Boat trip to Marathonisi, Keri caves, Myzithres and turtle watching - Zakynthos

How to get there

If you're staying around Laganas, your hotel will likely offer this type of excursion with door-to-door service included. You can also drive your car to port of Agios Sostis (here) and park for free.

Excursion 4 in 1: Keri caves, Myizithres, Matharonisi and turtle watching

You can book this excursionwith your hotel or directly in the port. Departures are quite frequent, the boats are not very large, and the groups are made up of 12 people.

The price of this tour is €30 per person, although if you negotiate, you might get a better deal. They also have more luxurious options, and even private tours.

The 4 stops you will make are as follows:

• Keri Caves and Cape Marathia: You will pass through the area of the Keri caves, where the boat will approach and enter some of the caves. You will also see some landscapes and rocks with the shape of arches. The boat does not stop, and you are not allowed to swim, which is a bit disappointing.

• Myzithres Beach: This beach was formed by an earthquake in 2018. The beach itself is beautiful, but the real highlight here is the light blue color of the water due to the minerals in the rocks and, above all, the caves. These caves completely traverse the promontory, creating incredible tunnels and beaches inside the cave. Although marine life is practically nonexistent, we recommend bringing your snorkel mask so you can see the rock formations underwater and the contrast of sunlight inside the caves. The boat will make a stop for swimming (at least 30', don't be fooled). It is the most spectacular part of the tour.

• Marathonisi Island: It is known as Turtle Island because it is a typical nesting place for the Caretta caretta turtle. It is a deserted island with a strip of white sand (and pebbles). In summer, in addition to be crowded, it’s only allowed to access the first 5 meters of the beach (turtle conservation reasons). There is absolutely no shade. There are several boats providing bar service, with quite inflated prices. Your tour will drop you off on this island and go to pick up the next customers to take them to the Keri caves and Myzithres. When you want to leave, you will have to contact the company that brought you or notify the other boatmen… it’s a bit chaotic.

The spots you will visit are incredible, especially Myzithres and the Keri caves. However, the service could be improved. It’s notorious how they care more about making the trip as many times as possible than the actual enjoyment of the customers. The boat trip from the port to Myzithres and back is done as quickly as possible. From what we’ve seen, it’s not just the company we took the tour with; it’s common among the companies offering this service.

Advice and other tours

Try to agree in advance the stipulated time for swimming at each place (especially in Myzithres), as well as the stops that will be made. They sell it as a 3-4 hour excursion and the journey from the port to Marathonisi passing through Keri caves and Marathonisi was done in 1h 15’ (including the swimming stop).

Bring water shoes, they will be useful in the Myzithres caves and on Marathonisi.

There is no shade on Marathonisi, so make sure to bring sunscreen and something to protect you from the sun.

Try to arrange the pick-up from Marathonisi in advance. Otherwise, you might have to wait more than an hour.

Besides this excursion, you have the option of taking shorter tours. Here are the prices for each one:

• 1-in-1 Excursion: Turtle spotting in Laganas bay (€10).
• 2-in-1 Excursion: Turtle spotting + Marathonisi (€15).
• 3-in-1 Excursion: Turtle spotting + Marathonisi + Keri caves (€20).
• Boat taxi to Marathonisi: Every 30 minutes there is a taxi going to and from Marathonisi (€10 round trip).

We recommend visiting the viewpoint of Myzithres, the views are incredible! Check out our post: