A Protaras boat trip leaves the pier of the resort for the Blue Lagoon at Cape Greco, the sea caves and the turtle coves of eastern Cyprus. Find more trip ideas across the region on Greece Tours.
Read on for the top cruises, the boats, the route, what the ticket includes, the sunset and party sails, the private charters and the quays.
What is a Protaras boat trip?
A Protaras boat trip is a cruise from the pier of Protaras, on the east coast of Cyprus, south to Cape Greco. It visits the Blue Lagoon, the sea caves and the turtle coves, with swim stops, and it lasts from 2.5 hours to a full day.
Protaras is a resort in the Paralimni municipality, on the east coast of Cyprus. Ayia Napa lies roughly 10 km to the south-west, and the boats of Protaras work the short run to the headland of Cape Greco, so the time on board goes to swimming rather than sailing.
Protaras Boat Trips, a local booking site, calls the Blue Lagoon the highlight of any Protaras boat trip. It describes calm, shallow water reached mainly by sea, and it notes that the majority of Protaras cruises stop there for a swim.
Family firms run the leading boats. The resort grew up around Fig Tree Bay, a Blue Flag beach named after the fig trees that grow close to its shore. St Georgios Boats sails two boats from the end of Protaras Pier, Aphrodite Cruises has sailed the Aphrodite I since 2008, and Medusa Cruises has worked these waters for more than 10 years.
A Protaras boat trip suits families, couples and groups alike, with daytime cruises, sunset sails, adults-only nights and private charters. Our Cyprus tours page sets Protaras next to the rest of the island, and our Ayia Napa boat trip page covers the cruises from the resort to the south-west.
Which Protaras boat trip options lead the bookings?
The cruise that takes in the Blue Lagoon, the sea caves and Turtle Cove leads the bookings on GetYourGuide. The Turtle Dream luxury yacht, the glass-bottom cruise via the sea cave, the catamaran trip and the pirate cruise follow, and Viator adds the Medusa and St Georgios cruises.
We ranked the cruises that name Protaras by review count and starting price on GetYourGuide and Viator. The Blue Lagoon cruise with the sea caves and Turtle Cove sits at the top, and the Aphrodite Cruises boat appears in its gallery, anchored below the cliffs.
Next comes the St Georgios II, sold as the Turtle Dream luxury yacht, with a giant slide and a barbecue on request. The glass-bottom cruise via the sea cave and the catamaran cruise to the Blue Lagoon follow, and the Blue Lagoon pirate cruise in search of turtles completes the top five.
Viator lists the Protaras programme of the local fleets. Medusa Cruises sells a 4-hour turtle chill-out cruise with lunch, and the St Georgios company sells its 80s and 90s DJ sunset cruise, open to guests from 16 years, plus a value Waterworld cruise to the Blue Lagoon.
Each Protaras boat trip on these lists covers the same core: the lagoon at Cape Greco, the caves along the cliffs and a stop where crews look for turtles.
Which boats sail from Protaras?
The St Georgios I and St Georgios II, the Aphrodite I, the Medusa and Medusa I, a yellow glass-bottom boat called the Dolphin Submarine, a pirate ship, catamarans and private yachts all sail from the Protaras quays.
The St Georgios II is the large boat of its family fleet. Its owners describe upholstered seats, mahogany floors, a dining room and an open-top bar with a dance floor, and it hosts the family sunset, white night party and day dream cruises.
The St Georgios I carries a piece of Cypriot history. Glafcos Clerides, a former President of Cyprus, once owned the boat, and it keeps its original features. Today it runs the value Waterworld cruises and the sunset chill cruise.
The Aphrodite I is the family boat of captain Andreas Mallouris, who grew up around Cape Greco. His father was the last lighthouse keeper of the peninsula. The boat holds a licence for up to 100 people, and its crew are trained in safety and first aid.
Medusa Cruises runs the Medusa and the Medusa I for group and private trips. The Dolphin Submarine shows the reef through windows below the waterline, and each Protaras boat trip on it adds a stop at the Blue Lagoon.
Where does a Protaras boat trip go?
A Protaras boat trip heads south along the coast to Cape Greco. It passes the sea caves, drops anchor for a swim in the Blue Lagoon, and stops at Turtle Cove or Turtle Bay to look for turtles. Certain trips add views towards Famagusta.
The route is short. The boats leave the pier, follow the cliffs south and reach the cape, so a Protaras boat trip spends more of its time at anchor than on the move.
The sea caves come first on the way south. The glass-bottom cruise sails through the area via a sea cave, and the Blue Lagoon cruise lists the caves in its title.
The Blue Lagoon is the main stop. Aphrodite Cruises sells its day as a cruise in the waters of Protaras with a swim in the blue lagoon of Cape Greco, at the edge of the Mediterranean.
Turtle stops close the loop. Medusa Cruises anchors at Turtle Bay so guests can swim near the turtles, and the pirate cruise sets off in search of them.
The view north matters too. One Aphrodite Cruises guest praised the view of Famagusta from the boat, and Love Protaras lists the Blue Lagoon, Turtle Bay and Cape Greco as the stops of its private charters.
What is included on a Protaras boat trip?
A Protaras boat trip includes swim stops, life jackets and, on the larger boats, a bar, WiFi and a sun deck. St Georgios sells freshly cooked meals with a free drink, lends snorkel masks against a deposit and offers resort transfers.
Food on a Protaras boat trip depends on the boat. St Georgios cooks lunch or dinner on board on selected cruises, with a barbecue chicken meal and fresh Cyprus potato chips, and one drink comes free with the meal: draught beer, wine, a cocktail, soda or juice.
The Waterworld value cruise on the St Georgios I skips the meals but keeps a buy-on-board menu of snacks and drinks, plus one free drink. The sunset chill cruise on the same boat also includes a drink.
Snorkelling gear comes on board. St Georgios provides all-in-one snorkel masks in different sizes for a refundable cash deposit, returned when the mask comes back.
Aphrodite Cruises lists ample space, life jackets, free WiFi, a bar and catering, a sun deck and transfers, with a guide who speaks English, French and Greek. On the 4-hour Medusa cruise, lunch and one drink come with the ticket of the Protaras boat trip.
Which sunset and party cruises leave Protaras?
St Georgios runs family sunset, white night party, 80s and 90s DJ and themed fancy-dress cruises. Aphrodite Cruises and Medusa Cruises sail sunset trips, and a sunset catamaran adds an open bar and a buffet.
The St Georgios II carries the parties, with its open-top bar and dance floor. Its adults-only 80s and 90s cruise sails at golden hour with a DJ, and Viator sells it for guests aged 16 and over.
Themed nights add variety. St Georgios has run an adults-only 70s, 80s and 90s fancy-dress cruise for Halloween with a DJ, and it says fancy dress is optional.
Calmer evenings sail too. Medusa Cruises pairs its sunset with sparkling champagne, seasonal fruit and soft music, and Aphrodite Cruises runs a sunset cruise that one guest booked for a last night in Cyprus.
GetYourGuide sells a sunset catamaran from Ayia Napa and Protaras with an open bar and a buffet, so a sunset Protaras boat trip can be a dinner, a party or a quiet glass of wine.
Can you charter a private boat in Protaras?
Yes. Love Protaras lists more than 50 charter options from Ayia Napa, Protaras and Larnaca, and St Georgios, Aphrodite Cruises and Medusa Cruises all hire out their boats. Private trips visit the Blue Lagoon, Turtle Bay and Cape Greco.
A private Protaras boat trip gives one group the whole boat for a day or a sunset. Love Protaras covers yachts, catamarans and motor boats for every group size, each with a licensed and experienced captain, insurance, life vests and a music system.
Celebrations drive the private Protaras boat trip market. Love Protaras names weddings, birthdays and stag and hen parties, and Aphrodite Cruises hosts weddings, christenings and corporate events on board. One guest held pre-reception drinks and dancing on the Aphrodite I on their wedding day.
GetYourGuide lists a private yacht charter with an unlimited bar that covers both Protaras and Ayia Napa, and St Georgios lists private charters next to its scheduled cruises.
For a fixed date or a last-minute booking, Love Protaras asks guests to email first and check availability before they book a private Protaras boat trip.
Which adventure trips leave Protaras by sea?
A guided jet ski tour runs from Protaras to the caves and the lagoon with a snorkelling stop. Scuba centres offer first dives, and Green Bay, with its underwater statues, is the main dive site for beginners.
The jet ski tour turns a Protaras boat trip into a ride. Guests follow a guide along the cliffs to the caves and the lagoon, then stop to snorkel in clear water.
Diving adds a deeper view. GetYourGuide sells a first scuba dive from Protaras with a lesson and skills practice, and Viator lists a first-time scuba experience in Protaras.
Green Bay is the classic training site. Its underwater statues give beginners a target on their first dive, and the wider coast holds further sites for divers who return.
Pair an adventure with a classic Protaras boat trip on another day, since both follow the same coast towards Cape Greco.
How do you reach the boats in Protaras?
The St Georgios boats sail from the end of Protaras Pier, and Medusa Cruises boards at the Golden Coast harbour and at Pernera. Resort transfers run from Protaras, Pernera, Kapparis and Ayia Napa for a small fee.
St Georgios gives its address as the end of the pier and publishes pick-up schedules for the Protaras area and for Ayia Napa.
The 3-hour Medusa chill-out cruise boards at Pernera harbour and leaves at 10:15 three mornings a week: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Transfers save a walk in the heat. St Georgios collects guests from their resort and brings them back after the cruise, except on its Harmony Cruise, and Aphrodite Cruises also lists transfers.
Guests based in Larnaca can join too. GetYourGuide sells an Odyssey boat safari from Larnaca to Protaras that brings the cruise to the south coast.
What do travellers ask about a Protaras boat trip?
How long is a Protaras boat trip?
From 2.5 hours on the Mermaid Cruise to 4 hours on a lunch cruise, with full days on charters.
Does a Protaras boat trip visit the Blue Lagoon?
Yes. The Blue Lagoon at Cape Greco is the main swim stop of the Protaras cruises.
Can children join a Protaras boat trip?
Yes. St Georgios runs family cruises, and Medusa Cruises sails the Mermaid Cruise for young children.
Which Protaras boat trip has a glass bottom?
The Dolphin Submarine, which sails via a sea cave to the Blue Lagoon and Turtle Cove.
Can wheelchair users join a Protaras boat trip?
Ask the operator first. In one Medusa Cruises review, a wheelchair user thanked the crew for their help getting in and out of the sea.
Do you need cash on board?
Bring cash for the snorkel mask deposit on St Georgios, plus money for extra snacks and drinks.