Dia island half-day boat trip from Heraklion with lunch – Sailing Experience

On board of a beautiful sailing yacht with only 8 guests, we will depart from Heraklion and discover Dia, a small uninhabited island not far from Crete. Enjoy plenty of time for swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the island; a delicious lunch featuring local dishes, carefully selected and freshly prepared with organic ingredients, and the many beautiful views of the island by sea.

Duration
4.5 hours

Available
Every day

Small Group
Max 8 people

Meeting point
Port of Heraklion

Start time
10:00am

Shaped like a giant lizard, Dia is a small island opposite to Heraklion and one of Crete’s top attractions away from the crowds. On board of a beautiful sailing yacht with only 8 guests, we will depart from Heraklion and discover this uninhabited island, which is now one of Natura 2000 Project protected area. Enjoy plenty of time for swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the island; a delicious lunch featuring local dishes, carefully selected and freshly prepared with organic ingredients, and the many beautiful views of the island by sea.

Tour program of the sailing boat trip to Dia island:

Meeting point in Heraklion Old Venetian port at 10:00am, where you will board a luxurious sailing yacht with expert captain and friendly crew.
We will set sail for the island of Dia, which is approximately 1 hour away from Heraklion. Along the way, enjoy the silence while the yacht sails and let yourself be guided by the skipper through some secrets of the art of sailing. Feel free to participate if would like to.
Once arrived to Dia island, the skipper will drop anchor in a protected cove with turquoise crystal clear waters. Here you will have plenty of time for swimming and snorkeling, while exploring the rich sea bottom. If you don’t feel in the mood for swimming, just relax on the boat soaking up the sun.
In the meantime, the crew will prepare the lunch: you will be treated with a full menu of Cretan cuisine featuring local products and organic ingredients, as well as soft drinks, local wine and coffee or tea.
After a cool refreshing dive, we will set sail for Heraklion and, as the boat glides through the water, you will likely encounter dolphins, which love to swim in our bow wake.
The tour will end around 2:30pm at Heraklion Old Venetian port.

*You can request a transfer from/to your hotel, upon payment of an extra charge.

The price includes: English speaking crew – Lunch or dinner with local dishes – Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages – Equipment for snorkeling.

Don’t forget: Towel – Sunscreen – Sun hat – Sunglasses – Camera.

Maximum: 8 people on board.

To know more about your boat trip...

Dia island: what to see?

Dia is a small marine paradise off Iraklion, also called Heraklion, the capital of Crete. Being a wild island, there are no hotels or other types of accommodation here, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Only the small Analpsis church and a shelter without electricity can be found on this fascinating place, populated by some endangered species such as the albinary snail, the Erhard’s wall lizard, the wild oryctolagus cuniculus rabbit and the Queen’s hawk. The sea, then, hosts many exemplars of marine fauna including the monk seal and the dolphins that, during your trip, could enjoy following in the wake of the sailing boat. The island of Dia has an area of about 12 square km and has spectacular beaches. In particular, with the Dia island boat trip from Crete you will stop in one of the beaches along the coast, sheltered from the wind and lapped by the crystal-clear sea that reflects the lights of the sun and reveals the rich seabed. Being a wild, not equipped beach, it will not be easy to find shade: so, remember to bring with you the sunscreen and a hat, especially if you choose to sail in the sunniest hours.

Dia island: the myth

The story goes that the island of Dia was created by Zeus, while he was dominating the world from his throne in Olympus and he looked to his birthplace, Crete. He was surprised to see his Cretans hunting with bows and spears, wiping out his beloved Cretan wild goats, which were children of Amalthea, the goat that nurtured Zeus with milk while he was hiding from his father Kronus in Diktaean Antron Cave. He got so angry that he blew a lightning into the sea and a huge lizard-shaped monster emerged ready to kill Cretans, but Poseidon, god of the sea, managed to curb the intent of Zeus who threw two large slices of bread into the sea to distract the monster and a second thunderbolt to petrify him. This is how Dia was born and the two slices of bread, also petrified, became the next islets Paximadi and Petalidi.

How to reach Dia island from Crete?

If you want to reach the beautiful island of Dia, the best as well as the only option is to book a boat tour, in fact there are no ferries or public transport to reach the island. If you are wondering how to get to Dia from Crete, you can decide to start from the port of Heraklion, getting on board of a sailboat and live an exciting day in the name of unspoilt nature and charming landscapes. There are two departures from the port of Heraklion, capital of Crete, to Dia, so you can choose whether to join the trip during the day, having lunch on board of our sailing boat, or in the afternoon, capturing the beauty of the lights at sunset and dining on the boat. If you are in Crete you cannot miss this sailing tour to the discovery of Dia island.

What’s the typical Greek lunch on board?

The Greek cuisine is full of Mediterranean flavors tasty dishes always prepared with local products. The pita is unmissable, a bread slice that accompanies generous appetizers or eaten with the Greek sauce par excellence, the tzatziki. Another typical dish is the Greek salad: it is a very fresh dish, perfect during the warm summer, made with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onion, black olives and lots of feta, the typical Greek cheese. The feta and olive oil produced in the local olive groves are certainly the staple food of this fantastic nation cuisine. Lastly, fish lovers don’t want to miss the dried and grilled octopus, seasoned with olive oil and lemon.

Q&A

Can I choose the departure time ?

Yes, you can choose two departure times: 10:45 or 15:30, of course depending on availability.

Are there plans to stop for a swim on this tour?

Yes, during this boat tour there will be stops to swim and snorkel.

How long is the sailboat experience to the island of Dia from Heraklion with lunch?

The boat tour lasts about 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Are there toilet breaks during the tour?

On board there is the opportunity to use the restroom.

What is included in the boat tour?

In the boat tour it is included a lunch with local typical Greek dishes, accompanied by complimentary drinks.

Will the tour be cancelled in case of heavy rain or rough sea?

Yes, in case of bad weather/sea conditions the tour might be cancelled. In case of cancellation we are happy to offer our customers the choice of an alternative date or, in case of inability to rebook, the full refund.