck at the front if you can (there are 3 decks) but watch that air horn, it's lound!!!

Went on the entire island cruise with Euro Zante via Kosmar.

It was a great trip. We stoped off for 1 hour at the ship wreck beach and there was plenty of swimming in the sea.

It cost 20euros but was well worth it. My tips are to take your own food and drink (as the refreshments on the boat are dear) and also take a wind proof top (the east side of the island is windy!).

Paid 7 euros for a half hour journey in a glass bottom boat. Caught it from the north of the island by the Lighthouse. The caves were stunning and we were offered the chance to swim but it was a bit rough. They didn't do a trip to the Ship Wreck that day due to bad seas.

Me and my 3 friends took this trip with the delfini boat and i don't have anything to complain about, i definitly think it was worth the money!

Sheppers Wreck was so beautiful!

And Hello to the captain and all the others we got to know, who were working at the boat. Thanks for a greate time!

13 euros for the day from a tour operator in Argassi. I cant remember the name of the shop but a lady called alexandra ran it. The delfini toured the whole island with three swim stops, and visited all major coastal tourist spots. Navagio (shipwreck) beach is pebbly so remember flip flops. Try and bring some of your own food and drink as it is hideously expensive on the boat. All in all though a lovely day out but a little long winded by the end.

Visited smugglers cove on the Delfini boat out of Zante harbour.
Booked through Direct Holidays rep at 20 euro per adult 10 euro per child.
No offical rep on boat apart from an English bloke who gave the odd comment and the greek captain Spyros who we couldnt understand.
Although the sea was rough at times, we did get to land on the beach before the other two boats came in. Then the beach got crowded.
Very hard on the feet at the beach was very pebbly.
Bacon sarnies and hot dogs were microwaved and expensive.
To see the Blue Caves, its best to go by small boat (part of the island tour) as you get to go through the caves and get great photos.

We went on the island trip on the Delfini - no way is that boat 2 years old!!! more like 20! If we had taken the trip on the Alexandra - or fast boat, the trip would have been much better. Our boat was filthy, the toilet is disgusting and the food is just minging. The trip cost us 13 euro's each, which for what you saw on the tour (had we seen it all) would have been value for money. However we did not stop to see turtles at turtle island and did not stop at the shipwreck as tide was out and too dangerous to stop! we did stop for 3 swims, and stopped on 1 of these on a beach - you need feet of steel! lots of pebbles!!
So book the trip - Alexandra or Fast Boat - avoid the Delfini.

We went of the speedboat Levante with Captain Spyros. Bit more expensive then others but we got right up to the beach with the shipwreck without swimming and could go right inside the caves

I even jumped off the boat insode one of the caves to demonstrate the effect limestone has in the water. The beach at the shipwreck isn't too good though...looks better from a distance...

If you've been reading all the comments in this section, you will have noticed a few common threads :-

The trips using the bigger boats take a long time.
You are more likely to feel seasick on the bigger boats.
Some of them still go even if the sea's too rough.
The bigger the boat, the less you'll see of the caves.
If you're on a slow boat, you'll find that the shipwreck beach is over-run with fellow tourists by the time you get there.
The big boats can't get close enough to the beach, so you'll often have to swim from the boat to the beach.

We found the solution to all these problems - go with Captain Spyros on the speedboat Levante. Yes it's more expensive, but as it's like comparing a bus with a chauffeur driven sports car, you'd expect it to be. You're on holiday, so why compromise?

I booked this trip with golden dolphin in alykanas it cost a bit more but was well worth it as you go by speedboat and the boat is small enough to fit in the caves , it was i think about 25 euros

Our original date for the trip was cancelled due to poor weather but fortunately the rescheduled excursion was on a very calm day. The boat we booked housed 40 tourists but there were many other larger boats at the ship wreck. Our party of 6 all agreed that the ship wreck was the worst part of the tour since the beach is horrible and was over crowded by the other day trippers there. The boat ride was good and the small port we stopped at was quaint and very serene. For a half day out this was enjoyable experience.

what a waste of a day. the boat was over crowded as another boat packed up and the passengers were squeezed onto our boat, meaning there was a severe lack of seats. than when we got to the top of the island, we were told that conditions were to rough, so we wouldn't be able to see the ship wreck, or anything else to that matter. we ended up cruising up and down the east side of the island all day, stopping twice to have a swim. the prices of their s**te food were crazy. i would rather have spent the day back in zante town.

For anyone wanting to visit the blue caves or ship wreck, i strongly recommend that you don't go via 'the biggest ship on the island.' The complete tour of Zante has to many people on it to enjoy yourself, and in such burning heat, you'll most probably hate it. Theres not even anywhere comfortable to sit down. However, dont let that put you off visiting these two gorgeous places, you can't go to Zante and not see them, they're just beautiful. You'll have plenty of chances to go on smaller boat trips run by smaller companys, with few people and less fuss, these trips are advertised everywhere so you don't have to go far to find them and they really are worth the money. Be careful though, don't be to keen to leave a deposit for a boat trip youre going on the next day, me and my friends did that in Lagana, and when we went back the men were nowhere to be seen. They gave us a receipt and it all looked above board, but obviously not.

we went from zante town on a big boat with quite a lot of people, although everyone seemed to have a seat. it was arranged through our olympic rep at our studios as a 'north island cruise'. on setting off, everything was fine but we soon got bored because it is quite a long way to the north of the isle. the commentary was ok but not compared to the keri cruise we later went on. we were apparently lucky to be able to get off the boat at shipwreck bay, as the conditions are quite often not right for reversing the boat upto the beach. the beach is very pebbly, which is bad because looking at the bay as you arrive, all you want to do is dive in! our boat was the first of the day to arrive so we had the beach to ourselves for about 15mins, before other boats arrived & loadsa people piled out.
the bad news for us, which ruined it really, was that after running into the water & swimming, when we got out we realised that everyone was rubbing their feet as there was some kind of like, engine oil in the water. my boyfriend & i got it on our swimming gear too & its impossible to rub off. we had about an hr&1/2 on the beach then we went back to the boat to find the crew had buckets of meths & cloths so you could clean your feet! a couple of p**vy old greek guys were pointing & looking at my bikini because of the oil & it felt like they were laughing at us for being so naive. how did we know though? no-one had told us before we got off the boat! & they didnt mention anything as we pulled away from the isle either! to top it off the meths began to sting like crazy on the skin! it was eased a little on the swim stop on the way back round on a lovely beach (again pebbly though), but my return journey was uncomfortable because of the burning through my bikini.

i know others had similar feelings as me, as people were fuming that they could of at least told us then we could of chose not to go in the water. the whole trip took it out of you as it was so long to be stuck on the boat & the snack bar (with a guy called ahmed) was expensive- definately take a picnic. we hired a car later & looked at the bay from above & decided that we wished we had'nt wasted money on the trip.

apart from all this & now i have warned you, i must say the views are spectacular & the shipwreck quite interesting!

We went on a round the island tour on the Fast Boat. Stopped for three swimming stops. There were plenty of life jackets if you needed them. The only thing was the mad scramble to get back on the boat after swimming. Because the boat couldn't get far enough into shore on the swimming stops we had to swim back to it. There was one set of steps for everyone to get back on board on and many people became tired treading water waiting for their turn to get on, this may be a little scary for poor swimmers or children. It was a good day out. We was lucky to have a calm sea.

We booked this trip through our Kosmar rep at the Alykanas Beach Apartments. They take you on a bus to the port, pile loads of you on a boat, and then take you on a whole day tour around the island, stopping at the blue caves and the ship wreck. There wa a snack bar on board which served limited food, although they did do a nice fruit salad. I think we pais about £20 each for this trip - there was lots of chances to jump off the baot and into the sea. Not sure it was worth the money though, but filled a day!!! Did not see any turtles!!!

We travelled in our hired car from Tsilvi to Agios Nikolaos near the north easter tip of the island and caught a large boat carrying approx. 100 people - it was called the A...... Express?? (I forget now)It was 15 euros each - they did not charge for our 8 yr old daughter!- fantastic. Only the big boats were visiting the shipwreck that day as it was too windy for the smaller boats. The beach is a shingle beach - shoes are a must! The day we visited there had been an oil-slick some days previous and therefore our feet and shoes had nasty oil marks on them! However it was a brilliant trip - not too long on the boat - we left at 1.30pm and were back by about 5pm.
Plenty of choice of food and drink on the boat. The colour of the sea is just amazing. The wreck was interesting but not as quaint looking up close! On the way back we stopped off at the Blue Caves and the boat company had arranged for smaller boats to meet us there so that we could transfer and enter the small caves.

DO NOT BOOK WITH AIRTOURS OR SHOULD I SAY SCAIRYTOURS THE
TRIP WASTED A FULL DAY AS IT WASNT EXPLAINED THAT IF THE WEATHER IS BAD THEN YOU MAY NOT GET TO SEE THE SHIP WRECK NOT JUST THAT THE BOAT WAS OVER CROWDED AT LEAST 300 PEOPLE WITH NO SEATS FOR MANY PEOPLE. FOOD WAS CRAP AND OVER PRICED THE LIST GETS LONGER SO IL STOP!!WE BOOKED THROUGH "BLUE DOLPHIN TOURS" 25 EUROS TO GO IN SIDE THE BLUE CAVES AND SEE THE SHIP WREK WITH SWIM STOPS REFUND IF YOU DONT GET TO THE SHIP WREK AMAZING 10/10 PS DONT FORGET TO TAKE SOME SANDLES/FLIP FLOPS FOR THE TRIP YOU'L NEED EM... HAVE FUN !!!!!!
TAKE A CAMERA SOME CRACKING SCENES..............

Can somebody tell me where to take a boat to visit
blue caves
The island kefalonia
Thanks a lot

We went on the alexandros boat, and it was a great day out. We were really looking forward to being stranded on smugglers cove for 1 hour but unfortunately we only got to take pictures of the cove as they put an announcemount out saying that it was to rough to stop there, though it honestly did not seem rough to us and yet they were able to stop on other beaches which were just as small. Other than that it was a great day out and swimming in the caves was brilliant but be careful getting back on the boat cause everyone is rushing to get on and you have to tread water untill you can get back on. Once we had got bcak on the boat there was a girl on the floor with first aiders round her, it looked like she had sunk to the bottom and hit her head. Anyway it seemed she was ok though. Fantastic way to get a tan and I would do it again, but I think looking over the cliff tops at it was alot better, really breathtaking. It was certainly our favourite day. Can't wait to go back.

we went on this boat ride which was booked through our club rep at our hotel.The boat was big, air conditioned and plenty of seats to go around! Its a boat trip day out, so surprise you are actually on the boat for most of the day!!!!!!!!!!!(what did moaners expect on a Boat trip).The toilets on the boat we went on were immaculate, the staff helpful.We stopped at the caves for a photo opp, fantastic and then pulled in at a nearby beach so people (adults and kids alike)could jump from the boat in the beautiful clear blue water and have a swim. Then we headed for St Nicholas beach, where a bbq lunch was included in the price and 2 hrs of sunbathing time aloud. Then it was back to the boat and heading back to Zante town harbour. A fantastic day, a must see (dont listen to all the moaners out there)you will enjoy your day as much as we did!!!!!!!!!!!
ps. Take Flip flops!

we went to the ship wreck with golden dolphine in alykes, we thought it was a fantastic trip it was definately worth going, the beach there is very beutiful. the driver of our boat was nicos who is drop dead georgeous! thank you nicos see you next year.

dont go on the the delphini we had to sit on wooden benches for six hours.went to blue caves but didnt go in them went to shipwreck but couldnt get ofhad to look for turtles and tell the captain if you spotted one and the boat didnt stop to look at them didnt go anywhere near turtle island but saw it.had a few swim stops but water was to deep for the kids.dont buy any food or ice cream from the snack bar as it will cost more than you paid for the trip and its discusting it was 7 euros for 2 icecreams.dont go to the toilets unless your realy need it theres a nasty suprise.

Always check the weather forecast before you go.It looked ok when we left Zante town but within half an hour my 3 daughters and myself were sick.We were absolutely green by the time we reached the Shipwreck beach! After that the weather was calmer and we had a lovely swim into a cave off Marathonisi Island.It's a great way to see the whole of Zante, weather permitting.

DELFINI.Remember it and avoid this boat.When we booked up for this, the lady showed us a flyer with a very impressive looking "2 year old boat".She also showed us a picture of an equally impressive air conditioned double decked coach which would pick us up from Tsilivi at 8.45am.
So at 9.10 the bag of nails comes to pick us all up,but minus the upper deck and the extra thirty seats required for us all.Call me picky but when I pay for a seat,I WANT ONE.
We were the last coach to arrive at the boat,ten years old if a day, and not the one on the picture, so were stuck with the wooden benches over the engine,on the bottom deck, just great for the kids. I had seen this boat heading out on the previous days trip whilst sitting on Tsilivi beach pumping out black smoke and had joked to my wife "I'm glad were not on that tomorrow"."D'oh"!!
Locations visited are equally stunning regardless of what boat you are on so make sure you dont go on this one.To top it off the captain played "traditional greek music" over the speakers.Now I love a bit of culture, but this skull cracking din sounded like someone shouting into a loudhailer trying to incite a crowd to riot. My nine year old daughter refused to use the toilet for the whole eight hour trip becase they were an utter disgrace and had blatantly not been cleaned for God knows how long.
DELFINI.DON'T GO THERE!!!!

This was a nice day out for those people that enjoy spending all day and I do mean all day on a boat. I don't mind boats but the day we went it was rather choppy and alot of people were being sick. Sadly we didn't get to see any turtles and be warned the shipwreck is only a rusty ship from about 10 or 20 years ago, nothing special to be honest.
Overall I would have prefred this trip to be a little shorter as about 6 or 7 hours on a boat was too much for me

was a great day out but one tip dont get drunk the night before...
3-4 swimming stops, shipwreck beach is very stoney take flip flops!!!!!

We went on the trip around the island. I got sea sick n ma bro was ill 2. it was so bad the cabin crew were handin out sick bags. dont go on it unless u wont to be on a boat all day with ppl bein sick...

Me and the wife did the boat trip with cavo grosso 13 euro each
excellent value for the money and it was a full day tour round the island.stopped three times for swim don`t forget sandels if you go you need them at the ship wreck.

Emma,

We took a 2yr old to Kalamaki a few years ago, in June, also to Alykanas the previous Sept / Oct. The weather was OK most days, good for a small child.

Good trips - walk to Laganas along the beach, walk the other way along the beach, catch the bus to Zakynthos town and watch boats, keri caves.

There's lots of restaurants and pools, there's also the little battery cars on tracks if the kids are big enough. Hotel Exotica has a kids playground. A good choice of resort and time for a 2 yr old I thought.

We went to Tsilivi where there are plenty places to book trips, I imagine it to be the same everywhere. We took a half day trip to the Ship Wreck,booked through Dionisos Tours 20e. To be honest the Ship Wreck is not that impressive, however, this trip is worth it just for the scenery. We had a swim stop around the Caves and our boat was small enough to get the front into some of the Caves.

A fantastic bonus was that we saw a Turtle on the way there and back, unusual as they're not normally that far north. We were impressed that they actually stopped the boat so that everyone could take a look.

Word of warning: the stones you have to walk over to get to the lovely sand hurts!! don't attempt it with out shoes!!

Hello,

I am going to Laganas in August and i would like to know if there are any places where i could book day/boat trips instaed if booking with the travel agent as they are usually more expensive.

Hi Giles, We booked the trip from Manfred tours in Kalamaki and it cost 20 euros per person. The ship is really nice but I wouldn't advise a full day as it is a bit repetitive. You will still see the majority of the blue caves and he swim stop and shipwreck cove is definitley worth doing. One thing I would advise though is make sure you take flip flops as the beach is not sand but very big pebbles!!!

Does anyone know if you can get an excursion to the shipwreck from kalamaki? Or do we need to travel to another town, because i only seem to hear bout it from tsilivi. Cheers

We went to the blue caves with 'Blue Dolphin' - look for Dave Earring or Dimitri next to the crazy golf - very friendly/honest, and an excellent trip.

The blue caves are fantastic - I've visited them 3 times now.... If you hire a car then its well worth travelling up to the lighthouse at the top of the Island and taking a boat from there as its cheaper than all the others but best of all the tour guides are wonderful - they tell you everything about the caves and let you swim inside the caves (which not all of them do!) as well as in a larger cove - also have small glass bottomed boat and speak good english - Ten out of ten!

My family and i visited the blue caves and the ship wreck and can honestly say that we had an excellent day. Our guide Alan was most helpful and answered any questions to the best of his knowledge. We were treated to some excitement when as we passed through a section of the blue caves our boat got stuck. Although it sounds bad it only was stuck for a short time. During this time we took some of the best photographs all holiday. Barbara and Graham t(he staff) at the office itself were most helpful and friendly. To round up our 2 week stay on Zakynthos in Tsilivi > 10 / 10 !! We promise to return next year!

We go on boat to turtle island 2 hours. 30 euro good price and we have good time.

I really enjoyed the boat ride on this trip. The scenery was amazing. the Blue Caves were nice but our boat could only fit(barley) into one of them but it was more scary than interesting as the boat kept smacking off the side of the cave. The shipwreck was good but we had to swim to shore. Take shoes you are happy to get wet, that beautiful white sand isn't sand at all it's millions of tiny white stones which hurt alot. The guide told us not to go on the wreck as it truly is a wreck and is quite dangerous, but I ignored him and hurt myself, i've never had bruises as black before. We only stayed for 30 minutes which was long enough for us, the novelty wears off pretty quickly. we also stopped at St Nicholas bay for lunch which was realy beautiful. We payed 25 euros (i think) with Dionossis tours in Alikinas.

i must admit part of my reason for not liking the trip was i did get a little sea sick, it was really rough and almost everyone felt a LITTLE ill. The Food was expensive so it is a good idea to pack some sandwiches, and a dink, but take alot because 8am til 6pm is a very long.
love kayleigh

Monday 17th May 2004
Went from Alykanas jetty on a 45 seater fastboat to Blue Caves and Shipwreck Cove but only made it to the Blue Caves as we were turned back by the coastguard as the sea was too rough around the headland at Skinari - we had seen th shipwreck from the land viewpoint the day before though! Absolutely breathtaking!

If you have a car then go to the boats yourself and you can get a small boat with about 7 of you in for around 8euros each. Great time where they take you INTO the caves and through them. then we had an unexpected swim stop where the bloke steering the boat said 'anyone like swimming' and let us jump off the boat and swim for a good time in the caves!!! Fantastic.

we found the boat trip a bit of a disaster, but that may have been due to the season because it was mid October 1999. It started off really beautiful, the sea was gorgeous and crystal blue, but just before we turned the corner to the shipwreck, the boat was beaten back by the rough sea. Unfortunately we didn't manage to get very close to it. We gave the boat trip a miss last year, but my daughter and her friend went on it and said it was fabulous and they even managed to explore it. Those thinking of taking the trip, i would advise you to take a picnic, as the drinks and snacks were very expensive. The coach trip of the island great, and well worth the money too. They take you up into all the little villages where you can sample the local wine. You also get the opportunity to buy lovely lace tablecloths and handicrafts, and they also take you to view the shipwreck, looking down from a huge cliff. The views are breathtakingly beautiful.

msg. for sarah, this is our 4th year in tsilivi, yes the weather can be red hot, and i have come home with some great sun tan's[ september]. Last year it rained & rained, the thunder storms were fantastic,and the beach had 6ft crater in it with the force of water going at it.But we will be there this year[sep.]it's not put us off we always have a great holiday,good night life, lovely people, good food,would'nt go anywhere else, Beautifull Island

Message for Sarah, September is very hot! We visited last August but left at the end of August and it was getting hotter every day. if you go on the blue caves and shipwreck tour don't sit on the top of the boat, you burn in minutes, we learnt the hard way, however you can jump off the boat when it stops for a swim, you really need to as well! The boat trip was very long but a good day, a few too many swim stops but we managed to get a great tan, which is what we are all just after really! Have a great holiday, would go back tomorrow.

Me and my family went on this trip last year xx and it was the most beautiful place that i have ever visited. The water was gorgeous the sand wasn't that good but you would prefare to be in the water. Do be careful with young children in the sea as it has big drops. If you go to Zante you MUST go on this trip. It makes you think that your in paridise. Its well with the money. I will definitly be goin on this trip again this year. xxx

This was the highlight of our holiday. We had great weather until we were leaving the cove, we got caught in a massive storm and the temp dropped from 100degrees to bout 70. Boat is great, but take sandals for the beach as it is big stones.

Just returned from Tsilivi with my friend. We paid 10 euros each for the Delphini boat trip..... great value for money. We booked it with the english lady next to the Mediteranee hotel, she was really helpful, explaining which days would be best due to the weather forecast. We had a fab day, the sea was calm and the sights were breath taking especially the dolphin caves and shipwreck!! The captain took us right into the caves and we didnt have to swim far for the shipwreck. Would definatly reccomend this trip if visiting Tsilivi. 10/10 by far!!!!!

me and my boyfriend Tony went on the mare mare and they made it look really luxurious when we arrived at the boat it was a big disappointment, the food and drinks were really over priced and the boat was really over crowded the best thing about it was the swim stops and the trip to the ship wreck, but all in all the trip was so boring and i wouldnt go on it again

me and my boyfriend Tony went on the mare mare and they made it look really luxurious when we arrived at the boat it was a big disappointment, the food and drinks were really over priced and the boat was really over crowded the best thing about it was the swim stops and the trip to the ship wreck, but all in all the trip was so boring and i wouldnt go on it again

We also went on the Mare Mare and it was just toooooooo long and very boring, aswell as very uncomfortable.
It was far to much for my 4yr-old and she slept for over 3hours on board, actually everyone looked like they were asleep on board.
We sat on middle deck and could not hear the on-board commentary. Those poor people who knocked you over to get a seat on top deck had there heads blown off in the wind going then was left baking in the scorching heat on the return journey.
The shipwreck is a must and sea there is lovely to swim in, but very deep.
Ensure that you wear trainers as the beach is not sandy but more like the bottom of a fishtank.
Also try and refrain from vandalising the wreck, when we was there I witnessed and old tosser who'd bought a tin of white paint especially to scrawl "Clive + Pauline" on the side, it's bad enough with the greek graffiti scrawled on it without some old dickhead behaving like a yob.

I also did the trip on The Delphini. It was excellent value
(10 euros)apart from the amount of food and snacks we bought throughout the day. It is better to take a packed lunch with you, although the food on sale is fine if a bit pricey. It was the best day of holiday, weather wise and the sea was calm. The boat wasn't full which meant we could change seats anytime we liked. I didn't swim at the 3 stops we had but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. It was a bit boring at times but that is understandable as the boat sails from place to place.

We went on the trip around the island for the bargain price of 10 euros. We weren't expecting much for the price but we were bored stupid. The swimming stops were good and the ship wreck is a must, in fact the island is gorgeous. The boat/ ferry (i think it was called the Mare Mare) was really slow, uncomfortable and we were packed on like battery hens. We were on it for about 8 hours. We'll dig a bit deeper and be going on one of the speed boats next time!

HOW MANY SHADES OF WHITE CAN YOU SEE? So which trip should we go on then? There really are so many options to go and see the 'Blue Caves' and 'The Shipwreck Beach' - all about the same price, even at the end of the season like now, when we went. Upon enquiry, we were greeted by a very friendly man, who didn't hard sell us the trip on his speedboat. This man turned out to be Spiros, our captain and guide for the trip. He gave us the facts that we needed, the space to decide and a trip to remember and although it was more expensive (30 euro)than the larger boats that did a similar route, it was well worth the extra.

Just the boat trip itself is an exilerating experience. You feel as if you're in a pop video, speeding north along the turquoise waters of the the Zakynthian coastline to the 'Shipwreck Beach'. The shipwreck itself isn't so great, a it's a rusty old ship that had been used by the smuggling of Marlborough cigerettes 28 years ago. But the beach it lies on is fabulous. The various shades of white stone (limestone from the surrounding cliffs)that make up the beach are beautiful. I now know from where Habitat must get their 'ornamental pebbles' at £5 a pop. The trip comes back south and at a slower pace as the boat, being small, creeps into a series of smaller coves and caves, under natural briges, made by the errosive action of the waves. It was so good to be in all that nature! Spiros then takes you to an idealically located restaurant, overlooking a bay for a lunchbreak (this is extra) or a swim from the back of the boat.

The 1/2 day trip (08.30 - 13.00ish)is well worth the money and everyone involved are very genuine, caring and great fun. They have nothing to hide and they know their trip is good. GO ON IT NEXT TIME YOU'RE IN ZANTE!

We went on the Delphini, they have a kiosk up the main strip in laganas nr where the footy competition was. The trip tour of the island only cost €10, this didnt include any drink or food so take a packed lunch. The boat was nice, and we had a cloudy day which was good cos at least we werent sat bored by the pool! I got badly seasick and the crew gave me a life jacket for a pillow and showed me to the comfy seats bless em! High light was defo the shipwreck beach could of stayed there all day! The delphini boat is the only one that can go all the way into the dolphin caves so worth going on. Have to say that after those two high lights the enthusiasm wore off. At the last stop our boat got stuck and had to abandon anchor! A long day! Probs best to get a trip that just does the caves and the shipwrecked.

The Levante Speed Boat Trip with Captain Spiros was excellent... the children enjoyed being able to "drive" the boat and Cpt Spiros was the star of the trip!! the blue caves are good, the beach with the shipwreck on is stunning! the little taverna is ok and the location of it is fab! glad we dragged ourselves off our sun beds to go! Ian the Levante Rep is excellent too and so of course was Yannis, Cpt Spiros assistant!

Went on 1st choice day trip to Blue Caves and Smugglers Cove to see the ship wreck. The boat trip was fantastic, glorious views and a lovely calm sea. I sat on top deck in the sun which was lovely.
We stopped at 2 places, the first being smugglers cove. It really does look like the pictures, however, it's white pebbles not sand and it absolutely kills your feet if you get off the boat. If you can stand the pain it is worth it as the sea is turquoise and rather surprisingly warm and everyone just had to swim.
Secondly we stopped at a little beach village for lunch which was very picturesque.
If you love topping up your tan on a boat trip this definately the one for you. A great day out!!

Drive to the top of the Island .. to Skinari Lighthouse, lovely beaches Alikanas, Alykes, Katastari Cape and Zigia Caves all on the road there, make a day of it and there is a lovely taverna at Mikro Nisi too. Homemade wine and honey for sale at the road side (bought some of both and loved it!!) When you get to the lighthouse walk down to the steps and there is a boat trip there that costs only 7 euros and you get to go right inside the caves. FANTASTIC you can also jump off the boat for a swim in a small cove nearby and the sea is as blue as the caves. Loads of fun as it is on a smallish boat and it bounces back all the way to the steps. Not really good if you have small kids as they could bounce around a little too much if you are not keeping hold of them. It is a glass bottom boat too so you get to see the fish and wildlife in the caves too EXCELLENT. They also do the Shipwreck beach trip too but we didn't have time for that and we missed the last boat ... but next year definitely!!

The trip I went on was on the larger boats, not a speed boat and it cost me 20 Euros. Seeing the shipwreck up close was nice and the water was lovely to swim in but I was worried I was going to get left behind as it was difficult to tell which boat was blowing its sinal horn. The ship was too big to go near the blue caves which was dissapointing and it was uncomfortable. If you go take a book, your own lunch and drinks. Also take an exta towel to pad the hard seats as it takes all day because the large boats are so bloody s-l-o-w.

just one word - SPIROS. his speed boat trip made our hols. it takes half the time to get everywhere and he takes you where none of the large boats get to see. you get to stop,and swim if you want, at the shipwreck , INTO the blue caves, at a taverna tucked away in a little bay for lunch. he gives you history , information and stories there and everywhere else he stops.the kids and women got to drive the speedboat between stops,and he was just great fun start to finish .he leaves from tsilivi harbour and goes by the name LAVANTE ,speedboat trips. CHEERS SPIROS , from the hairdresser and her boyfriend(not a homosexual)

We went with olympic which has a brilliant boat with four different and a childrens play area on tthe bottom deck.The veiws are beautiful and the beach at the shipwreck is so nice and the closest ive ever been to paradise.However do watch out for jellyfish if you are swimming out far. the bite is not severe they have cream aboard to nurse the bite and the stinging is gone after ten minutes but do be careful.I say you cant go to Zante and not go on this boat trip it is an absolute must.

John my new husband and myself went to Tsilivi for our honeymoon. went on Levante speed boat it was the best money we spent all holiday. Spiros is a great chap and when he heard we had just got married cut some flowers from the Taverna we stopped at and made John propose to me again!! well recommended boat trip can't wait to go back to do it again.
p.s. our camera was on the boat when John proposed to me if anyone reads this who was on the boat with us on Sunday 21st September please can you send a photo
Thanks

Levante speed boat going from Tsilivi harbour, weather permitting. Very fast boat, holds 24 people leaves at 8.30am so gets to shipwreck beach first, then round the blue caves and then to a small taverna nearby for lunch. Captain Spiros gives you all the gen and lets the ladies drive the boat. This has got to be the best trip on the island.

it rained while we were there,but seriously cool.

We loved it!! The trip could have been organised a little bit better from a punctuality point of view! Dionysis weren't as good as a lot of people made out! Great value for money though! This was one of those days you never forget! It has to be done if you go to Zakynthos!

We spent 7 hours on the Delfini, it is by far the worst boat trip I have ever been on. The boat was overcrowded, very uncomfortable and not very clean. The snack bar was overpriced, there was no airconditiong in the lounge as advertised on the leaflets and the smell of diesel didn,t help much either. We had 1 swim stop before arriving at smugglers cove then an hour to look round the wreck. Getting off the boat was a nightmare for anyone with small children. Apart from the shipwreck there is nothing else at this cove. We were glad that we got to see the ship wreck but the trip itself was very boring especially for small children.

I have done this trip 3 times now. Last August (2002) I went with my grandaughter and we had a really nasty thunderstorm when we were out at sea so we never got to the shipwreck. But the clouds rolled away and we ended up with a perfect day for a lovely cruise back to Zante harbour. Many people were upset but you have to remember that Zante is a very green island and it rains very often to keep it that way. See my photos.

We did not actually go on an organised trip to see the blue caves and ship wreck. We hired a car and drove along the mountain side in the direction of the main port near the blue caves at the northern end of the island. The drive itself was fantastic, you pass many excellent restaurants with breathtaking views as well as lots of tiny beaches which you can have all to yorself for a swim. Just before you come to the main port you see a wooden sign for a right turn advertising trips to the Blue Caves. This leads to a tiny fishing port where you can hire a private speedboat or a more traditional slowboat for your own private trip to see the caves. The cost was 15 euros for the whole boat and the trip lasted 2 hours. We were free to swim where ever we liked and didn't have to share te experience with anyone but our driver. Please try to avoid the large organised tours in favour of smaller ports like these. it is definitely worth it!

We travelled to the blue caves with the Golden Dolphin boat trip from Alikanas/Alykes. The boat was a speedboat that went really fast, but it was small enough to fit into the caves and only held about 25 people. After that we stopped at a little taverna before heading back home. We also stopped in the middle of the sea to give everyone the oppotunity to swim in the sea. The trip lasted about 2 hours and although it was quite expensive, it was definetly worth the money.

This trip was the low point of a fantastic holiday. Nine hours on a wooden bench in a vastly overcrowded boat. Not a single turtle seen, viewed a graffiti covered wreck which was planted there and viewed through a crowd of around a thousand people who all arrived at the same time in this little cove. The boat was so overcrowded that if you were the last off, it was time to get back on again. The caves? well you get to see about 60 of them and hey, one cave looks much the same as another.It cost 12 Euros but it could have been worse,
Golden Sun were charging 24! Steve & Sue 5/03/09

this was the worst trip we went on. the boat was very rocky and not for those who are sea sick or suffer from motion sickness. what could have been a very beautiful pebbly beach was ruined by 900 tourists all arriving on these huge boats. we booked with fidelity travel, we expected something totally different. the food on the boat was very expencive so take a pack lunch.

This had to be the worst trip we went on!! Booked with Smile Tours 15Euro per person - the boat Marie Marie, was overbooked and cramped with many people not having any place to sit and considering it was a long day 9.30a.m until 5.30p.m it was really unacceptable - as was the price of food on the boat (even though the rep at smile tours in Argassi on booking informed us that food/refreshments on board were very reasonable!!)- the island is indeed beautiful and if done properly this is a great way to see it but unfortunately we were not able to enjoy it to its full extend on this trip!!

Went with Dionysus - bad move. We were put on the wrong boat which was HUGE and full to bursting - at least 500 on board and I am not joking. The prices on board were astronomical - 12 euros for 2 sandwiches and 2 drinks. It was a very long day - the scenery was amazing and the swim stops were fine - with a walkway onto the beach at the wreck - but we did sail off leaving a family behind who had to be rescued by the coastguard.... Getting on the bus when we got off the ship was a nightmare. We did not get on the bus we arrived in - we were just told to find a bus with our destination written on the front!!! Our best trip was on a tiny little boat with one other family into the blue caves. 5 euros each and worth a lot more.

We went on this with Dionnossis tours after reading all the great comments on this site - it was a NIGHTMARE -the boat, which would have comfortably acommadated 30 people had about 70 of us on it. You couldn't move on it - people were actually arguing with each other because everyone kept squashing into the spaces to sit. The atmosphere was HORRENDOUS with everyone giving each other filthy looks. It's a great trip in terms of the scenery you see and the background info given (though Graeme's a bit of a weirdo!)but the trip organisors spoil it by being greedy gits & squashing too many on the boats - go on the 3 hr turtle trip instead - just as lovely scenery and much more comfortable

The stones really DO hurt! Water was really rough when I went

I forgot to metion a couple of things.....
............Zante-Levante gets to the shipwreck before any other boats. When we went there, there were no other boats there. It leaves from Tsilivi Harbout @ 8.30am. It also stops off a beautiful little taverna situated right next to the sea in a non-touristy part of Zante, there are loads of fish that you can throw bread to from the tables. It is amazing, to watch the massive shoals of fish fight to get the bread. I would recommend this trip to everyone visiting Zante.

Went on this trip with Zante-Levante and i have to say that i dont think it is possible for any of the large boat trips to be anywhere near as good as this one!!! The boat only holds 20 people, Spiros the guide actually takes his boat into the caves. He is so friendly as well, i would recommend this trip to anyone............
.......It may be a little more expensive than the other boat trips but it is well, well worth it.
Smugglers cove is fantastic, i actually went snorkelling in the bay there, i can safely say that the water is not clear at all. The reason for this is the fact that the limestone falls into the sea from the cliffs in smugglers cove, this is why the water looks so blue!! Spiros, explained this to us all. It was quite scary snorkelling as i couldnt even see my hand in front of my face. The shipwreck its self looks great from a distance but the graffiti spoils it a bit when you get up close. The stones on the beach do hurt your feet, so take some flip-flops or something.

We went on the full day trip, scenery was nice, but a bit boring after a while. Smugglers cove was amazing though, but make sure you bring some trainers to go on the beach as the stones really hurt!

We were disappointed with the blue caves as well and loads of people got stung by jellyfish at Keri, so be careful!

If I was to do it again, I'd probably do the half day one.

Went to blue caves and shipwreck with Levante excursion by speedboat, there were about 15 others aboard unlike the other boats who ruin the view by taking about 200 or more people at once. we paid 30 euros each and it was well worth it. Spiros was fab, a good laugh and made everyone feel special. The sights we visited were well worth the money and the added extra's Spiros included. he's great with everyone and I would recommend Levante out of any of the others that are on offer, it was the best day of the holiday.

We paid 13 euros for this 9 hour excursion with spring tours. It was a comftible boat,but it was over rated.The scenery was beautiful but once you've seen one cave you've seen them all. The beach was shale at the ship wreck, and the blue caves weren't any thing special. Maybe it was the view we got?

We paid 11.50 Euros with Spring Tours (Fastboat) and it was fantastic. I get really seasick normally but was fine on this boat. The boat was really comfortable with plenty of places to sit, lay do whatever. The best day of our holiday.

Who cares if the wreck was planted there...let's face it there ain't tht much to do on Zante other than look at the views and this is a blinder! Stunning location and the sea is an incredible colour.
Our boat was fairly full and the toilets were well dodgy..altho the little bloke with the mop worked non stop to cope with tum bug stricken tourists. Sharpen your elbows for the food queue..not the fault of the staff..just pig ignorant foreign wallahs pushing in regardless of kids, women or whatever.

It was a long day, but worth it. Boat was a little over crowded, but the sea was nice and calm, so I didnt feel ill. Very hot on the top deck, but the views are beautiful!!

Best to tke your own food and drink, coz the prices on there were ridiculous!

It was all worth it just to see the water at the shipwreck! I have never seen water so clear and such a wonderful blue! No one believes me when I tell them the water was literally WKD Blue coloured, but I assure everyone it is! Those who are more cynical think the ship was "planted" there as a money making scheme - but once again its still worth going to see the water - it really is a beautiful place!

It was a bit busy there, be careful when clambering on the wreck - it doesnt look that safe!

Its an experience I will always remember!

We booked our trip through dionisos and the day was fantastic. The trip is taken on a fifty seater speed boat and we stopped several times for a swim(once at the blue caves). The shipwreck was fantastic and we stopped for lunch at st nicholas bay on the way back this trip only cost 15 euros and was well worth the money!

We booked our trip through Dionissis tours and highly recommend them. Really good boat, good food and good guide. We had 3 swim stops (reommend taking snorkel and fins so you can swim through the blue caves). The trip only cost 15 euros and was definatly worth eveery penny. The english couple who run the company from Laganas are very helpful and honest. Excellent day out.

This was the highlight of our honeymoon, The sea was like a lake and the views were fantastic, We booked throu our kosmar rep which we later found out we paid well over the odds we paid 28 euros each but if we had gone to a travel agent on the island it would have been around 15-20 euros, We had 3 swim stops but you are on the boat for about 8 hours in total so be ready for a long day and be carefull of the sun as it feels a bit chilly with the sea breeze but it was about 110 degrees and you would'nt have belived it.

WE BOOKED THIS TOUR THROUGH SPRING TOURS (FAST BOAT) IT WAS AN EXCELLENT TOUR WITH 3 SWIM STOPS THE MAIN ONE BEING SMUGGLERS COVE. MY FOUR YEAR OLD SON WAS ALLOWED TO SIT AT THE HELM AND ALL THE STAFF ON BOARD WERE SUPURB! THE FOOD ON BOARD WAS FRESH AND DRINKS A BIT PRICEY BUT OK, WE WERE THE FIRST BOAT TO REACH THE COVE SO THE PHOTOS' ARE BRILL ALL FOR 15EUROS EACH UNDER 5 FREE!!

We went on a trip last Friday, which took us to the Blue Caves and the Shipwreck. It was a very eventfull day. We stopped off at just before the Caves for a swim, the water was very deep there (15m), then we sailed along to the Shipwreck. We sailed in a small boat. When we got to the wreck, there were large boats there, which were just leaving. We were told we could have an hour there. We got off the boat, and after about 20 mins. we were told to get back on the boat immediately because the sea became very rough suddenly. Got back on the boat which was a little difficult because the boat was getting tossed about a lot. Sea was very rough on the way back and we had to stop off at Agios Nikolaos and get the bus back (after having lunch break).
The Shipwreck was located at the most breathtaking deserted beach, which is only reachable from the sea, eventhough it is possible to see it from a viewing platform at the top of the cliff. So even though it was an experience getting back, it was worth it. The sea is the most beautiful colour. The trip cost 15 Euro's, well worth the money. Booked up with British run company called Dionisos.

We booked this trip through our rep ( JMC ) but later found out we were riped off as other companies in kalamaki offered it at 15-17 euros ( we paid 20) however despite that it was good to have the JMC reps with you so we didnt mind paying a few extra euros. Disappointing day as the sea was incredibly rough ( the boat nearly tipped over) and was quite scary cos it was quite a big boat. everyone was sick or at least felt ill and this ruined the day as we couldnt swim at the shipwreck as it was so rough!
But the Blue Caves were worth a visit but the water was really cold!
we got back to zakynthos town about 4 and were very glad when we saw the harbour ( couldnty wait to get off the boat!)

This trip is definately worth doing (if u'r like me and don't like spending too long on boats) and only 15 euros! We booked with a company which used the smaller boats so were able to stop off at the blue caves and jump off for a swim (do it because the water here is much nicer than at the shipwreck and take a snorkel and mask). Shipwreck beach very crowded until about 1.00 which is when all the big boats go so u get a better photo of the beach going on the small boat because it leaves later.

Just arrived back from Zakynthos. I did this trip a couple of weeks ago. The weather was perfect and we had a brilliant guide called Hilda. I can't remember how much it cost but we booked it through our Rep. It was good to see the island and Smugglers Cove was beautiful (although very crowded by the time we got there!!) and I have never seen the sea such a gorgeous colour before! We also stopped off at a couple of other spots for a swim! If its possible I would recommend hiring out a smaller speed boat for the day because then you would be able to do your own thing and you would also be able to actually go inside some of the many caves!! The worst bit about this trip was that we on the boat between about 9:30 and 5:30 which was a long day and by about 3pm we were dying to get off!!

Going to Captains Hotel Argasssi with 2 kids can any one tell me best pubs car rentals day s out etc

Got sick of looking at rocks and this boat trip. The boat was not like the one we were told we were getting. Turned bad at the top of the island, so everyone was sick. Never got to stop at the shipwrek as the water was too bad. Had 3 stops when we were initally told it would be more. Choose carefully when booking.

The shipwreck was built in Glasgow by all accounts not England and although it looks ancient its actuually just a cunningly shot old steel freighter from the 1950's(or there abouts). Still a cracking trip if you get on the beach at the right time

It took our breath away! The shipwreck beach was amazing and the water was sooo clear!!!! A must on a visit to Zante! If you have a hire car you can drive the coastal roads to St Nicholas port and stop at all the beaches on route! Us girlies had a great road trip! Just watch out for the little lady selling Honey! 6 Euros for Honey!!! We were had!!

we went to the shipwreck and blue caves with dionissis tours and was money well spent (15euros each)boat very nice not packed at all.had about an hour at shipwreck. then back to blue caves put on small boat taken right through the caves,had about an hour swimming there ,then back on big boat to the port of st nicholas had about 40 mins there then back to alykes. ps same tour with thomson reps was 55 euros each ? june 2003

Boat trip started off ok, then when we got to the shipwreck the waves were bad, the boat never turned around like all the others did, but carried on the trip around the island, everyone was freezing cold and feeling sea sick, people were queueing up for the toilets to be sick. It was my 21st Birthday and it was hell. The captain kept stopping the boat near caves - no-one was interested in the caves, we all just wanted to get off the boat.

Before booking this tour, remember this is one of Europes most photographed beaches. Don't expect to have a castaway moment and just appreciate the fantastic scenery!

We booked a speedboat tour (seats about 40) through Dionissis tours, 15 euros for a half day trip. This lets you get right into the caves (even through some of them!) and is great for those not wishing to spend all day at sea. They aim to arrive at the shipwreck after all the big boats have left so you get 45 mins on the beach virtually on your own.

The coastline is fantastic, the caves are brilliant (take your snorkell), and the water at the shipwreck is the most brilliant blue you could imagine!

Hi please Can anyone let me know prices of food in restaurants, drinks and any excursions etc...
Thanks

If you hire a car and drive to the very north of the island as far a the lighthouse, you can go and see the blue caves very cheaply and boats go every five minutes, so its good for those that do not wish to go on long sea journeys, as it is directly underneath the lighthouse.

After reading alot about the various bad things of the long crowded boat trips, we opted for a car ride too Porto Vromi to get a small boat to take us to the wreck/caves.
We arrived at the beautiful little harbour of Porto Vromi at about 12:30 (took us about 50 mins drive from Kalamaki). Had a cool drink in the cool shack and got the 13:00 little boat out to the Caves/ Wreck. The boat could probably only manage about 30 people. We were extemely lucky as there was only six of us !!!(a lot of space to spread out and sunbath).

As the boat is small, it takes you right up close to all the rock faces and little caves enroute to the wreck. The crew would stop off a while whilst we took lots of pictures etc. As we were hugging the rugged coast line, all we could see out in the deeper waters was the bigger ferry type cruisers rushing by what seemed to be on a mission. (it seemed the decks were overcrowded with refugees !!!!)

After checking out some of the smaller caves, we proceeded to the wreck. Again the crew stopped the boat for a while whilst we entered the cove for more 'Kodak moments'.

The small boat was then beached up on the shingle beach for an hour to play round the wreck and swim in the cool blue waters. It seemed that the timing was perfect as all the bigger boats had gone and there were only a few boats and people there.

As for the wreck (built in England i think), it has to be seen. You can actually get onboard and look around (WITH EXTREME CAUTION THOUGH). If you do dare it - check out the space in the aft section of the engine room - all very spooky.

After the cove we were taken back towards Porto Vromi via another cave. This time the crew backed the boat right in and stopped there for a swim/snorkel for 5/10 mins. Worth bringing your mask and snorkel.

The whole trip only takes 2 hours (30 mins there and back via caves/cliffs and an hour at the wreck. It only cost us 10 euros each.

An ideal trip if you want to keep away from the mass of people on the refugee ships and have a car, and ideal if you don,t want to spend all day in captivity.
The down side is that the crew speak very limited english and do not give running commentary.
As the boat does not have a bar, stock up with cold drinks from the shack.

We obviously picked a good day to go on this trip as we didn't experience any of the negative comments I have read - the boat was not over crowded at all (maybe because fairly early season), the sea was very calm and whilst the beach at the ship wreck was busy, it was certainly not too bad. The beautiful turquoise sea at Smugglers Cove was exactly as you see in all the pictures and I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes. A very long, very hot day, but worth a visit.

If anyone is thinking of taking this trip you've got to ask yourself what your expecting. If your expecting a luxury yacht with free amenities and free drinks/food for the amount you pay you've got to be kidding. If however you looking for a nice relaxing cruise around some of the tourist sites on the Island and a stop off at the shipwreck for some swimming, this is exactly what you get. The views all round and Smuggler's Cove are amazing, one of the prettiest places I've ever seen but I ask you to please remember it is a "cove" so it wil be busy especially as it is one of the most famous parts of the Island. You spend an hour on the beach which is shingle so I would suggest some good footwear but is none the less a worthwhile trip.
I personnally really enjoyed the trip and so did my partner but it's not one for young children as it mostly is a boat trip, but I great one for people who just want to relax and enjoy themselves.

We visited this as part of a round the Island trip. Booked through the rep (a lot cheaper for the same boat/trip if you book direct).
Take some sturdy pool shoes as your feet will get ripped apart on the beach. The boat was far too crowded for any enjoyment.
If anything, worth a quick stop to swim in the beautiful turquoise waters which I have never seen before.If it wasn't for the fact it is impossible, I would have said that dye had been put in the sea 'for the tourists'. The 'shipwreck' (and I say that tongue in cheek) is a hazard for younger children. Be careful.

Does anybody know if its possible to hire speed boats

Load of c*ck to tell the truth!!

Over crowded and over priced. More people on ship wreck beach than on Tsilive (boat loads)

Erm, wouldn't bother with this one to be honest as its just so commercial! The caves were like 'oh, is that it'? Also the shipwreck beach is pretty, but not with 10 other boats and a million tourists on the beach at the same time and you also don't get much time on the beach (we had 30 mins!)

Wouldn't reccomend this one, sorry!