I would recommend this tour to anyone going to Zante next year as it is the end of the 2004 holiday season. Last Tuesday (12th October) Julie and I went on this lovely Island tour with Smile Tours in Laganas. We were taken to see St Mavourer's (not sure of spelling) Church and our guide was from London originally and her name was Wendy. From the church, we were taken to the Castelli Taverna and was shown the fabulous panoramic view of the island that anyone could ever wish to see!
From there we went up into the hills to the wine tasting place and into Volimes flea market where Julie bought an hand made bracelet for 3 euros. Then we went to St Nicholas Bay where some of our party were taken to the Blue Caves and stayed on the pebbled beach. other people too stayed on the beach. All in all an excellent trip and we have plans to go again to Zante next season. Wow I really enjoyed my first fortnight and Laganas has so much to offer. Many thanks to Sam who is from Liverpool and works for Smile Tours. We did two trips throughout the whole fortnight and they were brilliant. Returned from Zakynthos yesterday (18th october)
From Diane Wilsher

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

My sister Julie and myself booked a turtle trip with someone on Laganas beach and cost 15 euros each because it was the end of the holiday season.

We went out to Marathonissi (Turtle island)and also to see Marathonissi caves and went right in to them. The sea was lovely and smooth and we stopped off at the beach of turtle island and seen a Caretta caretta baby. Isn't it wonderful that these turtles will return to the island 25 years later to lay their eggs and they live to about 100 years old? Everyone crowded around the baby and took photos of it. A guide told everyone not to touch it and it was making it's way to the sea. We were very lucky to have seen one.
I will go to Turtle Island again in the near future. Next September if we are lucky enough to be returning to Zackynthos.
From Diane Wilsher