Zakynthos: Navagio Shipwreck, Blue Caves & Xigia Beach Boat Tour

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/12

Duration3h 15m

GroupUp to 19

Mobile ticketAccepted

Three Swims, One Boat: Navagio to the Blue Caves & Back

You board a 20-seat speedboat at Alykes and make three stops: Navagio Bay for photos (swimming forbidden), the Blue Caves for a swim in mineral-blue water, and Xigia Beach for a dip in sulfur-tinged sea. The boat returns you to port in the early afternoon with all entry fees and taxes already paid.

3h 15m

Step-by-step itinerary

Zakynthos boat tour highlights

Depart from Alykes port
Photo stop at Navagio Shipwreck Bay
Swim at first wild bay or Porto Sellinas
Visit and swim at Blue Caves
Swim at Xigia Beach sulphur waters
Return to Alykes port

The Experience

The boat was supposed to leave at nine, but the captain was still tying off lines at quarter past, and half the group was still buying water from the kiosk. Nobody seemed bothered — this is Alykes, not a schedule. Once everyone was aboard the 20-seat speedboat, we headed straight for Navagio Bay, the famous shipwreck beach that sits at the base of white cliffs on Zakynthos. You can't swim there (it's protected), but the boat pulls close enough that you get the full view: the rusted hull still half-buried in the sand, the limestone walls rising up behind it, the whole thing looking exactly like the photos but somehow more real when you're actually floating in front of it.

The first real swim happened in a wild bay on the way back — the exact spot depends on the weather and what the captain decides that morning. The water was so clear you could see the rocks on the bottom, and it was cold enough that jumping in felt like a decision rather than a drift. After maybe twenty minutes, we motored over to the Blue Caves, which are exactly what they sound like: sea caves carved into the rock, the water inside reflecting off the limestone so intensely blue it looks photoshopped. The boat slowed down and we got a second swim there, this time in the cave's shadow, which was strange and good. On the way back to Alykes, we stopped at Xigia Beach, where the water smells faintly sulfurous because of a cave that feeds mineral water into the sea. It's the kind of place you'd skip if you didn't know about it, but once you're there, you understand why the locals mention it.

The whole thing takes about three hours from departure to return. All fees are built in, so there's no surprise at the end. The boat holds twenty people, which means it's not empty but it's not crowded either — you're not packed in with a hundred others. Bring a towel, sunscreen that actually works, and water, because the sun on the water is relentless and there's nowhere to hide on a speedboat.

What’s included

Speed-boat transport from Alykes port.
photo stop at Navagio Shipwreck Bay.
two swimming breaks (one in a wild bay or Porto Sellinas Bay depending on weather, one at the Blue Caves).
third swim at Xigia Beach with its distinctive sulfur waters.
all entry fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by YOTOMU

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see Zakynthos's three most famous water spots in one morning without renting a car or arranging separate transport — the fixed departure time and small group size mean you're in and out before the afternoon heat peaks.