An Ayia Napa boat trip sails from the harbour to the white sea caves of Cape Greco, the clear Blue Lagoon and the turtle coves of the east coast of Cyprus. Plan more of your holiday with Greece Tours.
Below you can compare the top-selling cruises, the quays, the route, the lagoon, the turtles, the family and party boats, the sunset sails, the private charters and the season.
What is an Ayia Napa boat trip?
An Ayia Napa boat trip is a cruise from the harbour or marina of Ayia Napa along the south-east tip of Cyprus. It passes the sea caves of Cape Greco, anchors in the Blue Lagoon for a swim, looks for turtles and returns within 1 to 6 hours.
Ayia Napa sits at the eastern end of the island’s south coast, close to Cape Greco. The town belongs to the Kokkinochoria, the “red villages” named after the deep red colour of their soil. Its harbour is the main base for the cruise boats of the east coast.
The town grew around its monastery. Local tradition holds that the area stayed empty, apart from the monks, until about 1790, when Nikolaos Kemitzis arrived from Thessaloniki and settled nearby after a quarrel with the Ottoman rulers. Today the old fishing harbour serves every Ayia Napa boat trip on the coast.
Love Ayia Napa, a local guide to the resort, lists boat trips as one of the top things to do in town. Every Ayia Napa boat trip on its schedule visits the sea caves and includes swimming stops, and the longer routes reach the beaches of Protaras and a viewpoint over Famagusta.
The sea here is the draw. The coast between Ayia Napa and Protaras mixes white limestone cliffs, caves you can swim through, small coves and clear shallow water, all within a short sail of the quay.
Distances are short, so the day goes to the water rather than to the journey. DanEri Yachts puts the Blue Lagoon 8 to 10 nautical miles east of the marina, a sail of 20 to 35 minutes each way.
Formats range widely. You can book a lazy day cruise with lunch, a turtle cruise, a glass-bottom or underwater-view boat, a pirate ship, a catamaran, a party boat, a sunset sail or a private yacht. Our Cyprus tours page sets this coast next to the other regions of Cyprus.
Which Ayia Napa boat trip options lead the sales?
The Lazy Day Cruise, which visits Turtle Cove and the Blue Lagoon and serves lunch, leads the sales on GetYourGuide. The Protaras Blue Lagoon cruise past the sea caves, the Cpt Marko turtle cruise and the Turtle Dream yacht with its big slide follow.
We ranked the boat trips on this coast by review count and starting price across GetYourGuide and Viator, and the same boats appear on both sites.
The Lazy Day Cruise sits at the top. Its boat is the Aphrodite II, and Viator sells the same lazy day format under the boat’s own name. Its gallery shows a white boat with a light-blue hull anchored over clear water while guests swim around it.
From Protaras, the Blue Lagoon cruise through the sea caves to Turtle Cove comes next. Its gallery shows the Aphrodite Cruises boat moored under orange cliffs above a reef.
The Cpt Marko Blue Lagoon and turtle cruise ranks third, with lunch as an option. Its boat carries the words “Blue Lagoon Cruise” on its side and sails close to the rocky shore. The Turtle Dream luxury yacht, with a big slide and an optional barbecue, rounds out the top four, and Viator sells a Protaras turtle luxury yacht with a slide, an optional barbecue and transfers.
Further down the list, each Ayia Napa boat trip fills a niche: a premium cruise with lunch and swim stops, the Black Pearl pirate cruise, a Famagusta chill-and-relax cruise, a cruise to Cape Greco and Protaras, and a catamaran trip to the Blue Lagoon.
Where does an Ayia Napa boat trip depart from?
An Ayia Napa boat trip departs from Ayia Napa harbour or the newer Ayia Napa Marina. Boats on the same coast also board at Protaras, at Pernera harbour and at the Golden Coast harbour, and certain tours add hotel transfers.
Ayia Napa harbour is the classic quay. The Yellow Submarine and Famagusta Napa Boat both sail from it, and the Yellow Submarine stays in the waters around the town.
The marina is the second base. DanEri Yachts names it alongside the harbour as a departure point and measures the route to the lagoon from it.
Protaras has its own quays. Medusa Cruises sails from the Golden Coast harbour in Protaras, and its 3-hour chill-out cruise leaves Pernera harbour at 10:15 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Guests staying north of Cape Greco can board there and skip the drive to Ayia Napa.
Boarding times run ahead of departure. Famagusta Napa Boat boards its Blue Lagoon cruise at 09:20 for a 10:00 sailing, and its sunset cruise at 15:40 for a 16:00 sailing.
Transfers help guests without a car. Viator sells the Turtle LUX yacht from Protaras with transfers, and DanEri notes that guests staying in Larnaca or Nicosia also head for this coast, since the Cape Greco lagoon is the closer one to them.
Check the meeting point on your ticket before you set off, because an Ayia Napa boat trip and a Protaras boat trip to the same lagoon start from different quays.
What route does an Ayia Napa boat trip follow?
The classic route leaves the harbour, runs east past the white cliffs and sea caves of Cape Greco, and anchors in the Blue Lagoon for the main swim. Longer cruises add Konnos Bay, Turtle Cove, the beaches of Protaras and a viewpoint over Famagusta.
The sea caves come first. They line the cliffs between the town and the cape, and every Ayia Napa boat trip on Love Ayia Napa’s schedule visits them.
Cape Greco follows, and Love Ayia Napa notes that the boats view its dramatic peak on the way to the lagoon.
The Blue Lagoon is the anchor stop. On a shared cruise, DanEri counts 40 to 60 minutes at anchor in the lagoon itself, and longer on its full-day catamarans.
A second stop comes next on longer routes. DanEri names Konnos Bay as a frequent second swim, and the turtle cruises add Turtle Cove or Turtle Bay, where the crews look for sea turtles.
The longest routes continue north. Love Ayia Napa says they sail past the busy beaches of Protaras to a viewpoint over Famagusta, where the ghost town of Varosha shows in the distance.
The Famagusta Napa Boat Blue Lagoon cruise at 10:00 covers the same stretch in one morning, with a swim in the lagoon and a look at the hidden sea caves.
The return leg retraces the coast. On the Yellow Submarine, the captain lets young guests take a turn at the wheel on the way back into the harbour, a highlight of the Ayia Napa boat trip for children.
Which Blue Lagoon does an Ayia Napa boat trip visit?
An Ayia Napa boat trip visits the Blue Lagoon at Cape Greco, between Ayia Napa and Protaras. Cyprus has a second Blue Lagoon on the Akamas peninsula in the far west, reached from Latchi, about a three-hour drive away.
The two names cause confusion. DanEri Yachts explains that both are clear, sheltered bays, but they sit at opposite ends of the island.
The east-coast lagoon lies minutes offshore from two resort towns. It has warm, sheltered water, short boat rides and frequent departures each day, and the Cape Greco sea caves sit on the way.
The Akamas lagoon is the wild one. DanEri describes a horseshoe inlet about 200 metres across inside the Akamas National Park, with no beach, no facilities and no paved road. Our Paphos Blue Lagoon tour page covers that trip.
Pick the lagoon on your side of the island. Guests in Ayia Napa, Protaras, Larnaca or Nicosia book an Ayia Napa boat trip to the Cape Greco lagoon, while guests in Paphos, Coral Bay or Polis book the Akamas trip.
Love Ayia Napa places the Blue Lagoon at Konnos Bay, while DanEri lists Konnos Bay as a separate second stop. Either way, both sit on the same short stretch of coast near Cape Greco, and a single Ayia Napa boat trip covers them both.
What are the sea caves on an Ayia Napa boat trip?
The sea caves are hollows that the sea has cut into the white limestone cliffs between Ayia Napa and Cape Greco. Every Ayia Napa boat trip passes them, and the Yellow Submarine stops so guests can swim into the caves with a lifeguard.
The caves sit inside the Cape Greco National Forest Park, along a shore of layered white rock. From the deck, guests see dark openings at the waterline and arches where the sea runs straight through the cliff.
The Yellow Submarine makes the caves its main event. Its crew are qualified lifeguards who swim with guests and guide them through 4 caves that are open to swimmers. Before the swim, a diver from the crew dives down and feeds the fish so passengers can watch from the underwater viewing deck.
The larger boats on an Ayia Napa boat trip view the caves from outside. The Protaras Blue Lagoon cruise names the sea caves in its title, and Medusa Cruises promises hidden sea caves on its trips.
The Famagusta Napa Boat sunset cruise passes the Ayia Napa Sea Caves and the Love Bridge, a natural rock arch over the sea, on the same evening run.
Legend gives these waters a monster of their own, known locally as the Ayia Napa sea monster.
Swim into a cave only with the crew. Cliffs, swell and passing boats make the area busy, so stay with the lifeguards and follow their route on any Ayia Napa boat trip that offers a cave swim.
How long do you spend in the water on an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Plan on one to three swim stops. A shared cruise anchors in the Blue Lagoon for 40 to 60 minutes, the Ocean Queen makes stops of 30 to 40 minutes each, and the Yellow Submarine adds a guided cave swim, a slide and diving boards.
Love Ayia Napa states that swimming stops come with every Ayia Napa boat trip on its schedule, so the question is the number and length of the stops.
The lagoon stop is the longest on any Ayia Napa boat trip. DanEri Yachts counts 40 to 60 minutes at anchor on a shared cruise and more on its full-day catamarans, which leaves time to swim out, snorkel the shallows and climb back aboard for a rest.
Lunch cruises split the time. One Ocean Queen guest counted three stops of 30 to 40 minutes, another counted two, and a Medusa guest also counted two stops for swimming and snorkelling on the 4-hour cruise.
The Yellow Submarine fits a lot into a short trip. Its lifeguards lead a swim through 4 caves, and then guests use the waterslide and 3 diving boards before the boat heads home.
Where can you see turtles on an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Turtle cruises stop at the coves named Turtle Cove and Turtle Bay in the cruise titles, on the coast between Ayia Napa and Protaras. Crews look for sea turtles there, and Love Ayia Napa adds that dolphins and turtles appear near the coast in the early and late summer.
Turtles drive the sales of the Ayia Napa boat trip market. The top four products on GetYourGuide all name turtles in their titles, from the Lazy Day Cruise to the Turtle Dream yacht.
Medusa Cruises promises a swim with turtles on its 4-hour chill-out cruise and stops at Turtle Bay. Not every trip finds them: one German guest wrote that the crew stopped twice for swimming and snorkelling, but the turtles stayed away that day.
The Ocean Queen also runs turtle-spotting tours, and one guest wrote of swimming with the turtles on a 4-hour cruise with two swim stops. DanEri Yachts says that lucky mornings bring a sea turtle past the boat.
The pirate cruise from Protaras sails to the Blue Lagoon in search of turtles, and an adults-only cruise from Ayia Napa combines the lagoon with turtle spotting for guests over the operator’s age limit.
Treat the turtles with care. They are wild animals, so watch them from a distance in the water, never chase them and never feed them, whatever the boat you choose for your Ayia Napa boat trip.
What does a lazy day cruise from Ayia Napa include?
A lazy day cruise from Ayia Napa includes a slow sail past the sea caves to Turtle Cove and the lagoon, long swim stops, sunbeds on deck and lunch on board. The Aphrodite II Lazy Day Cruise is the top seller, and lunch comes with the ticket.
On a lazy Ayia Napa boat trip, the idea is rest, not speed. Famagusta Napa Boat describes its lazy chill-out cruise as a comfortable cruise along the coast, with swims and snorkelling in clear water and none of the noise of the party boats.
Lunch is part of the deal on the classic lazy day Ayia Napa boat trip. The Aphrodite II includes lunch in the ticket, while the Cpt Marko cruise and the Turtle Dream yacht offer lunch or a barbecue as an option.
The Ocean Queen shows what a full lunch looks like. Guests describe chicken, rice, salad and bread served on board, with a fruit tray for the VIP deck on arrival.
Swim stops set the rhythm. One Ocean Queen guest counted three stops of 30 to 40 minutes each, and long stops leave time to swim, snorkel and rest on deck between dips.
A premium cruise from Ayia Napa, sold on Viator, adds lunch, swim stops and spacious decks to the lazy day format of an Ayia Napa boat trip.
What food and drink does an Ayia Napa boat trip serve?
Lunch cruises serve hot meals such as chicken, rice and salad, catamarans cook seafood pasta and mussels, and barbecue yachts grill on board. Bars sell cocktails, beer and soft drinks, while sunset cruises pour champagne and open bars come with the full-day boats.
Food varies by boat, so read the inclusions before you book an Ayia Napa boat trip. The lazy day cruise on the Aphrodite II includes lunch, and the Cpt Marko cruise sells lunch as an option.
On a catamaran Ayia Napa boat trip, the food goes further. DanEri guests describe barley pasta with shrimp and clams, mussels, fresh salads, local wine and cheeses, and one guest noted that the galley cooked around a gluten-free diet without fuss.
Medusa Cruises serves a Mediterranean lunch and a drink on its 4-hour cruise, and the Turtle Dream yacht and the Viator turtle yacht from Protaras add an optional barbecue.
Drinks follow the style of the boat. The Ocean Queen mixes signature cocktails, the Famagusta Napa Boat bar sells cocktails, beers, soft drinks and snacks, and a private yacht for Ayia Napa and Protaras comes with unlimited drinks.
Evening cruises turn dinner into the event. The 80s and 90s sunset cruise from Protaras serves a Cypriot dinner, and the Medusa sunset cruise pairs champagne with fresh seasonal fruit.
Which Ayia Napa boat trip suits families with children?
Families pick the Yellow Submarine, the Mermaid Cruise from Protaras, the Black Pearl pirate cruise or a lazy day cruise with a slide. These boats add games, slides and diving boards, and they keep the time at sea short.
The Yellow Submarine is the Ayia Napa boat trip built around children. It has a waterslide and 3 diving boards, lifeguards swim with the guests, and on the way back the captain lets the youngest passengers steer the boat. Non-swimmers are welcome and wear the life jackets the crew provides.
The Mermaid Cruise from Medusa Cruises is a 2.5-hour family adventure for young children. Guests look out for mermaids, swim in warm water and join games and a treasure hunt on board.
The Black Pearl sails from Ayia Napa as a pirate cruise, and a separate Blue Lagoon pirate cruise from Protaras goes looking for turtles. Pirate ships turn the trip into a story for children.
Famagusta Napa Boat calls both its Blue Lagoon and sunset cruises family-friendly, and it asks parents to check that children are comfortable with the length of the cruise.
Fig Tree Bay in Protaras is a family beach with lifeguards from April to October, from 9am to 6pm, so families on an Ayia Napa boat trip from the Protaras side have a calm beach to return to.
Which glass-bottom and underwater-view boats sail from Ayia Napa?
The Yellow Submarine has an underwater viewing deck with portholes below the waterline, and a glass-bottom boat called the Dolphin Submarine runs from Protaras. Both show fish and reefs without a swim and add a stop for snorkelling.
The Yellow Submarine has a long history. Its captain built the boat in 1998 in a small village close to Ayia Napa, and it was the first boat in Cyprus with an underwater view area. The family business has run it for over 26 years.
On this Ayia Napa boat trip, passengers walk down to the portholes of the underwater deck as the boat cruises the coast. At the caves, a crew diver feeds the fish so the whole boat can watch them gather.
The Dolphin Submarine appears in the gallery of the Protaras Blue Lagoon and Turtle Cove cruise via the sea cave. Its yellow hull carries the words “glass bottom boat”, and its interior photos show rows of round windows below the waterline.
Viator lists the same Dolphin glass-bottom cruise to the Blue Lagoon and Turtle Cove for guests who book there.
A glass-bottom Ayia Napa boat trip suits guests who do not swim, families with small children and anyone who wants to see the reef before they snorkel it.
Which catamaran and yacht trips leave Ayia Napa and Protaras?
Catamaran cruises sail from Protaras to the Blue Lagoon, and full-day catamarans of 5 to 6 hours sail from Ayia Napa. Yacht options include the Turtle Dream with its big slide, a yacht tour to Turtle Bay and the Ocean Queen luxury boat.
For a catamaran Ayia Napa boat trip, GetYourGuide sells a catamaran cruise from Protaras to the Blue Lagoon, and Viator lists the Crystal Sea catamaran cruise from Protaras.
DanEri Yachts sets out the two classic formats on this coast. A half-day cruise of 3 to 4 hours takes in the sea caves and a long swim in the lagoon, while a full-day luxury catamaran of 5 to 6 hours adds a cooked lunch, an open bar and snorkelling gear.
Guests on this kind of Ayia Napa boat trip describe small numbers on board. One wrote that only 22 people sailed, crew included, and another praised barley pasta with shrimp and clams, mussels, fresh salads, local wine and local cheeses from the galley.
The Turtle Dream is the top-selling yacht on this coast. Its gallery shows the St Georgios II, a large white motor yacht with an inflatable slide off the stern, anchored in clear water while guests swim around it. An optional barbecue completes the Ayia Napa boat trip.
The Ocean Queen is the big-boat Ayia Napa boat trip. Built in 2021, it bills itself as the biggest luxury boat in Ayia Napa, with four decks, VIP areas, waiter service and multiple bars. Guests on the VIP deck mention sunbeds and a jacuzzi, and its signature cocktails come from mixology world champion Ioannis Ioannou.
A yacht tour to Turtle Bay and the Blue Lagoon sails from both Ayia Napa and Protaras, and a Blue Lagoon and Turtle Bay cruise caps its numbers at 30 guests for a quieter Ayia Napa boat trip.
Which party and adults-only cruises sail from Ayia Napa?
Party boats, an 80s and 90s sunset cruise with a Cypriot dinner and a DJ, an adults-only Blue Lagoon turtle cruise and a private yacht with unlimited drinks serve adult groups. Love Ayia Napa lists party boats among its regular cruises.
Ayia Napa is known for clubbing, and the square beside its old monastery is the clubbing centre of the town. Love Ayia Napa names party boats next to its lazy cruises, family trips, adventure sea tours and sunset trips.
Nissi Beach feeds the party crowd. It has drawn clubbers since the BBC Radio 1 Roadshow began broadcasting there in the summer of 2002, and its beach bar runs foam parties and guest DJs.
The 80s and 90s sunset cruise sails from Protaras with a Cypriot dinner and a DJ. Viator sells an original 80s and 90s DJ sunset cruise for guests aged 16 and over.
The adults-only turtle cruise keeps the Blue Lagoon and the turtle spotting but leaves children ashore, which suits couples on an Ayia Napa boat trip.
Groups who want the whole boat for an Ayia Napa boat trip book the private yacht with unlimited drinks, sold for both Ayia Napa and Protaras. Its gallery shows a fast motor boat with twin outboard engines and a sun deck.
Drink sensibly at sea, because swim stops, strong sun and alcohol are a poor mix on any Ayia Napa boat trip.
Which sunset cruises sail from Ayia Napa?
Famagusta Napa Boat runs a 3.5-hour sunset cruise to the Blue Lagoon and the Famagusta ghost town at 16:00. Medusa Cruises sails a sunset cruise with fruit and champagne from Protaras, and the Ocean Queen offers its own sunset tour.
The Famagusta Napa Boat sunset cruise boards at 15:40 at Ayia Napa harbour, sails at 16:00 and returns around 19:30. The ticket includes a guided tour past the Blue Lagoon, the Ayia Napa Sea Caves, the Love Bridge and the Famagusta ghost town, plus a swim and snorkel in the lagoon.
On this Ayia Napa boat trip, the boat carries a bar with cocktails, beers, soft drinks and snacks, free WiFi, snorkelling equipment, sunbeds and toilets. Food and drinks cost extra.
Medusa Cruises takes a quieter line. Its sunset cruise serves sparkling champagne and fresh seasonal fruit with soft music on deck, and it suits couples on a romantic Ayia Napa boat trip.
The Ocean Queen lists a sunset tour next to its day tour and private hire, and the 80s and 90s cruise turns the sunset into a party with dinner and a DJ.
The timing works for evening plans. A sunset Ayia Napa boat trip back in the harbour around 19:30 leaves the whole evening free for dinner in town.
Can an Ayia Napa boat trip reach Famagusta and Varosha?
Yes, as a view from the sea. The longer cruises sail north past Protaras to a viewpoint over Famagusta, where Varosha, its abandoned southern quarter, shows in the distance. The boats view it from the sea, since the area lies under the control of Northern Cyprus.
Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus, east of Nicosia, with the deepest harbour on the island. In the Middle Ages, under Genoa and Venice, it was the leading port of Cyprus and a gateway for trade with the Levant, from where Silk Road merchants carried goods on to Western Europe.
The larger part of the Famagusta District lies under the control of Northern Cyprus, while part of it, including Ayia Napa and Protaras, remains in the Republic of Cyprus.
Varosha is its southern quarter. It covers 6.19 square kilometres and had a population of only 226 in the 2011 census of Northern Cyprus. Love Ayia Napa and Famagusta Napa Boat both call it the ghost town.
The view features on the longer routes. Love Ayia Napa says the longer cruises sail past the beaches of Protaras to the Famagusta viewpoint, and Famagusta Napa Boat names the ghost town on its sunset route.
Viator also lists a Famagusta chill-and-relax cruise from Ayia Napa harbour, and GetYourGuide sells a Famagusta jeep tour combined with a Blue Lagoon cruise for guests who want both land and sea in one day.
Paralimni, the town behind Protaras, grew after 1974 as refugees from the north settled there. Today it is the temporary administrative centre of the Famagusta District, and the view from the boat shows how close the old city lies.
How do you charter a private boat in Ayia Napa?
Contact an operator directly or book a private yacht online. Famagusta Napa Boat, the Yellow Submarine, the Ocean Queen, Medusa Cruises and DanEri Yachts all hire out whole boats for groups, birthdays, family days and sunset parties.
A private Ayia Napa boat trip puts the whole boat on your schedule. DanEri Yachts points out that a private charter is the way to see the lagoon at its quietest, early or late in the day.
Operators tailor each private Ayia Napa boat trip. Famagusta Napa Boat plans romantic sunset cruises, family days, birthday parties and yacht adventures with friends. The Yellow Submarine hires out its boat for special occasions, and the Ocean Queen lists private hire next to its day and sunset tours.
Medusa Cruises offers its fleet, the Medusa and the Medusa I, for private charters, and asks groups to book early in the peak season. GetYourGuide also sells a private yacht with unlimited drinks for Ayia Napa and Protaras.
Read the cancellation terms of each Ayia Napa boat trip. DanEri Yachts refunds a private cruise in full when you cancel 72 hours before departure, and a shared cruise when you cancel 48 hours ahead. The Yellow Submarine gives a full refund or credit when it cancels for weather.
Famagusta Napa Boat also describes its trips as eco-friendly and aims to connect guests with the marine environment.
Agree the route, the swim stops, the food and the number of guests in writing before you pay for a private Ayia Napa boat trip.
Which boat trips start in Protaras?
Protaras sends out the Blue Lagoon cruise through the sea caves, the Turtle Dream yacht, the catamaran to the Blue Lagoon, the pirate cruise, the Dolphin Submarine and the Medusa Cruises fleet. They cover the same lagoon and turtle coves as an Ayia Napa boat trip.
Protaras is a resort in the municipality of Paralimni, north of Cape Greco. In ancient times the area held the city-state of Leukolla, whose small, safe harbour sheltered Demetrius Poliorketes in 306 BC as he waited for Ptolemy. Demetrius won the battle that followed.
Protaras is also known as the land of windmills, and its sandy beaches face clear, sky-blue water. Today its quays at the Golden Coast harbour and Pernera send boats south to the cape.
Medusa Cruises has worked this coast for more than 10 years. Its programme runs from a 3-hour chill-out cruise and a 4-hour lunch cruise to the Mermaid Cruise for families and a champagne sunset cruise.
One Medusa guest in a wheelchair wrote that the crew helped them into and out of the water at the swim stops, so they snorkelled in the Blue Lagoon. Ask your operator about access before you book any Ayia Napa boat trip or Protaras cruise.
Protaras also draws divers to Green Bay and its underwater statues, and to sites such as Malama Bay, Decosta Bay, the Chapel and the Blue Hole.
Is it better to board in Ayia Napa or in Protaras?
Board where you stay. Both towns reach the same Blue Lagoon, sea caves and turtle coves in under an hour. Ayia Napa harbour has the larger choice of boats, while Protaras offers Medusa Cruises, the Dolphin Submarine and the Turtle Dream yacht close to the hotels.
The lagoon sits between the two towns. From the centre of Protaras, Cape Greco is only 10 minutes away by car, and DanEri puts the lagoon 20 to 35 minutes by sea from the Ayia Napa marina, so neither side adds much sailing time.
Ayia Napa harbour holds the widest mix: the Yellow Submarine, Famagusta Napa Boat, the lazy day cruisers, the Black Pearl pirate ship and the catamarans. An Ayia Napa boat trip from the harbour also passes the Nissi side of the coast.
Protaras has the family boats and the northern routes. Its cruises pass the beaches of Fig Tree Bay, and the resort has a reputation as a quieter, family place with less of a club scene.
Kapparis, a quieter village between Paralimni and Protaras with three beaches, sits closer to the Protaras quays, so guests there save a drive by boarding in Protaras.
Transfers close the gap either way. Viator’s turtle yacht from Protaras includes transfers, and guests in Larnaca or Nicosia book an Ayia Napa boat trip with a pick-up and use whichever quay the operator names.
What can you see from the boat along the Ayia Napa coast?
From the deck you see the sea caves, the Love Bridge rock arch, the cliffs and peak of Cape Greco, Konnos Bay, the sandy beaches of Nissi and Fig Tree Bay, and on the longer routes the skyline of Famagusta and Varosha.
Nissi Beach, on the Ayia Napa coast, has a small islet that guests reach on foot through shallow water. Digs on the western side of the bay found fire-lighting tools about 12,000 years old, a sign of early human presence. In 2011 the beach topped the TripAdvisor list of beaches in Europe.
The Makronissos Tombs, an ancient site near the town, hold a set of rock-cut tombs beside a quarry and a sanctuary.
East of the harbour, the coast turns wild. The white cliffs, the sea caves and the Love Bridge lead to Cape Greco, the easternmost point of the area run by the Republic of Cyprus. In antiquity it bore the name Cape Pedalion.
Beyond the cape, Konnos Bay and the Blue Lagoon give way to the beaches of Protaras. Fig Tree Bay, 500 metres long with an islet a short swim offshore, is the beach Protaras is known for. Works on the beach in 2010 unearthed an ancient Greek tomb.
In the town itself, the Venetian-era monastery of Ayia Napa gave the resort its name, and its oldest walls date from before 1191.
When does an Ayia Napa boat trip run?
Ayia Napa boat trips sail from early April to early November, weather permitting. Daytime cruises leave in the morning, around 10:00, and sunset cruises leave around 16:00. Dolphins and turtles appear near the coast in the early and late summer.
Love Ayia Napa sets the season from early April to early November. Weather can cancel sailings in any month.
The shoulder months bring wildlife to an Ayia Napa boat trip. Love Ayia Napa notes a chance of spotting dolphins and turtles around the coast close to Ayia Napa in the early and late summer.
The summer brings steady sun. The Cyprus coast gets about 3,200 sunny hours each year, and rain falls mainly in winter, which suits daily departures on an Ayia Napa boat trip in summer.
Book ahead in peak months. Love Ayia Napa advises booking tickets in advance to guarantee places, and Medusa Cruises warns that private charter dates fill fast in the peak season.
Weather decides on the day. Rough seas stop the boats, and the Yellow Submarine promises a full refund or a credit when it calls off a trip for weather.
What do you pack for an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Pack swimwear, a towel, sun cream, a hat, sunglasses and a waterproof pouch for your phone. Add cash or a card for the bar, and a dry layer for the ride home. Check whether your boat supplies snorkelling gear.
Protect your skin first. An Ayia Napa boat trip spends hours on open water under a strong sun, so reapply sun cream after each swim and keep a hat on between stops.
Gear comes with the ticket on certain boats. Famagusta Napa Boat supplies snorkelling equipment and sunbeds, and the Yellow Submarine hands life jackets to non-swimmers.
Budget for extras. Bars on board sell cocktails, beer, soft drinks and snacks, and drinks on the Ocean Queen come at fair prices with no hard sell, one guest noted.
Arrive early for a good seat. Ocean Queen guests advise boarding in good time to claim the second-floor seating with the widest views.
How do you choose an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Start with who is on board. Families pick the Yellow Submarine or the Mermaid Cruise, couples pick a sunset or adults-only cruise, food lovers pick a catamaran, and party groups pick the 80s and 90s cruise or a private yacht.
Each Ayia Napa boat trip format fits a different group:
- Young families: the Yellow Submarine, with lifeguards, a slide and a cave swim, or the 2.5-hour Mermaid Cruise.
- Turtle fans: the Lazy Day Cruise, the Cpt Marko cruise or the Medusa 4-hour chill-out cruise.
- Couples: the Medusa champagne sunset, the adults-only turtle cruise or the Ocean Queen VIP deck.
- Food lovers: a full-day catamaran with a cooked lunch and an open bar.
- Groups: the 80s and 90s DJ cruise or a private yacht with unlimited drinks.
Time comes next. A 1-hour run fits a morning, a 3 to 4-hour cruise fills half a day, and a full-day catamaran takes 5 to 6 hours.
Crowds come last. DanEri guests praise small numbers on board, the Ocean Queen VIP deck keeps space for a handful of guests, and a Blue Lagoon and Turtle Bay cruise caps its numbers at 30, so pick a smaller boat for a calmer Ayia Napa boat trip.
What do travellers ask about an Ayia Napa boat trip?
How long does an Ayia Napa boat trip last?
From about 1 hour on short runs to 5 or 6 hours on full-day catamarans. The Famagusta Napa Boat sunset cruise lasts about 3.5 hours.
How far is the Blue Lagoon from Ayia Napa?
About 8 to 10 nautical miles, a sail of 20 to 35 minutes each way.
Can non-swimmers join an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Yes. Life jackets are on board, and the Yellow Submarine welcomes non-swimmers.
Do Ayia Napa boat trips include lunch?
The lazy day cruises and full-day catamarans include lunch. Shorter trips sell snacks at the bar.
Will you see turtles on an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Not on every trip. The turtle cruises stop at the turtle coves, and sightings depend on the day.
Can you swim through the sea caves on an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Yes, on the Yellow Submarine, whose lifeguards guide guests through 4 caves.
Does an Ayia Napa boat trip run in winter?
No. The season runs from early April to early November.
Can wheelchair users join an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Ask the operator first. One Medusa guest in a wheelchair wrote that the crew helped them into the water at the swim stops.
Is an Ayia Napa boat trip safe for children?
Yes, on the family boats. The Yellow Submarine crew are qualified lifeguards, and the crew hands out life jackets.
Which is the main harbour for an Ayia Napa boat trip?
Ayia Napa harbour, with further departures from the marina, Protaras and Pernera.