Santorini: License-Free Boat Rental & Coastal Exploration

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Free cancellation

1/8

Duration5h

LanguagesEN · EL

Mobile ticketAccepted

Steer your own boat around Santorini's hidden coves and volcanic shores

You get a license-free motorboat for a half-day or sunset, with safety gear, snorkeling equipment, cooler, and water included. Navigate Santorini's Red Beach, White Beach, Hot Springs, and Volcano on your own schedule. Fuel is pay-as-you-go, measured at start and return. Meet at Vlychada port for handover and a safety briefing before you leave.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-drive boat rental and coastal exploration

Meet at Vlychada port
Receive full safety briefing
Get boat handover and instructions
Explore Red Beach and White Beach
Visit Black Mountain and Indian Rock
Sail past Akrotiri Lighthouse
Relax at Hot Springs and Volcano
Visit Thirasia Island
Enjoy views of Oia’s houses and churches
Return boat and measure fuel usage

The Experience

Steering away from Vlychada port, you're alone on the water with a brand-new Poseidon Blue 17ft motorboat that asks nothing of you except a willingness to point it where you want to go. No license, no captain, no tour group trailing behind — just you, whoever you brought, and the Aegean. The boat comes loaded: life jackets for everyone, a full safety briefing from the team before you leave, snorkeling gear if you want it, a cooler stocked with ice and bottled water, and GPS so you don't have to guess which way the Hot Springs are. You pay for the fuel you use, measured at handover and again when you return, so there's no surprise at the end.

The coastline unfolds in the order you choose. Red Beach and White Beach sit on the western side, their cliffs dropping straight into water so clear you can see the bottom from the boat. Black Mountain rises dark and geometric, and if you swing south past Akrotiri Lighthouse, you'll find Indian Rock and the Hot Springs — a place where thermal water actually warms the sea around you. The Volcano is there too, a half-submerged crater you can circle or anchor near and swim. Thirasia Island sits across the caldera, quieter than Santorini itself, with a few tavernas on the water if you want to stop for lunch. And Oia's whitewashed houses and blue domes are visible from almost anywhere on the water, so you don't have to chase them — they're just there, framing the afternoon light.

You can rent daytime, 9am to 2pm, or catch the sunset slot, 3pm to 8pm. The boat has a bimini top for shade, a shower to rinse off salt, a GPS plotter and fish finder built in, and USB charging if your phone needs it. Fishing equipment comes on request, snorkeling equipment too. If you'd rather not drive from your hotel, the team can arrange a skipper or transportation for an extra fee — but the whole point here is that you don't have to arrange anything except where you want the boat to take you.

What’s included

Life jackets for adults and children, full safety briefing, bottled water, cooler stocked with ice, snacks, GPS plotter, bimini top for shade, shower, snorkeling equipment upon request, and fishing equipment upon request.
Fuel is measured at start and return; you pay only for consumption.
Third-party insurance, first aid kit, emergency flares, and fire extinguisher are on board.
Optional: transportation from your accommodation and skipper service for an additional charge.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcome

Operated by Santorini Blue Waves Cruises

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to explore Santorini's coastline without a guide or group, and who are comfortable steering a motorboat. Expect a half-day on the water — daytime or sunset — which is what gives you time to reach multiple coves, beaches, and the volcano without rushing.