The Blue Caves at a glance
The Blue Caves are natural sea caves and rock arches on the north coast of Zakynthos. You see them from a boat, usually a small one that can slip close to the cliffs. Inside and under the arches the water takes on a deep blue colour, which is how the caves got their name. Most visitors go on one of three trips: a short cave cruise, a combined trip with a look at Navagio from the sea, or a longer island circuit.
The boats leave from the north of the island, mainly from the harbour at Agios Nikolaos (the northern one, near Volimes and Skinari, not the beach of the same name in the south-east) and from Porto Vromi near Anafonitria. Prices below are the ones operators list for 2026. They are starting prices and can change with season and group size.
Our picks: the Blue Caves
A short hour from Agios Nikolaos, a longer trip with Navagio and a speedboat with Xigia.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Speedboat to Navagio, the Blue Caves and Xigia
- Speedboat with 20 seats
- Navagio bay and Blue Caves
- Swim stops
A speedboat with 20 seats into Navagio bay for photos, then the Blue Caves and swim stops in other coves and at Xigia. Nobody lands at Navagio.
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Blue Caves and Navagio bay cruise from Agios Nikolaos
- Boat trip
- Swim stops at the Blue Caves
Two and a half hours by boat with the wreck seen from the water and swim stops in Agios Andreas bay and at the Blue Caves.
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One hour to the Blue Caves
- Boat trip to the Blue Caves
- 20-minute swim stop
A one-hour boat trip to the Blue Caves with a 20-minute swim in the larger cave. Navagio is not part of this trip.
Check availability →Blue Caves boat trips on Zakynthos
Cave cruises, combined Navagio and Blue Caves trips and island tours, with live prices and availability.
Blue Caves trips compared
Examples listed by operators in 2026. Each row is one operator's product, not an island-wide price.
| Trip | From | Length | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Caves swim trip | Agios Nikolaos | 1 hour | €15 |
| Blue Caves cruise | Skinari | 40 minutes | €20 |
| Navagio and Blue Caves | Agios Nikolaos | 2.5 hours | From €25 |
| Navagio and Blue Caves | Skinari | 2 to 2.5 hours | €30 |
| Navagio and local caves, rented boat | Porto Vromi | – | From €100 per group, or €140 per group with skipper |
| Land and sea day program | Island tour | 7 to 9 hours | From €45 |
The Skinari combined trip takes 2 to 2.5 hours, so allow the longer time. The group prices for rented boats are per group, not per person, and the number of seats, fuel and rental time are set by the operator. For most visitors, the combined trip from Agios Nikolaos or Skinari is good value, because it gives you the caves and the view of Navagio in one outing. If you only want the caves and some time in the water, the short cave trips are enough.
Swimming at the Blue Caves
Most cave trips include a swim stop in open water near the cliffs. Where exactly the boat stops depends on the route, the wind and the swell, so the operator decides on the day. Bring a swimsuit, a towel and shoes that cope with a wet deck, and keep valuables in a dry bag.
Swimming stops belong outside the water of Navagio. The cove itself is closed to swimmers, so a combined trip never offers a swim at the wreck. Treat any offer that promises time in the water at Navagio as a reason to ask questions before you pay.
Ask the operator about the minimum age, the wind limits and whether the boat can enter a cave on your day. Not every boat size fits every cave.
Which departure point suits you
Three harbours, three kinds of trip.
Agios Nikolaos
The northern harbour has trips of one hour for the caves alone and 2.5 hours for the combination with Navagio. It is the longest drive from the south of the island, but the boats are close to both sights.
Skinari
The short Blue Caves cruise lasts 40 minutes. One operator advertises departures roughly every 15 minutes between 9:00 and 18:00. Check the current schedule, because the season is not fixed.
Porto Vromi
This bay below Anafonitria is where boat rentals meet their guests, at the point called Anafonitria Porto Vromi. The operator lists local caves and a north route to Skinari as separate trips, so a local cave tour does not automatically reach Skinari. Confirm the exact pier before the trip.
Getting there →Keri Caves: a different coast
The Keri Caves are sea caves on the south-west coast, near the Keri peninsula. They are not part of the Blue Caves, and the two should not be mixed up when you compare trips. A south-coast boat trip lists Turtle Island and the Keri Caves from €35 per person for 3 hours in 2026. Wild turtles are not on a schedule, so the trip title does not promise a sighting. See the turtles guide for the rules in Laganas Bay.
If you only have one boat day, choose by coast: north for the Blue Caves and Navagio, south for Keri and Laganas Bay.
Combine the caves with Navagio
What a combined trip does in the cove.
View from the sea
Boats may enter a marked sea zone in front of the cove for a controlled look. They enter from the north and leave to the south, with a stay of at most 20 minutes and no more than 15 boats at the same time. Boat viewing is limited to daytime, with shorter hours in autumn.
Navagio boat tours →No landing
Landing on the beach and swimming in the cove are not allowed. A boat title with the word wreck or beach does not prove a landing. From 1 November 2026, ordinary boat traffic and anchoring in the cove are banned until a new decision.
Is Navagio open? →Weather decides
The skipper decides on wind and swell. Trips can be cut short or cancelled, and operators do not guarantee a departure. Winter trips depend on the operator, so check before you plan.
Weather guide →More to plan around the caves
Where the caves fit into your days.
Blue Caves Zakynthos: frequently asked questions
How long does a Blue Caves trip take?
A cave cruise from Skinari lasts about 40 minutes, a swim trip from Agios Nikolaos about 1 hour, and a combined trip with Navagio 2 to 2.5 hours. The listed times are the whole outing, not the time in the caves.
Are the Blue Caves and the Keri Caves the same?
No. The Blue Caves are on the north coast and the Keri Caves on the south-west coast. They are separate boat trips from different harbours.
Can I swim at Navagio on a Blue Caves trip?
No. Swimming in the cove is not allowed. Swim stops on cave trips take place in other waters, depending on route and conditions.
Do I need to book in advance?
Free seats depend on the date. Check availability for your day before you plan around a trip, especially for a combined trip.
Is this an official site?
No. This is an independent guide. It is not run by a municipality, a ministry, a tourism board or a boat operator.