A Zakynthos SUP tour is a guided paddle on a stand-up paddle board (SUP) along the coast of Zakynthos. Paddlers cross the clear water of Laganas Bay and look for loggerhead sea turtles. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the tours, the start beaches, turtle spotting, the Marine Park rules and how to paddle. They also cover snorkelling, who it suits, the season and wind, inclusions and booking, with links into the Zakynthos pages. The tour shown is checked on GetYourGuide.
What is a Zakynthos SUP tour?
A Zakynthos SUP tour is a guided trip on a stand-up paddle board (SUP). You stand on a long board and push it with one paddle. Guides lead small groups along the coast to spot loggerhead turtles and snorkel.
A Zakynthos SUP tour moves slower and quieter than a motorboat. Paddlers glide over shallow water and look straight down at the seabed and passing turtles.
- Paddling a board, or a transparent kayak instead
- Searching for turtles with a guide and turtle spotter
- Snorkelling with a mask and snorkel near the turtles
- A rest on a small beach with a light snack and water
- GoPro photos and videos taken during the trip
Glass-bottom boats and other motorboats cross the same bay with larger groups and engines running. Those trips have their own page on the Zakynthos turtle-spotting cruise.
Which Zakynthos SUP tours can you book?
The GetYourGuide Zakynthos SUP tour is GoSUP’s Turtle Spotting Adventure from Porto Koukla. Two other local operators also run their own board trips. Paddle Surf Zante works from Alykes beach, and Sea Kayaking Zakynthos from Keri harbour.
The listing is called Zakynthos: SUP Tour – Turtle Spotting Adventure, tour number 1042457. GoSUP runs this Zakynthos SUP tour for up to 7 people, with guides speaking English, Greek and Polish.
GoSUP also sells its own boat-supported trips. One carries up to 4 paddlers by boat to the south side of Marathonisi. Another sails to the Mizithres sea stacks near Keri.
Paddle Surf Zante calls itself a SUP school, with lessons, rentals and a sunrise tour. Sea Kayaking Zakynthos adds a daily SUP trip to its Zakynthos sea kayaking routes.
- GoSUP Turtle Spotting Adventure: the beach of Porto Koukla Beach Hotel
- GoSUP Turtle Island trip: by boat from the same Porto Koukla base
- Paddle Surf Zante: Alykes beach, on the north-east coast
- Sea Kayaking Zakynthos: Keri harbour, at the south-west end of Laganas Bay
Where does a Zakynthos SUP tour start and paddle?
A Zakynthos SUP tour starts from a sandy beach or a small harbour. Routes follow the south coast inside Laganas Bay, or the calm north-east shore at Alykes. Paddlers stay close to land the whole time.
On the Turtle Spotting Adventure, the Zakynthos SUP tour circles Cameo Island over shallow water. Turtles swim below the boards there, and the group lands on its beach for a break.
A Zakynthos SUP tour from Alykes meets still water until the bigger boats pass by. Experienced paddlers continue along the shore to Xigia beach and nearby coves.
- Porto Koukla: a quiet hotel beach with Marathonisi in view across the water.
- Cameo Island: a small islet off Agios Sostis, reached on land by a wooden bridge.
- Laganas Bay: the wide southern bay, lined by the long Laganas beach.
- Marathonisi: a green islet, also called Turtle Island, with two sea caves on its south side.
- Alykes: a sandy north-east beach where the SUP base opens from 09:00 to 19:00.
How does turtle spotting work on a Zakynthos SUP tour?
On a Zakynthos SUP tour, a guide and turtle spotter scans the shallows for loggerheads. When one surfaces, the group stops paddling and watches from a set distance. Paddlers can then slip into the water to snorkel nearby.
The loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, is an endangered species protected by EU law. Adults use the shallow, warm water of Laganas Bay to breed and rest.
Mating peaks in mid-April, and females nest from late spring until August. Each female nests three times a season on six beaches totalling 5.5 km.
ARCHELON, the Greek sea turtle protection society, asks watchers to stay 10 to 15 metres away. Its rules also cap time near one turtle at 10 to 15 minutes and ban touching.
Which Marine Park rules apply to a Zakynthos SUP tour?
Every Zakynthos SUP tour in Laganas Bay paddles inside the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. The park splits the bay into three sea zones: A, B and C. Each zone has its own rules for boats.
The Zakynthos Marine Park was the first national marine park in Greece. It covers the bay, the islets of Marathonisi and Pelouzo, and the Keri Lake wetland.
- Zone A: no boat enters, moors or anchors, and yellow round buoys mark it every 75 metres.
- Zone B: boats travel at up to 6 knots, about 11 km an hour, and never anchor.
- Zone C: the same 6-knot limit applies, but anchoring is allowed.
- Every zone: fishing of any kind is banned.
- Sekania beach: closed to the public, with entry for permitted researchers only.
The zone rules apply until 31 October each year. The park lists swimming, canoes and pedal boats as allowed mild activities. A Zakynthos SUP tour uses boards with no engine, and paddlers do not anchor.
Nesting beaches open to visitors from 7am until sunset. On the sand, visitors stay within 5 metres of the sea. Turtles nest at the middle and back of the beach.
How do you learn to paddle on a Zakynthos SUP tour?
Every Zakynthos SUP tour opens with a short safety briefing on the beach. Beginners start on their knees in shallow water, then stand once the board feels steady. New paddlers feel stable after 10 to 30 minutes on average.
Paddle Surf Zante teaches basic SUP technique on its sunrise Zakynthos SUP tour.
- Kneel just behind the centre carry handle, the grip in the middle of the board.
- Paddle on your knees for 5 to 10 minutes to feel how the board moves.
- Stand one foot at a time, placing each foot where a knee was.
- Keep feet shoulder-width apart, knees soft and eyes on the horizon.
- Reach forward, plant the blade, pull it back to your feet and switch sides every 3 to 5 strokes.
The angled blade faces forward, away from you; holding it backwards is a common beginner mistake. Dropping back to your knees is always fine when wind or waves pick up.
Falling in is normal, so fall flat to the side, away from the hard board. A leash, a cord tied to your ankle, keeps the board close. Climb back on from the middle, chest first.
What does snorkelling add to a Zakynthos SUP tour?
A Zakynthos SUP tour with GoSUP includes a snorkel and mask. When the guide spots a turtle, you can slip off the board and snorkel nearby. The tour also stops for a light snack on the beach at Cameo Island.
Under the board, the floor of Laganas Bay is sand covered in Posidonia, a seagrass that grows in thick meadows. These meadows shelter seahorses, pipefish and young fish. Loggerheads in the bay feed on jellyfish, crabs and shellfish.
GoSUP also runs a three-hour Turtle Island trip by private boat. Guests snorkel or paddle into two sea caves on Marathonisi. Every guest must be able to swim in open water.
Sea Kayaking Zakynthos leaves Keri harbour and stops to snorkel at the Keri caves. For masks, fins and other swim spots, read the Zakynthos snorkelling guide.
Who suits a Zakynthos SUP tour?
The GoSUP listing says its Zakynthos SUP tour suits beginners and families. Paddle Surf Zante takes paddlers aged 6 to 99 on its sunrise trip. Every guest gets a life jacket, but a confident swimmer enjoys the water stops more.
Paddle Surf Zante asks for a moderate level of fitness. Paddling is gentle, but your legs, back and arms all work to keep balance. Guests who prefer to sit can take a transparent kayak on the Zakynthos SUP tour from Porto Koukla.
Children learn at their own speed. At Alykes, one parent and four children stood up at different rates. The instructor coached each child as their skills grew.
Ideas for younger children are on the Zakynthos with kids page. Grandparents who skip the board can spend the morning on a Zakynthos fishing trip instead.
When does a Zakynthos SUP tour run, and how does the wind change it?
A Zakynthos SUP tour runs through the warm months, and GoSUP has paddled with turtles into early November. Mornings are the calmest time. A northwest wind called the Maistro builds by midday and dies after sunset.
In summer the Maistro blows at 10 to 20 knots, about 19 to 37 km/h. Knots are the sailors’ measure of wind speed. That is enough to push a standing paddler off course.
Paddle Surf Zante’s sunrise Zakynthos SUP tour starts 30 minutes before sunrise, with a listed start of 6:00. The extra time lets you settle on the board before the sun comes up.
- Sunrise: flat, quiet water at Alykes before the beach fills up.
- Morning: the calm window before the Maistro arrives.
- Afternoon: the wind at full strength and choppier water.
- Sunset: a slow paddle as the wind fades and the sun sinks behind the hills.
At Alykes, the instructor once put back a family’s lesson until the wind had dropped. Monthly sea and air conditions are on the Zakynthos weather page.
How long does a Zakynthos SUP tour last, and what is included?
A Zakynthos SUP tour lasts from 2.5 to 3 hours on the listings. Paddle Surf Zante’s sunrise trip runs 2.5 hours, and GoSUP’s Turtle Island boat trip runs 3 hours. Boards, paddles, safety gear and photos come with both.
Guides on the GoSUP Zakynthos SUP tour from Porto Koukla speak English, Greek and Polish. Its listing on GetYourGuide includes the kit and services below.
- A stand-up paddle board and paddle, or a transparent kayak
- A life jacket and insurance
- A snorkel and mask
- GoPro photos and videos, shot on a small waterproof camera
- A light snack and water
- A guide and a turtle spotter
Paddle Surf Zante’s sunrise trip adds a leash, a cord that ties the board to your ankle. It also includes accident insurance, a short lesson in basic SUP technique and a GoPro photo report.
Bring swimwear, a towel, water and a passport or ID card to Alykes. GoSUP sends photos by email after the trip, so your phone can stay ashore.
How do you book and cancel a Zakynthos SUP tour?
You book a Zakynthos SUP tour online through GetYourGuide or with the operator at its beach base. Both GetYourGuide listings give a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start. One copy of the sunrise listing makes discount-coupon bookings non-refundable.
GoSUP meets guests at the beach bar below the Porto Koukla Beach Hotel, where parking is close by. Paddle Surf Zante works from the BUCA Beach Lounge Bar on Alykes Beach.
- Pick the beach base nearest your hotel.
- Choose a date and a time slot.
- Book the Zakynthos SUP tour online and get instant confirmation.
- Show the voucher on your phone or on paper.
- Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in and the safety briefing.
If the weather turns bad, the operator offers a new date or a full refund. The same applies when a group falls short of its minimum size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you paddle to Navagio or Xigia on a Zakynthos SUP tour?
Yes, on longer routes. Paddle Surf Zante offers a paddle to Navagio, the Shipwreck beach. The remains of the ship sit on its white sand. A separate GetYourGuide listing offers a 4-hour SUP tour to Xigia Beach. Both routes leave Laganas Bay and its turtles behind.
Is there a night Zakynthos SUP tour?
Yes. Paddle Surf Zante runs full moon and glow night tours at Alykes. LED lights strapped to the board light up the water below as you paddle in the dark. The same operator rents boards by the hour and gives beginner lessons at its beach base.
Is the GoSUP Zakynthos SUP tour run by a certified operator?
Yes. GoSUP holds ISO 13289 certification as a snorkelling centre, from Bureau Veritas and ANDI Mediterranean. ISO 13289 is an international standard for guided snorkelling trips. The company also runs transparent kayak tours and private boat trips from Porto Koukla. It also offers drone and underwater photography.
How big is the group on a Zakynthos SUP tour?
Groups stay small. The GoSUP turtle tour from Porto Koukla takes up to 7 people. Paddle Surf Zante’s sunrise trip takes up to 15. GoSUP’s Turtle Island boat trip carries no more than 4 paddlers or 7 snorkelers. It runs with 4 to 7 people on board.