Zakynthos turtle spotting & swimming Tour with fully clear boat

Good but disappointing

Very good time, very short Boat left from the port of Agios Sostis at 1:00 PM, returned at 4:00 PM Very beautiful spots to see the Keri caves and swim at Mizithres beach The spot at Turtle Island was forgotten; we never stopped except for the guide to get a bottle, then left for an area where 3 boats were chasing a poor turtle The activity was supposed to last 5 hours, it only lasted 3 hours; at 75€ per person that makes for a somewhat short activity, 3 hours of boat time were planned versus 3 hours all-inclusive in the end It is a shame not to take more time with the clients, especially since we were a mini group Good but disappointing, it could have been perfect.

Response from the operator: We would like to clarify that the advertised duration of 3–5 hours includes both pick-up and drop-off, so the total duration of the activity may vary depending on the pick-up and return arrangements. Regarding Turtle Island, unfortunately, due to the wind and sea conditions on the day of your tour, we were unable to safely approach or stop at the island. As safety is always our priority, the captain made the decision to adjust the route and visit alternative locations that were more suitable for the conditions that day. We sincerely regret that this affected your overall experience. We understand that you were expecting to visit Turtle Island, and we appreciate your understanding that the itinerary may need to be adjusted due to weather and sea conditions. We are pleased that you enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the Keri Caves and the swimming stop, and we are sorry that the experience did not fully meet your expectations.

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Turtle spotting trip

A great trip , picked up and returned to hotel, 3 hours on a fairly large boat, plenty of space to sit in shade or on top deck. We saw a number of turtles on our trip but obviously not guaranteed. Visited Keri caves, chance to swim in the sea and then dropped off to sunbathe for an hour on turtle island and see active turtle nesting sites. All done with consideration for the wildlife I thought. Toilets on board were adequate . Remember to take own snorkels, water and snacks as none provided.

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Sad

Hoping to see turtles, the tours are advertised everywhere! We ventured to other areas and the tours are advertised everywhere there. All pick-ups on time, clear instructions. We saw one turtle and to be honest it totally upset us. All the boats were circling him and quite close, he kept dipping and coming up for air. After this brief viewing it was off to the caves, swimming and a stop on turtle island where the turtles nest. Hardly any information given about turtles overall and the fact that it is not the right season, much earlier in the Summer. A really big sell on the island about turtle viewings. I was quite distressed at how close several boats got to the turtle. Never again. The caves were quite spectacular but 3 days prior to that we had visited the Blue Caves, so really a similar trip.

Response from the operator: Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are pleased to hear that the pick-up and instructions were clear and on time, and that you enjoyed the caves. We are genuinely sorry that the turtle encounter left you feeling distressed. We completely understand your concern, as the turtles are wild animals and their welfare should always come first. Sightings cannot be guaranteed, and the number of turtles and their activity can vary considerably depending on the season and weather conditions. We also appreciate your comment regarding the information provided about the turtles and their nesting season. We will take this feedback seriously and review how this is communicated to our guests, so that expectations are clearer before the tour. We are glad that you enjoyed the spectacular caves, and we are sorry that the overall experience did not meet your expectations.

via Tripadvisor

Ok experience not great.

Booked direct with operator. Feel mis sold. Was told boat would land close to beach to help my mother descend steps to beach to sand did not - the steps landed into sea - fine if you’re young but if you walk with a stick and have some mobility issues do not believe the reassuring sale blurb like we did. The on board information given over the microphone - couldn’t hear/ hear clearly. We were a scheduled afternoon boat trip - picked up at 11:30 - took over an hour to get to the coast after all the pick ups. Then ushered off the coach to stand on a jetty in skortching hot sunshine for 25minutes waiting for the boat to arrive. Just felt a bit disorganised in that respects. 25minutes at peak 1pm time- in the sun, no shade noooo! The sales guys sold us something to fit us and I don’t feel it hit our markers. It was fine for what it was just they were not upfront with the experience. It was not clear that on the final stop the boat would not be staying - it sailed off so we could see it but not get to it- which I understood why but it was not made clear that we would not have access to it. - on the boat was my suncream and daughters Epi-pens (thankfully in shade but not blooming useful!!) Fine trip but not great. Let down by lack of communication and mis sold expectations.

via Tripadvisor

Excellent private boat tour

We went to Zakynthos for a family holiday to celebrate my fathers 70th birthday. For something celebratory we decided to book a private tour and used Abba Tours to organise a private boat trip. They were very helpful and the price was reasonable. We chose to go turtle spotting (our captain found a large male loggerhead and we were able to view / photograph alongside the boat) visit Keri Caves (the captains boat handling skills were exceptional), a snorkelling stop (excellent clear waters) and visit turtle island (avoid this at all costs!). With hindsight we would have cancelled the turtle island stop as they have to drop you there and move the boat. We were there over an hour and it's crowded and nothing much to see, we should have requested a second snorkelling stop. That said, we all came away saying how thoroughly enjoyable it was and glad we did it - I'd happily reecommend!

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