Blue Caves Zakynthos, Greece: How to Get There, Best Tours & Top Tips!

Looking for advice on visiting the Blue Caves on Zante Island in Greece? You’ve come to the right place!

In this article I have outlined everything you need to know about visiting the Zakynthos Blue Caves. Including how to get there, the best tours to see them, what to pack, where to stay and more.

The Blue Caves are a series of natural rock formations along the northeast coast of Zante, both arches and caves, which are famous for their distinctive bright blue color of the waters.

They’re one of the most popular attractions of the island, and it’s easy to see why. Few other places in Zakynthos, if not all of Greece, have such a unique natural landscape.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in, and discover everything you need to know about visiting the Blue Caves in Zakynthos, Greece!

What are the Blue Caves in Zakynthos? 

Located over in the northeast portion of the island of Greece, the Blue Caves of Zakynthos are well worth a visit. The beautiful natural formation is made up of a series of curving archways, as well as a succession of caves that lead into a larger inner cave. 

It’s easy to see why the caves have been dubbed the “Blue Caves”. The water here is strikingly blue, a sight made even more stunning by the cave walls, which create particular reflections of the water, and turn the famous Blue Caves into a surreal environment.

The colours of the ocean dancing off the walls of the caves are particularly beautiful, but the interesting arches are rock formations are also super cool. 

Exploring these unique caves is considered one of the best things to do in Zante, so it’s only natural that, during high season, they attract hundreds of visitors every day. 

How to get to the Blue Caves 

The caves aren’t the easiest place to access as you can only reach them by sea. That means you need to hop aboard a boat or peddle over in a kayak to see them.

The best way to see them is by opting for a Blue Caves of Zakynthos boat trip. 

The tours come in a range of different formats, from full-day excursions with lunches and other famous locations included, to simple kayak trips right into the mouth of the caves.

Choosing how to get to the caves is totally up to you, and will depend on your budget and whether you want to spend the whole day out and about exploring. 

 

The best Blue Caves tours 

As there’s no real way to reach the Blue Caves independently, you’ll have to either join a Zakynthos boat tour or kayak tour, so here are the best ones for you to choose from:

Shipwreck Beach Private Boat Cruise

Set off on your very own private Blue Caves of Zante adventure. This private boat trip means you get your own boat all to yourself, so you and your crew can have a day to remember. 

The day starts with a departure from Porto Vromi, from there the first stop is seeing the famous shipwreck at Navagio Beach. Then, it’s onwards to see the Hidden Treasure Cave, another of Zakynthos’ beautiful caves.

After a refreshing swim, it’s time to see the main attraction: The Blue Caves.

The helpful guide is always on hand with a wealth of information about the various stops and will make sure the day runs as smoothly as possible. Overall, the private tour offers pretty good value for money. 

Click here to book your private boat cruise to the Blue Caves & Shipwreck Beach in Zante, Greece, or check out availability in the calendar below!

 

Navagio Shipwreck Beach & Blue Caves Tour

This full-day Blue Caves Zante tour packs a lot of places into the trip. First up you are collected from your accommodation and whisked to the port in an air-conditioned minibus.

Before hitting the high seas, the driver will take you to some iconic sights around the island of Zakynthos, including Bohali viewpoint and a swim at Xygia beach.

Then it’s time to hit the high seas in a speedboat which will whisk you James Bond style, to the Navagio Shipwreck beach.

After stopping for a swim, the boat will then drive you to the main event – the beautiful blue caves of Zakynthos.

And then, after all the fun of seeing the caves up close, the day winds up with the final stop: the 2000-year-old olive tree in Exo Chora village before being driven back home to where you’re staying. 

Check out prices & availability for your Blue Caves & Zante tour here, or in the calendar below!

 

Blue caves of Zante day trip

This is a super fun tour of Zante’s Blue Caves that doesn’t last for hours on end. The perfect choice for travellers who don’t want to be out on the sea or on a tour that takes up the whole day.

The tour begins at Porto Vromi Maries and makes its way toward Navagio Beach. The famous 1980s shipwreck is the perfect spot to have a swim and snap some pictures. 

Afterwards, it’s time to explore the glistening waters of the Blue Caves. Seeing the caves, along with the knowledgeable and friendly crew, will turn an ordinary boat trip into a lifetime experience.

The atmosphere onboard the cruise is laid back and well-organised meaning you can really relax and enjoy the ride.

In total, the day trip included three different swimming spots so there’s plenty of chance to jump in and take a refreshing dip on a hot day. 

Check out prices & availability for this short Blue Caves tour in Zante here, or in the calendar below!

 

Blue Caves Zakynthos Kayak Tour 

Exploring by sea kayak is a super cool way to see the Blue Caves.

Being in a kayak means you can actually go inside the smaller caves and reach places that the bigger boats aren’t able to access. You can also go close to the cliffs and the amazing succession of limestone arches at the cave entrance. 

There’s no need to worry if you’re not too sure about how to actually kayak.

This kayak tour is available to anyone who is at least 6 years old with basic swimming skills, and your tour guide will give you helpful advice on what to do when you’re in the water. 

The kayak tours come in a range of different options from half-day excursions to private full-day trips, so it’s up to you to choose which tour you would like to join. 

Cruise to Navagio, Turtle Island & Keri Caves

This is the tour we did, and it was pretty perfect for us. If you prefer to spend time away from the crowds, you might want to book yourself a day out on this private cruise around the whole of Zakynthos.

Not only does this day trip stop off at the Blue Caves, but it also sees you spend time at a long list of dreamy destinations around the island. 

Hop aboard your very own boat at Porto Vromi and be driven by a local skipper to some of the most incredible beaches around Zante.

Along with the Blue Caves, highlights include the White Beach, Sfogio Beach, Plakaki Beach, and Keri Caves. Not only that, but the tour includes a visit to see turtle breeding grounds at Turtle Island. 

Click here to book your private cruise around Zakynthos (including the Blue Caves), or check out the calendar below to see prices & availability!

 

Blue Caves and Navagio Bay Swim Cruise

This Blue Caves of Zante boat tour offers up a slightly different experience. The small boat cruise takes you from the port of Agios Nikolaos to the famous location of the Navagio shipwreck.

After a swim, the next stop of the day is the Blue Caves. After passing through the natural archways of the cave entrance, the small boats will be able to take you deep into the caves.

Compared to some of the bigger cruise boats, the smaller boats are great since they can go deep into the caves, and not just into the largest cave like the big cruise ships.

Once inside you will be able to see the walls of the amazing caves up close and, in the right conditions, you’re able to actually swim inside the caves itself. 

Check out prices & availability for your Blue Caves swim tour in Zante here, or in the calendar below!

 

What to do at the Blue Caves 

The famous Blue Zante Caves are included on a lot of boat trip itineraries. Most tours don’t stay too long inside of them, which is why it’s best to combine a visit to the Blue Caves with a wider Zakynthos boat tour. 

When visiting them, the caves themselves are the main attraction. Seeing the glowing blue of the water reflected on the walls of the caves is a pretty beautiful sight.

The cruise will take you in and out of the caves, passing through the arches and admiring the ambience of the cave as you go.

Is visiting the Blue Caves worth it?

While undoubtedly beautiful, I personally didn’t find the Blue Caves to be that exciting (although I’m also a bit claustrophobic and don’t like caves in general, so I’m probably not very objective).

The rock formations are pretty unique and the water inside them is incredibly clear and turquoise, but in my opinion it’s not the highlight of a Zante trip.

On the other hand, doing a boat trip around Zante island was pretty amazing, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. 

If you combine your visit to the Blue Caves with a wider Zakynthos boat tour, and spend the day out at sea with your friends seeing other unique sights like Shipwreck Beach, Keri Caves and Turtle Island (like with this private tour we did), then yes I’d say the Blue Caves are worth visiting.

I also wouldn’t travel to Zante just to see the Blue Caves. Other Greek islands like Santorini and Mykonos are without a doubt more iconic, but Zante is a pretty good option for a more chill beach holiday.

So if you’re planning a Greek island getaway this summer, and choose Zakynthos for your holiday, make sure to add the Blue Caves to your itinerary, but only as part of a wider Zante tour.

Where to stay to visit the Blue Caves in Zakynthos

It doesn’t really matter where you stay in Zante to visit the Blue Caves.

You’ll be closer to the caves if you stay in the north, but the island isn’t particularly big, and you can be there in one hour even if you stay in the south in Laganas or Keri.

Plus, boat tours will have departure points across various parts of the island, and you can pick one that sets off close to you. As such, here are some of the best places to stay in Zakynthos for every budget, and in different areas around the island.

Budget: Gerovasis Apartments with Sea View – We spent five nights here and found it to be a perfect base for exploring Zante. Located in the quiet beach town of Keri, the apartment is spacious, clean, has epic views and is fairly cheap.

Click here to book your stay at Gerovasis Apartments with Sea View!

Mid-range: Joya Luxury Villas – Even though there is Luxury in the name, this beautiful villa is actually pretty affordable, while still offering a luxury service. It sleeps up to 10 people, has a private pool, and is perfectly positioned to explore the North East coast of Zante. We stayed here for the weekend and loved it.

Click here to book your stay at Joya Luxury Villas in Zante!

Luxury: Lesante Cape Resort & Villas – We had lunch here and fell in love with the venue. This 5-star hotel has beautiful little villas with private pools, amazing service, stunning views and is in a great position. Perfect to spoil yourself!

Click here to see prices & availability at Lesante Cape Resort & Villas!

What to pack to visit the Blue Caves

You don’t really need anything special to visit the Blue Caves, just your usual beach essentials. I listed anyway a couple of items that will make your boat trip to the Blue Caves smoother.

Power bank – you don’t want your phone to run out of battery while you’re busy capturing the stunning caves and beautiful blue waters!

Stainless steel water bottle – save money and reduce plastic consumption by bringing your own water bottle and refilling it.

Sunscreen – Especially if you visit in summer, you don’t want to ruin your trip by getting sunburnt.

Hat – Same as above, the sun is strong, you’ll want some shade for your head during the day!

Do you need travel insurance to visit the Blue Caves Zakynthos?

After my personal experience spending two nights in a private hospital in Tenerife, and having to pay for it out of pocket (it wasn’t cheap), I always recommend getting travel insurance.

You might not end up needing it, but for a small fee you can travel without worries. Personally, I suggest getting your Greece travel insurance with  Heymondo.

Heymondo offers tailor made travel insurance, providing the best value for money for your specific trip. You can also buy it once you’re already abroad and have forgotten about it before flying (which, if you’re anything like me, is quite likely).

Besides the usual cancellation, medical expenses, luggage coverage and general travel insurance services, Heymondo also has a 24/7 doctor chat and instant assistance through their app.

As a Greta’s Travels reader, you get 5% off your Heymondo travel insurance!

Click here to get your 5% off Heymondo travel insurance!

Final thoughts on visiting the Blue Caves in Zakynthos, Greece

There you have it, the ultimate guide to visiting the Zante Blue Caves! Have you visited these unique sea caves before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

With their picturesque rock formations, and the startling blue colour of the seawater, it’s easy to see why these caves have become so popular.

Like I already mentioned, I didn’t personally love them, but that has more to do with my personal aversion to caves than to the beauty of these sea caves specifically.

They’re gorgeous caves and well worthy of a visit, especially if combined to other famous sights in Zante on an epic boat trip around the island. They might not be the stuff of Europe bucket lists, but they’re pretty beautiful.

I hope you found my Zante Blue Caves guide useful! If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!

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