How to Rent a Boat in Zakynthos

Zakynthos (Zante) is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece. If you are a real adventurer and like to explore new places then you should rent a boat during your stay here. Especially since some places in Zakynthos are only accessible by boat - see my other posts on The 10 Best Places to Visit in Zakynthos.

This was my favourite day during my time in Zakynthos. I was able to rent a boat (first time riding one) and go around the island with it. The island coastline's is only 123km long so you get to do a lot over a day.

Please note that for your safety and the safety of your companions is recommended that you do not drink a lot or at all. Also, depending on the time of the year, I would recommend to leave the boat back by 6-7pm since it can be very frightening driving at night when there is not light, cold and larger waves.

What type of boat can you rent and how much is it?

Zakynthos boat rental ranges from 200€ to thousands of euros depending on the boat's power and for how long you want it. I will only talk about a day's price for the boat rental.

You can rent a 30HP motor boat with no licence required for approximately 20€ an hour or 200€ a day (which is what it costs me) + gas. I can't remember how much was the gas exactly but it was approximately an extra 100€ for 10 litres of fuel. You only get charged for the additional fuel that you used.

Another important thing to bear in mind is the weight. In my case we were two people with a total weight of 120-140kg approximately. The more people you take on the boat the heavier it becomes and the slower it goes. Usually it's limited to 6 people or so but just bear that in mind.

Where can you rent a boat from?

You can get a boat online or via tourist centers. I got mine from a tourist center in Tsivli.

Some final recommendations:

• Don't rent a boat if the day is windy or cloudy unless you want to end up like the Shipwreck ship.
• Don't keep your boat past 6-7pm. It will get dark, more windy and wavy and what was a fun experience will be a scary one.
• Don't go around the island if you are carrying multiple passengers. Unless you have a strong and powerful boat. If it's heavy you won't go past 20 mph.
• Do keep a steady velocity to save fuel and money.
• Do take a lot of photos and videos during your trip.

And have loads of fun! If you have further questions drop them in the comment section below. If not, don't forget to check my other post on  The 10 Best Places to Visit in Zakynthos to know what places you must visit if you do end up renting a boat =).

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