Exploring Zakynthos by Sea with Potamitis Brothers Trips

When I was planning our recent trip to the beautiful Greek island of Zakynthos, there was one request from Craig’s eldest daughter, that immediately went to the very top of the itinerary list — she absolutely had to see the infamous Shipwreck Beach, which is highly photographed both from the water and from above, along with the famous Blue Caves if possible too.

Having visited the island several times before, I’ve experienced my fair share of boat trips around Zakynthos — both good and bad, I hasten to add!

One particularly memorable disaster involved a huge overcrowded party-style boat departing from Zakynthos Town around 15 years ago… while I was pregnant with my eldest son. Safe to say, this time around I wanted something entirely different, something more personal and smaller.

To truly show Craig and his girls, the breathtaking beauty of the island from the ocean, I was determined to find a smaller, more personal experience.

That’s when Potamitis Brothers Trips appeared in my search. They are a family owned company run by 3 brothers, they run trips every 15 minutes using their fleet of small glass-bottom boats, offering visits to the Blue Caves, Shipwreck Beach, or both combined. Which we had chosen to do.

From the very first contact, they were incredibly friendly, welcoming and accommodating. We had originally planned to go on the Sunday, but with the weather looking slightly changeable, they were happy for us to switch to Monday instead — and honestly, we could not have chosen a more perfect day. The sea conditions and sun were absolutely ideal and playing ball for us.

Located in the north of Zakynthos in the beautiful Skinari area near the lighthouse, the drive from our villa alone felt like part of the adventure. The winding coastal roads offer stunning views across the Ionian Sea, passing the charming port of Agios Nikolaos with countless opportunities to stop for photographs or even a quick dip in the crystal-clear waters along the way.

As we drove past the iconic windmills and pulled into the clifftop car park, we were grateful we had chosen a quieter early-season day. Only a handful of cars were parked up, including a fascinating beach buggy that immediately caught all our attention.

At the covered reception area near the steps down to the boats, I was greeted warmly by Vasso, who could not have been more helpful.

We opted for the combined tour — approximately 2.5 hours — and with swimwear packed and sunglasses firmly on, we were more than ready for the adventure ahead.

The experience begins with a walk down beautiful whitewashed steps leading to the dock below. Thankfully, the route is fully hand-railed because you’ll definitely find yourself stopping frequently to admire the jaw-dropping panoramic views across the ocean towards Kefalonia.

As we boarded the boat, greeted with a cheerful “Kalimera!”, the atmosphere instantly felt relaxed and authentic. Around eleven other passengers were already seated onboard, but the boat size was absolutely perfect — intimate enough to feel personal without ever feeling crowded.

Craig and I quickly claimed the raised seating area at the back of the boat, although there was plenty of shaded seating available too, especially around the glass-bottom viewing section.

Our Captain immediately set the tone for the trip with humour, warmth and plenty of local knowledge as he explained that our first destination would be the world-famous Navagio Beach.

The journey itself along Zakynthos’ rugged northern coastline is worth the trip alone. Towering cliffs, hidden caves, vivid turquoise blue water and dramatic rock formations create scenery that almost feels unreal. Every turn seemed to reveal another breathtaking viewpoint of this stunning area.

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.

As the boat rounded the final corner into the bay, the iconic sight of Navagio Beach appeared before us, the breathtaking white cliffs standing tall and imposing, impossibly turquoise water and the rusting shipwreck resting dramatically on the shore.

It truly is every bit as stunning in real life as the photographs suggest.

Due to ongoing safety concerns surrounding cliff instability and rockfalls, visitors are no longer permitted to access the beach itself or swim there. Interestingly though, having been lucky enough to previously visit and swim at the beach years ago, I honestly do not see this as a negative at all.

In fact, viewing Shipwreck Beach from the water allows you to fully appreciate the scale, beauty and raw natural drama of the location far more than when standing on the beach itself. And let’s be honest — your holiday photos are considerably more picturesque without hundreds of random beachgoers and swimmers heads in the background!

We were also incredibly lucky with the timing of our visit because we managed to get wonderfully close to the beach, and it wasn’t overly busy with other boats either — perhaps only four other small boats quietly floating in the bay alongside us.

With a little Bob Marley playing softly through the boat’s stereo — Could You Be Loved being the perfect soundtrack, there was something incredibly calming about simply sitting there appreciating the sheer awe-inspiring beauty surrounding us.

The vivid contrast of the crystal-clear turquoise waters against the towering white cliffs and pale sands of the beach was mesmerising. The famous shipwreck itself still stands proudly in place despite years of exposure to the natural elements, looking far more weathered and battered now than during my earlier visits to the island, yet somehow even more fascinating because of it.

Needless to say, plenty of photographs were taken.

What we particularly loved though was that there was absolutely no sense of being rushed.

Once everyone had enjoyed the views and captured their memories, our Captain suggested heading to a quiet nearby bay for a swim stop, an idea several of us were very enthusiastic about.

And honestly, this swim stop completely exceeded expectations.

The secluded little cove was absolutely stunning, with unbelievably clear waters allowing you to see right to the seabed below. The Captain explained that there was actually road access to a small cove nearby on the right-hand side of where we had anchored, one of those hidden local gems you would never discover otherwise.

Then came the amusing moment of deciding who would be first into the water.

Because there were only a small number of us onboard, all eyes were very much on who would take the plunge first. One guy quickly stripped down to his boxers and bravely jumped off the back of the boat.

Craig was next.

A few days earlier I had jokingly reminded him how my dad had once been forced to “walk the plank” and dive from a pirate boat trip in his home Island of Cyprus years ago to encourage my boys into the sea. I’m fairly sure Craig took inspiration from that story because, despite me being the ocean-loving one in the relationship, he very rarely gets into the sea. Being a sea fisherman, his usual response is always, “I know what’s in there!”

Well… so do I, but there really is nothing quite like feeling completely at one with the ocean.

With a jump and a splash, in he went.

That left me and his eldest daughter, and before long a few others followed too.

It was absolutely incredible.

Floating there in the calm Ionian waters watching lots of tiny fish darting back and forth beneath us while surrounded by dramatic cliffs and caves felt like one of those pure travel moments you never forget.

Once everyone was back onboard, our Captain continued the journey towards the magical Blue Caves, taking us back past the original boarding area before venturing in and out of several caves and natural rock formations.

The sheer beauty of the ocean as a natural architect and sculptor was astonishing. Years upon years of erosion have carved incredible archways, caves and cliff faces into the coastline, and thankfully the smaller size of the boat meant we could glide through narrow openings and directly into caves that the larger excursion boats simply cannot access.

The trip continued on towards the famous Blue Caves, where the sunlight reflects through the water creating the most extraordinary electric-blue glow beneath the rocks. The smaller boat size really came into its own here, allowing us to enter caves and narrow areas that larger excursion boats simply cannot access and you would be missing out.

For me, this alone makes choosing a smaller boat trip an absolute must when visiting this part of Zakynthos.

Another swim stop was offered at one point, I was secretly hoping more people would vote yes, but with plans already forming for another sea swim later in the day, I wasn’t too disappointed as the trip had already been absolutely fantastic from beginning to end.

As the Captain, slowly guided us back towards the original dock, we spotted The Windmill perched above the water with its staircase leading down towards diving boards and another idyllic swimming access point.

Instantly, we knew exactly where we’d be heading once back on dry land.

After docking and climbing back up the whitewashed steps — naturally stopping multiple times for more photographs of the incredible ocean views — we found Vasso still at the reception desk. After thanking her properly for such a memorable experience, we drove round to The Windmill Restaurant.

And of course, being us, we immediately headed straight back down yet more whitewashed steps to the sea for another swim and the chance for a few more jumps into those crystal-clear waters before finally settling down for drinks overlooking the coastline.

Sitting right beside one of the iconic windmills (which amazingly is available to stay in, how incredible would that be - an idea I ran past Craig for a future 'just us' trip), with uninterrupted views across the Ionian Sea was the perfect ending to an unforgettable day.

This is another absolute must-visit location in northern Zakynthos, not only for the swimming spot but also simply to sit, relax and soak in the atmosphere with good food or a drink.

I can personally highly recommend the local rosé wine, while Craig would very much vouch for the lava cake.

For me, no visit to Zakynthos would ever feel complete without a boat trip. However, choosing the right one really does matter.

I will always recommend opting for smaller boats over the large crowded excursions. They offer a far more personal experience and, as someone who is passionate about ocean conservation, I genuinely believe they are often a better choice for the local environment too.

What truly made this excursion stand out though was the warmth and authenticity of Potamitis Brothers Trips themselves. It never felt commercialised or rushed. Instead, it felt like passionate locals proudly sharing the beauty of their island with visitors.

Most importantly though, family-run businesses nearly always provide the warmest and most authentic service, something we absolutely experienced throughout this trip.

For us, this boat trip was without question the highlight of our Zakynthos holiday.

If you’re visiting the island and want to experience the incredible coastline, Shipwreck Beach (Navagio) and the Blue Caves in a far more relaxed and memorable way, I genuinely would recommend looking beyond the larger crowded excursions and choosing a smaller local operator instead, especially the Potamitis Brothers.

Sometimes the best travel experiences really do come from family-run businesses that care deeply about what they do - and Potamitis Brothers Trips is the perfect example of exactly that.

If you visit this beautiful Ionian island, this is one experience you simply should not miss.