Levante Speedboat Trip

Lorraine, I'd say yes, it's suitable for a 4 year old. Spiros is excellent with children. They all have to wear a life vest and he ensures they sit in the middle of the boat. The speed the boat goes, means there's no moving about while you're out on the water, apart from when they let the children drive the boat!

could someone tell me if this trip would be suitable for a 4 yearold,(SORRY VERY CLUMSY 4 YEAR OLD)the trip sounds gerat,dont reallt want to pay loads of money then spend whole trip trapping the poor child,lol.

Previous comment should read excellent across the board

Fantanstic day spent out with the Levante crew

WE WENT ON BOTH TRIPS LAST AUGUST, AND WOULD GO ON BOTH OF THEM AGAIN. SPIROS IS A GREAT ALROUND ENTERTAINER AS WELL AS CAPTAIN. GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY AND AN ABSOLUTE MUST DO.

Our family went out with Spiros this October half term on a trip to Navagio and the  Blue caves etc.  Water was a bit rough on the way up the coast, particularly, around Skinari.  Always felt safe however and I have to agree that Spiros is good with children. Both of ours got to drive and "Alexandros" got a second go to keep his mind off being sick at one point.  Enjoyed the stop off at Agios Nikolaos. Make sure you take your swimming/ snorky kit! Some thoughts for others thinking about going in the future, particularly, in October.

• Don't sit at the back of the boat - you will get very wet
• Take something warm to wear at the end of the season (and on your feet)
• Take a relaxed attitude to timetables - others probably will - remember you're on holiday!

Spiros Kaponis is quite a charecter who clearly wants you to have a good time. Despite price I would say this is a real value for money trip - in the height of summer this must be absolutely top whack! If you do go end your outing with a drink or meal at Freddies Bar - u won't be disappointed. 

Three things to say about this. Book it! Book it! Book it! Can be arranged via PDQ car hire place in Tsilivi centre. Great captain with a great knowledge of the area's visited, all done with a great sense of humour, but always operated with a safety 1st policy. Worth getting up early for, 8.30 sailing. Suits all ages. If you're on Tsilivi beach at around 1.15pm and you hear a lunatic sounding his horn out at sea waving frantically, that's Captain Spiros!!

If you do only one trip, make it this one

If you go to Tsilivi please DO THIS TRIP. It is fantastic. The best value for money. Cpt Spyros is v funny, Likes to let all us girls have a go at driving the boat - sorry guys U wont get a go. You get to visit smugglers wreck v early with maybe only one other sml boat so not many people on the beach..  I took lots of photos of the wreck which I think is stunning. Or you can go 4 swim. We were there long enough but not too long. Then you go inside the caves which is not possible on big boats without getting onto a smaller boat. The colour of the water and the rocks are amazing. We couldnt swim in the caves due to weather conditions, but I didnt care. He takes you to a samll harbour where you can get a bite to eat before sailing back to Tsilivi for 1ish, so no sunbathing lost. Too book either do it with ian on the beach or at Levante shop which is just round the corner from Tom and Jons supermarket  going upto Popeyes.

The Levante Speedboat Trip is very good. I would highly recommend this over booking on a large boat as you will miss out on going into the blue caves and if your lucky you might get a turn at driving the speedboat yourself! Definately worthwhile. We visited the shipwreck quite early in the morning and it was lovely because we were the only people there at this time. The trip leaves from Tsilivi and we went there the day before to book up. There is no kiosk though, so you need to look out for the Levante Staff strolling along the beach getting bookings. You can spot them by the T-Shirts they wear. A great excursion to go on.

Top trip. Excellent value, entertaining and great fun. Swimming in the caves in crystal clear blue seas was awesome, seeing the turtles, the whole trip was the mutts nuts. There isn't one better on the island. Never mind the big boats with glass bottoms and too many people to see anything. Do this one. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Great trip really enjoyed it. Captain Spryos is really entertaining. i would highly recommenc this trip. You actually get to go inside the caves which are amazing. The colour of the sea was the highlight for me - its unbelievable.

The speedboat trip was great, and worth the money we paid. The staff were very friendly, and even waited for us when we turned up late!

 Certainly the best 35 euros we spent in Tsillivi!  

Excellent trip....not to be missed
its well worth the early start
Make sure you book a few days in advance........

What a wonderful experience, the trip to the shipwreck  was so entertaining that we went a few days later to see the turtles. Spiros did not let us down and we saw a turtle, swam on turtle island and then swam in the caves. We all thoughly enjoyed a fantastic afternoon. when we go back i am sure we will do a repeat trip. thanks Spiros  

This was my second visit to Tsilivi and I couldn't wait to return to Spiros' boat!  This time I did the north of the island tour to the Shipwreck!  I'd recommend taking your swim shoes off the boat with you as the stones are hard going on your feet

many many thanks to spiros, for a fantastic morning.this is one that you just should'nt miss out on. on the morning of monday the 29th of august ....my husband derek's birthday we went out with spiros...he had every one singing happy birthday to him (embarrassed hubby) then let us sit up front with him , it was just perfect.....ignore all that the rep's say about spiros they just want the commission.... go with the local's after all it is there country.....you do get up close and personal with spiros , it's the best ever. keep up the fantastic work spiros..we all love ya...( from the lady who thought kefalonia was japan) haha see ya next year

levante speedboat trip is the best on the island we got to the ship wreck and there was only 1 other boat there so it wasnt busy we had enough time to walk round the beach and look at the shipwreck then you go to the blue caves and captain spiros goes into all of the caves and tells you a story about a preist then you go to st nikolas theres not much there and the food in the taverna is nasty apart from that the speedboat trip is great if you go to tsilivi dont waste your time on the big boats go on this one is great even if its dearer than the others you get alot more for your money 

Hi, Spiros, phillipa and ian

The Blue Caves/Shipwreck trip in the morning and the Keri Caves/Turtle Island trip in the afternoon are worth every penny and NOT TO BE MISSED!  Captain Spiros has extensive knowledge about the island and makes the trips such great fun - he even lets you have a go at driving the speedboat.

These are, without a doubt, the best trips on the island!

This is the best boat trip we have ever been on. Captain Spyros was a mine of information sstories and jokes. Our 5 year old daughter especially was facinated by the story about the Mermaids footprints! We arrived at the shipwreck beach well before the masses and had plenty of time to explore before returning to the boat. The boat itself is very comfortable and is kept spotlessly clean. Children are all offered a chance to steer the boat if they want. Ignore what the Reps say about "their" boat trips and book this one. Just look out for Ian on the Beach - you can't miss him, or go to Tsilivi harbour at about 1.30 pm and look out for the Levante boat.

Do not leave Tsilivi without doing this trip! We did the morning one and it was well worth getting up early for, Spiros made the trip great fun and original with his funny storys. We had a drive of the speed boat and were sorry when it was over..........legendary!

We went on the afternoon trip to see the turtles (yes we did see one) as promised by Ian!!!Spiros is a great guy, letting the children and ladies drive the boat.  The keri caves are beautiful. My husband and I sat at the back - you do get wet!!!.  Our sons sat on the front when it was safe to do so. Excellent trip and well worth the 35 euro's.  The ride back was excellent.  If you only do one trip make it this one.

We went on the speed boat the day before coming home (original trip was cancelled as it was so windy).  We did the afternoon trip and hopefully if we return to Tsilivi next year we will do the morning trip.

This trip is a MUST for anyone staying in Tsilivi!!! My friends had done the afternoon trip last year, this year we did BOTH....and so should everybody!!!!! We got to see turtles and dolphins....amazing!!! Captain Spiros is great fun and his boat beats all the rest!!! The scenery and places he takes you to are breathtaking, I would definately not choose any other boat trip................. Purchase tickets from Ian, he can't be missed!!! He will give you lot's of useful info on the PERFECT day out. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic what more can we say . 

Make sure you look out for Ian, you will see him walking up and down Tsilivi Beach (His name is on the back of his T-Shirt.)  Really friendly guy who will give you loads of information about the trips that Spiros runs. 

Went on the afternoon trip and got to see a turtle, kids and adults alike loved this it was wonderful to see them in their natural environment.  We were a party of six with two children, the kids got to drive the boat, I also had a go too - what a thrill - I want one!!

Went into Keri Caves, which are great, and because of the size of the boat we were able to go into them and have a swim which was great fun.  Spiros is a charm of a man, full of knowledge and wit.

Wished we could have had time for the morning trip. A definite must for next year.

Thanks again Sprios and see you next year hopefully.

Bev x 

A brilliant trip.  Spyros is excellent letting all the kids drive the boat.  We reached smugglers cove before all the other trips, which was great.

A totally fantastic day out. Don't miss it - the best excursion in Tsilivi by far.

Our trip to the Blue Caves was one of the highlights of our holiday. Spyros is a great character whos enthusiasm rubs off on everyone. He ensures everyone has a fantastic time, and is great with the kids, who along with some of the ladies, get a chance to drive the boat. The Blue Caves were stunning, and the chance to swim in the clear blue water was irresistible.Unfortunately, the sea was too rough to get to the Shipwreck, and to the Keri Caves, but we will definetly ride with Spyros again when we return to Zante.

  Don't miss this trip and certainly don't even think about taking any other boat.  This trip was memorable and the best way to see the island whilst having a lot of fun.  Safety was high on the list, with life jackets available if wanted, and a must for younger passengers.  Spiros was great fun, allowing us all to pilot the boat - what a thrill considering he had two speeds, flat out and stop.  Will recommend him to anyone visiting the island; he also very graciously picked us up from Alikanas, saving us muchos euros - bless! See you next year.

We went on this trip last week and it was by far the best day of our holiday!  It was absolutely fantastic.  Both myself & my daughter (aged 7) got to drive the speedboat which was great fun!  Captain Spiros is excellent fun, and my daughter had such a great time as she was the only child on the trip that day, she got loads of special attention from him!  The boat itself is fantastic, it really comfortable as well.  If you sit at the back you do get very wet!  We went on the morning trip to the blue caves which are worth seeing, they are beautiful.  We also fell for the story about the mermaids footprints!  We then went on the St Nicholas for drinks/lunch which was the prettiest little village we had seen.  There was lots of boats, one lovely taverna right at the waters edge and a small sandy beach.  The food at this Taverna was the best we had tasted all holiday!  It was really a wonderful experience.  We was then feeding the bread to the fish as they swim right up to the edge of the Taverna.  My daughter really loved this.  We then got back on the boat and went off to stop for a swim at a lovely small beach.  We were the only ones there.  The water was the clearest blue and it was great.  We then headed back and when Spiros come back into the bay of Tsilivi, he takes you right down to other end of the beach and back sounding his horn, and everyone waves to the people on the beach.  He then does a sharp turn and everyone at the back gets wet!  It was better than any ride at a theme park!  We will definately book again next year and go on the morning and afternoon trips this time.  It was worth every penny!  Thanks Spiros!

Hello Spyros and crew, our speedboat trip to the shipwreck was one of the best days of our holiday .
To anyone visiting Tsilivi I'd definitely recommend this trip 110%. It was a great laugh and Spyros even lets you sit up front for a while. The only thing is, when you visit one of the caves on the way back and he asks you to stand up and look at the bridge to see the Mermaids footprints - don't! We did along with half the other people then just got laughed at I wish we had went on their other trip to the caves in the afternoon but we were only visiting for a week and it was fully booked - so I think that speaks for itself!!!!! Hope to visit again. Thanks for a great trip.

Sinead & Maureen (The Scottish Lassies)

What an excellent trip.......We were a party of nine  going on the morning trip to the ship wreck and the blue caves, captain spyros has a wealth of knowledge and he made it fun, the kids loved him as they got to drive they boat. It was well worth the 35 euros. Watch out for Ian he will tell you all about the trip, he walks up and down the beach everyday. This is the trip to go on NOT the bigger boats as they wont take you into the caves.

We only wish we had time to go on the afternoom trip to see the turtles, but our flight home was the next day......

This was an amazing trip.  We did the morning excusion round the blue caves and smugglers cove and it was worth every penny.  Do not be tempted to go for the cheaper option of the big boats.  The big boats will show you the caves from a distance but Captain Spyros can get right inside them and show you all sorts of fascinating things.  He knows so much about the island - and makes you  along the way.  We saw smugglers cove first thing in the morning when there were no other tourists around and it was great!  All the kids got the chance to drive the boat.  Just the boat ride in itself is so much fun - but the sights were great too.

Just wish we'd had the time to do the afternoon trip to see the turtles too...

What an absolutely excellent trip!  Well worth 35 euros.  We were given plenty of advice when booking on what to bring with us. The boat takes about 24 people and safety is a priority - all children under 12 have to wear life jackets. Captain Spyros makes this a really personal trip, getting to know all the people on board, eating with them, swimming with them and making a fuss of the kids.  You also get the chance to steer the boat!  Spyros is full of interesting info and willing to answer any questions - and is witty with it!    The beauty of this trip is that because it is a small boat you get to see and do plenty of things the other boats can't.  We enjoyed the trip to the north of the island so much we did the other trip to the south of the island the next week.  A MUST if you visit Zakynthos!!!

As a group of 16 (adults and children) we chartered Spiros and his boat for an afternoon. We had an absolutely fantastic six hours. Spiros was an excellent host and was happy to take us wherever we wished to go. We swam with a giant turtle, dived in the dark caves of Keri and sunbathed on Turtle Island. Along the way we even stopped for a chat with a tall ship (see photo). Our best day on Zante without a doubt!

Hi spyros,my freind just wanted to thank you for a fantastic afternoon out.

turtle.The health and safety off all the passengers on your boat was fantastic!I would recommend

this speed boat trip to any one wishing to do something different.The under water caves were out of this worled.Any one visiting tsilivi this is a must!!See you next year spyros.

Went on Speedboat trip on Wednesday 3rd August.  Having read loads of good comments on this site before our holiday, we had to give it a go.  We agree - a thoroughly enjoyable morning.  About 24 passengers on the boat, so a small enough amount to all have a laugh.   All the kids (and many of the ladies) got to have a drive of the boat.  Spyros is easy going and made a fuss of the children on board.  We booked the trip at the harbour  -  Ian, the Levante rep. was there just before 1pm when the boat returns  (don't know where else we could have booked it?)   Only downside - it was all over too quickly!  Had we not been coming home, we would definitely have booked the trip with Spyros around the south part of the island to see the turtles.  Well recommended.  ***** 

If you do any trip in Tsilivi, do this one......Captain Spiros and Philip are very friendly and accomodating and if you don't like the big boats and long drawn out trips in the excesssive heat then you'll love this.  We got to the harbour just after 8am (not good for a hangover!) and left promptly 8.30am to visit the Shipwreck and the Blue Caves.  Spiros gave an informative talk regarding the history of the shipwreck and some interesting facts about the corals in the caves.  We were allowed to drive the boat for a short amount of time and we told that we would stop if we saw dolphins.... We did, fantastic!!!! Stopped for refreshments at Alikes and returned to harbour for 1pm. A great morning out, definitely worth the money..... see Ian on the beach..............Happy sailing! Paula & Kerry, South Shields

What an experience - this is such a special trip, everyone should do it. Captain Spiros really enjoys his job, and makes sure you enjoy every part of the day. Forget the bigger boats, this is much more intimate. The trip to the Blue Caves and shipwreck starts at 8.30am so its not too hot, and you feel like there's not too many other people around. I'll remember this trip for a very long time. Do it!

What a day to remember.  Captain Spiros you are a star.  I agree with other comments i have read and it truly is a trip to remember.  Spiros makes the whole experiance enjoyable and unforgettable and get everyone involved.  It was fun to watch the kids "driving " the boat and Spiros' sense of humor and fun added to the enjoyment of the day.  If you dont do anything else you really should go on this trip with Captain Spiros and his mate.

What a day out. Spiros you are one in a million. The trip was one of the best days out we had in Zante and we had many good days out. Attention to detail and customer care are second to none. Forget about the big boats they cant get you up close and personal, the trip into the caves was fantastic We will definitely be back in Zante which means we will definitely be back on board the Levante with Captain Spiros.

 

Having had such a great time we immediately booked his other trip, Turtle Island and Keri Caves.  We sat at the rear of the boat as Spyros had told us we would get wet, and we did!!! (Cheers Spyros)  This was the longer trip and Spyros had all the time in the world to wait for the turtles to appear and to let us take photos.  He is the nicest person you could wish to meet, it is worth every penny and great to see someone who lives for their job and loves what he does - just like us Brits!!!!  (If only )

Spyros's trips made our holiday, he is genuine, thoughtful and sincere and doesn't just want your money like  other excursions.  The only downside is they have to end , but leave you with great memories .  Can`t wait to get back to Tsilivi and see Spyros .

                   

CAPTAIN SPYROS - ZANTE LEVANTE

  We had already found out about Spyros's boat trips before getting to Tsilivi on the internet.  So the first thing we did when we arrived was to go and book the shipwreck/blue caves trip.  We went on the Thursday and had the most fantastic morning out, it is definitely a trip with a difference.  Spyros is so friendly and got to know us all, taking us straight into the caves (just like the big boats do) NOT !!!.  We took the mick out of them by circling their boat and waving.  Nice one Spyros.

 

  

If you don't do anything else, make sure you do this one!!! Definitely the highlight of our holiday. We were recommended to go on it but my husband was a little reserved due to the cost (approx 110 Euros for our family with one under 4 years). I finally persuaded him to go on Levantes' trip up to the blue caves and the shipwreck. We enjoyed it so much, my husband booked another day immediately on return to go to Turtle Island and the Keri caves. Captain Spiros was amazing, the banter was continuous and very very funny. Both my kids are still talking about him and one (my youngest Carla who is 4) is set to return to marry Spiros' son (presently aged 6). Some of Zante is becoming a little bit too touristic for me, but I felt we saw the real Zante and Greece with Spiros. He also gave the impression he was never in a hurry. The only problem I had on both trips was trying to decifer whether some of his stories were fables, mythology or history!!! Lots of tongue and cheek - watch out for the mermaids! Fantastic! I wish Spiros all the luck he deserves!!!

its lee and jayne ( OR TARZAN AND JAYNE) SPIROS U ARE A LEGEND ALL I CAN SAY TO EVERYBODY IS IF U ONLY GO ON ONE TRIP THIS IS IT ITS AMAZIN WE HAVE BEEN ON 3 NOW WITH SPIROS EACH TIME GETS BETA C YA 2006 ALREADY BOOKED ONLY GOT BAK ON 12 JULY 2005

What is the weather like in October? Also we are staying in Laganas and had planned a trip to the caves and the ship wreck. It looks like we should go with Captain Spyros! Is Tslilivi close to Laganas? Any help would be much appreciated. Many thanks.

Just fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!
We went on the morning trip to the Blue caves & the shipwreck which was brilliant. The fact that Spiros has a smaller, faster boat than the big "tourist" boats ment we go much closer to the caves, indeed inside a good number. Another great touch was the fact Spiros let all the ladies who wanted to "drive" the boat for a short period had the chance to do so. Cant imagine that happening on the other trips. we enjoyed the morning so much we booked up for the afternoon trip to the turtles, immediately for 2 days later.
 This trip if anything was even better. Swimming with the turtles & inside a cave were great experiences. A couple of stops for swimming & eating/drinking make the trip very relaxed as did Spiros with his friendly style.
A trip to remember.
If you only do one thing in Zante do these trips---Just do it or miss out!!!

The Levante speedboat trip with Spiros was absolutely amazing. I went on the one to the ship wreck and it was beautiful and plan on returning soon and i will definitely go on the Turtle Trip.Going on a speed boat rather than a big boat was soo much better and we got to see so much more of the caves and the ship wreck. We went on one organised by our rep as well and it was awful, you hardly saw anything and you were stuck on the very uncomfortable boat all day.Captain Spiros also made the trip especially good as he is soo charming, funny and friendly and you can tell how much he loves the island of Zante.If you are staying in Tsilivi or anywhere near by you must definitely go on this trip!!!!!!!Thank you Spiros for a wonderful day!!!

Hello my name is Ian and I work on the beach for Captian Spiros, I would like to advise everyone that due to the rising price of diesel we have had to unfortunatly put the price of the trips up to 35 euros for adults and 20 euros for 12s and under. For bookings you can either find me on the beach or i am at Tsilivi harbour at 1pm every day. We look forward to seeing you all soon.Ian 

This trip sounds great. Is the water very deep at the swim stop? Im not a great swimmer and dont like swimming out of my depth.

I've read the reviews of Captain Spiros' trip and would like to know if we can book in advance. If not how do we contact him when we arrive. We are staying in Tsilivi.

its about time spiros got that boat in the water coz ian is spending too much time in freddies bar drinking and scrounging fags off us, jus tgot back and ian said the boat may go out at the end of may just depends, hope its soon coz he needs paying so he can repay all those fags back will see you again in 5 weeks will go on your boat trip save us a seat, take care see you soon love caroline n garry xxx

Have seen comments and great pictures of Spiros boat trip.Will be there early July and would like to know how to book onto trip ?

 In response to the recent queries:  The weather at the end of May is good, usually in the mid 20's and sunny.  The sea can be a little cold, although far warmer than the UK.  Taking a 5 month baby on Spiro's boat will be safe, Spiro loves kids and would lean over backwards to ensure the child was OK.  Howevever Spiro may not have the boat in the water until mid-June, it just depends...

Since 1989 we have been to Tsilivi 26 times during May to October and have stayed several times with Spiro, everything he does is great!!   

You can be rest assured that the weather will be better in zante! Alittle windy last year but bt the end of may its always mid 20's. I'll be back at the end of may....can't wait! 

anyone no waht the weather is like at the end of may in zante compared to the u.k?

Can anyone advise whether to take a five month old baby on Spiros Levante speedboat. We are going to Tsilivi in May and this trip sounds fantastic from the comments. Thanx, Diane.

 Brilliant day out Capt. Siros was a very good host, good fun, we were on the trip the day he rescued the baby turtle from the fishermens net. he returned it to safer waters where it woud hopefuly be safer. woud go again.

Just want to say hello spiros thats if u remember us we came to zante last september and we loved it might come back this year cause we all loved it so much spiros can u say a big hello to your brother . from sue,amy,kerri,shell,beckie,jess x x westbromwich

Fantastic day out felt very personal as Spiros takes the time to talk to everyone he was fantastic with our 2 wee boys 9& 4 especially the little one, he went on about captain spiros long after we were home(and wanted to wear his t-shirt every waking hour) .Very much value for money see you soon Captain Spiros & crew x 

Hi Laura,  I have just seen your E-mail regarding Spiros's boat trip, we went last June and the previous June and we really had the most fantastic day.  I think it cost about £30 per head and children were half price, I may be slightly wrong, but it was definately worth every penny, and I wouldn't waste money on the Reps' boat trips.  Also it takes about 10-15 minutes by taxi, from Laganas to Tsilivi.  Hope this helps.

HELLO Can someone tell me how much this trip cost and how easy is it to get from Laganas to Tsilivi ???

What a great guy Spiros is. Really wanted to try his tour but due to lateness of our visit he was no longer running. We found him at his studio apts in Tsilivi and he recommended another tour, gave us a phone number and directions, and then rang the guy to make sure it was running!! Didn't get to shipwreck beach but had a boat to ourselves around the Blue Caves. Can't thank him enough. Cheers and good luck with the Studios!

Dear Captain Sipros
Really enjoy on speed boat and worthy value, great laugh then take for lunch beatiful restaurant to see sea view, we had lovely two big cod fish.
love from Susan & Alan
Rochdale, England
Sept 2004

Dear Madie, I'm so glad you protect & care about animals so much. About the picture with the turtle I must explain that the only reason that I have the turtle is that it was trapped by a fishing net & I had to remove the net from her neck & legs, & of course I put her back in the water. Please beleve me that I want to protect the turtles, not exploit them, and I am glad that other people care about them as I do. Thank you very much, Spiros.

We recommend this boat trip to anyone visiting tsilivi! Its a must do! The trip only takes half a day so you still have the afternoon to go on the beach etc. You visit the shipwreck and the blue caves. You acually go right into the caves unlike the big boats which are miles away. Also you can jump in for a swim. On the journey we saw dolphins, a turtle and a shark (in-flatable) hehe! Spiros the captain is a very nice man and very informative. What ever you do dont book any of the shipwreck/blue cave trips through travel shops or reps as you will get a horribly big boat and you wont see anything. the trip costs 35 euros and is worth the money.this was the best day we had on our hol!

I just wanted to add Spiros can be found down at the beach.He blows his horn as he travels back from the trip at 1.30pm ish.Or ask the guys who do the water sports.Most of the other trip oganisers kidded us that they didnt know who he was.

I have just arrived back home from Tsilivi.We went with our two sons and fiances.We had a fantastic time,but the highlight we all agreed was the trip with Captain Spiros.It was one of those trips that you never forget.Dont take the larger trips to the blue caves they only look from a distance Spiros actually goes right inside.The colours are fantastic and Spiros takes time to explain everything.He even made our lad get down and propose again.to the delight of not only our family but,eveyone else who was on the trip.Thanks again Spiros

an absoultely superb day..we had great laughs, visited some beautiful places and actually swam in the caves. "captain birds eye" was a thoroughly entertaining host and the bridegroom received superb tuition and can now cover for the captain when he goes on holiday!! if you have the time and ££££ book this outing for the day..its well worth it.

and sorry i didn't turn up for our date captain.....love gina xx

We booked on the trip to the Shipwreck but it was too windy - but even so we still had a wonderful time - especially when Spiros told our friend to jump in the water inside the cave! Little did we know we would then have to follow him!! Laura & Daniel thought steering the boat was "totally wicked!" and even though we came back in the middle of August - they're still talking about it now! We saw a turtle when we went on the trip to the south of the island - and had an afternoon to remember! If you go to Zante - you've got to go on one of Spiros' trips - especially if you've got kids. Don't miss it -
it's the trip of a lifetime!

My wife and I went on the Speedboat tour with Captain Spiros and Tasos on
Sat 4th Sept, and had an amazing time. We set off at 08:30 in the morning,
and were both allowed to sit right on the front of the speedboat, which made it
an amazing experience before even seeing any of the caves or coves etc...
We were fortunate enough to see a lone dolphin on the way to the shipwreck
(at Navagio), and some lovely seagulls which glide millimeteres above the
surface of the water, searching for food. We were enlightened by interesting
stories of the places we were passing and visiting, some of which were
factual, and others which were clearly just made up or embellished for sheer
entertainment value, such as the "Mermaid fashion show!" ...Captain Spiros
had a captive audience, and he didn't disappoint!

Many had the opportunity to drive the boat, and the places we stopped to
swim (blue caves etc) and dive of the boat (a lovely small secluded cove)
were excellent, and just made the trip everything we anticipated and more!

One of the nicest things about the trip was that it is completely tailored-made
to the group of 24 on the boat at the time. If you want to stop for a long time or
a short time somewhere, on a beach, in the caves, at a restaurant, Spiros
obliges, if you want to just stop, or go back, or turn the boat around and get
the photo you really want, he'll patiently wait for that too... he'll learn your
names (and if required quickly appoint a new nickname for you!), and will
remember you when he sees you in the town and on the beaches days later.

It was one of the highlights of our 2 weeks in Zante, and this is a massive
recommendation to all who haven't booked a trip yet, to book this one!!
And when a speedboat passes the beach tooting it's horn, WAVE!!!

(If you read this Spiros, all the very best from the boy with the 'expensive toy',
who was doing somersaults off the front of your boat, and his 'lovely wife' who
sat at the front of the boat for the whole trip!)

Firstly, just wanted to reply to Mandi's message from 01 Sept 2004:
Hi Mandi, appreciate your concern for the turtle in the picture, it's terrible some
of the things that the tour boats do, just to get near to these lovely (and
endangered) creatures. HOWEVER, the picture that you referred to is actually
not as cruel or wrong as you may think. Captain Spiros, who is the one
holding the turtle, told us himself the story and reason behind the picture. The
turtle was actually tangled up under the water in a fishing net, and so Spiros,
with much difficulty, rescued it from the net, where it would surely have died,
this photo shows Spiros and the turtle just after this happened. Spiros sees
hundreds of turtles each year, and could have 1,000s of better pictures with
turtles if he wanted, but he is just as concerned with their welfare as the rest of
us, maybe more so, particularly as they are part of his local heritage too. In
fact, if Spiros encounters boats 'chasing' turtles and going places they
shouldn't, he isn't shy about letting them know NOT to do this. I hope this gives
the right view of the photo on the website Mandi.

My boyfried and I found out about this trip on this website and as we were staying in Tsilivi we thought we give it a try. We are so glad we did now because it was excellent.
Our shipwreck trip was cancelled twice because of strong winds but we were offerd to re-book our have a full refund. We re-booked to go the Turtle trip (Keri caves)which was so fantastic. We saw a turtle and spend half an hour on Turtle Island which was so beautfull. He then took us to and right into Keri caves where the brave ones jumped in for a swim. The last stop was St Nicolas Beach which is the best beach on the Island were we chilled for as long as we wanted.
The next day we finally went on the Shipwreck trip were all the women and children were allowed to drive the boat.Because its a speed boat we got there before any other boat, we were the only ones. We then saw some of the caves and took us to a little beach.
Captain Spiros was excellent, he was funny and spoke good english so he kept you informed all through the trip.
The reps will try and keep you away from his trip but do not let them fool you, as their boat trips have about 300 people (24 on levante) and cannot take u into the caves and to the little beaches.
The Levante Speedboat trip and captain Spiros made our holiday extra specail and would recommed it to everyone.

A fantastic trip to be recommended as an absolute must when you visit Tsilivi. Captain Spyros is a superb guide and host, making sure that your every need is met on the trip. He may let you drive the boat too, which I did - great fun! He always gets the best view in the house when you are turtle spotting! He takes great care of his boat and its passengers making sure that all safety rules are applied. Children are given a life jacket to wear and sit in the middle of the boat. A truly memorable trip!!! Thanks from me and my 'little pirates!'

I had found this website before leaving for Zakynthos and it was the first thing on our agenda. Unfortunately, on the day, we couldn't go round to the Smugglers Cove as the weather was too rough, so Spiros took us to a deserted cove for a swim which was lovely. The ride however is not for the faint hearted, I have grown up on boats, but my partner was looking slightly worried some of the time! This trip is excellent and Spiros is a real character. I refuse to go on the Tour Operators boat trips where they cram you in to every nook and cranny, this was just perfect. When we return next year we'll definitely be re-booking.

Super trip first class captin spiros is very funny and knows his stuff 35 euros each not the cheapest but must be the best so glad we did not go on the big boat trips we did the morning trip to ship wreck and caves 8.30 start back in resorst by 1.15pm very very good and spiros seems to know his stuff.

The only bad thing was the food on the stop off so just have a drink and enjoy the superb view from the restaurant terrace the travel agent sort of makes out you stop in a small old village but you dont its one restaurant on a cliff but it does have such amazing views and its only for an hour so just wait till you get to resort for lunch but thats just my opinion.

A great great trip wish we had gone on the afternoon trip as well now we are home but will be back next year and will be going on both.

Spyros, Ian and Tasos, thank you for an amazing speed boat trip to remember forever! This was much more fun than the cruise we went on both because of the sheer power of the boat, the wind in our hair and most importantly the excellent guide Spyros who kept us laughing all the way. The sights were well worth seeing and this was the best way to see them. If you do one boat trip in Zante, make it this one!!!!

This is truly a magical experience. This is the ONLY way to see the real Zante. Forget your big cruisers. We went on both trips. The first to the shipwreck, blue caves etc. The second to turtle island, the Keri Caves and turtle spotting etc. Both trips were fantastic and exactly as promised. We took our three children (6,4,2 years) and they loved every minute of it. Spyros is an excellent guide, very entertaining and knowledgable about everything you see. He was fantastic with the children and let them have many goes at driving the boat. Spyros is a remarkable character, who is very passionate about the island of zante and is also very protective of its preservation. If you only do one thing when you go to Zante, a Levante speed boat trip should be it. We are not easily impressed but we would return to Zante just to go on the trips again. Thank you Spyros (Tasos and Ian) for making our holiday truly memorable our children haven't stop talking about the trips since we have returned home.

Many Thanks
The Cottam Family (Captains Tom & Jerry !!!!)

Having seen the comments on this website, I thought we would give this a try. We booked to go on the Shipwreck/Blue Caves trip, but on the day, Spyros told us that the weather around the north coast was too rough. You may be disappointed if this happens, but he has your best interests at heart. The boat is perfectly capable of handling rough seas, but if Spyros thinks you won't enjoy it, he won't go. Note that many of the other boats will still run their trips - and you will hear their passengers complaining afterwards! We re-arranged for a few days later, by which time the weather had calmed down. The trip was excellent, and Spyros is a real character. Because Levante is faster than the other boats, we got to the shipwreck beach early and had it all to ourselves (Levante holds 24 passengers - some of the bigger boats carry up to 300). As someone else has said, this means that the beach is largely in the shade, but I think this made it more atmospheric. My wife and children all had a go at steering the boat, though thankfully not while we were in the caves. Spyros makes manoeuvering the boat look deceptively easy. We enjoyed the trip so much that we booked for the Keri Caves/Turtle Island trip as soon as we got back to Tsilivi. This trip was even better. Spyros got the boat right inside the caves, then we stopped off at Marathonisi (Turtle Island), then went slowly around Laganas Bay until we saw a turtle (Spyros will take as long as it takes to find one - but didn't go too close so as not to distress it). We then went on to St. Nicholas beach (one of the best on the island) before heading back to Tsilivi. Spyros is a real showman and creates a good atmosphere on the boat, and Levante, with it's twin 7.4 litre V8 engines, makes every minute on the water exciting. 35 euros each is a bit pricey, but those 2 boat trips with Spyros and Tasos were the high points of our holiday and gave us many memorable moments, so we think of it as money well spent. You can get cheaper trips, bit I reckon you get what you pay for. Don't bother with the naff excursions the rep tries to sell you - go and see Spyros instead. Note: If you're not staying in Tsivili, follow the main road through Tsilivi then take the side road opposite the Hotel Mediterranee. Follow that road, turning left at the end towards the small harbour. The best time to catch him is between 1.00 & 1.30.

I was just reding the comments on here and looked at the photos and was absolutely horrified to see a man holding a turtle , who on earth let him do that , it was upsetting enough to go on a boat trip and see one poor turtle being chased (illegally) by about 6 boats when there are only supposed to be 2 at a time in the marine park and the boats are supposed to stay at least 15 metres away from the turtles so why on earth has one been taken out of the water to be photographed which would cause enormous distress to the poor thing ???????? Please please please can people do their research on these lovely creatures before going anywhere near them

My wife has done this trip a few times before and as this was my first time in Tsilivi she suggested that we do the Levante speed boat trip. Captain Spiros was very informative and amusing throughout the trip. He was keen to get everyone involved and even let the kids drive the boat. I particularly enjoyed the caves and the lunch stop. If you want to do a boat trip then this is a must. I felt really sorry for all those people who took the larger boats and didn't get the chance to swin inside the caves and visit the other sites close up.

We had a fantastic trip. Spiros and his crew were geat. This is a trip not to be missed - puts all other boat trips in the shade.

Had a wonderful trip with Spiros and his mate. JMC trip we had booked was cancelled three times due to strong winds - thank goodness we changed and went with Lavante to visit the Caretta Caretta.
Fantastic fun, for 24. All the ladies let their hair down !!!
Ignore the Reps and take this trip.
You will find Ian to book on the beach or between 1 and 1:30 at the harbour to the left of the main beach (looking toward the sea)

We recently went on this trip. It is definitely not to be missed. Spiros gave some very interesting information on the varous places visited and did his best to involve everybody.
The boat leaves from Tsilivi harbour just around the corner from the Alexandra Court Hotel.

Brilliant! We had a wonderful morning - Spiros was informative & funny & great with the kids - Do this trip over the larger boats if you want a decent view of everything - We couldn't get on the turtle trips to the South - Never mind - Next time!

hey, just wondering, where on the island can we find spiros??? would love to go on the trip! going to zante in a few days and i cant wait!

We telephone from the UK 10 days befor our holiday. We offered to pay by Debit / Credit card on the phone to confirm our booking but was told that they do not take booking in advance. After confirming that this would be our 6th visit to the island, they accepted our booking on trust.

Out in Zante, the night before our booking, our hotiler suggested that we phone to confirm statr time and drop off point for tax in the resport. We were then told, that the (Levante Speedboat) had cancelled our booking after rining my mobile number and confirming with my wife. I didn't give them a mobile number and am not married !!!

We inquired if we could go on another day, to be told ring "tomorrow" and they will check. They also confirmed that the price was now E 35 euros and not E 30 euros as stated on thier web site linked to www.justzante.co.uk

In anger, we didn't bother to phone back and arranged trips with travel agents on the main strip. It's a good job we didn't just turn up at 8.00 am !!!!

If you make a booking, check the night before.

Get a life you lot the girl (fiona) is allowed to say what she thinks thats what this site is for no point reading it if you all moan at what others think i will be trying this trip 100% sounds good to me but no need to abuse others for there views sound like a bunch of bullies this is a holiday review site.

We are so pleased that we went on this trip it was FANTASTIC we saw a Turtle and swam with it. This trip is a must and we can't wait to do the morning trip next year. Captain Spiros was a gentleman and so informative. Thanks to Ian, a regular at Freddies Bar (another must do )who sorted out our booking. A wonderful holiday memory.

By far the best part of our holiday in Zante and that's saying something as we had a wonderful time throughout. Spiros is friendly, funny and informative, ready to have a laugh and a joke and make the trip as enjoyable as possible. We got in and swam with the turtles, jumped in the caves and heard the history and stories of the island. The nicest way to see the island in such a heat. A definate hit, which should not be missed.

A great day out. My lad loved it. You get to see the blue caves up close and the shipwreck before the millions of other boats get there. And while its still cool!! Captain Spyros likes to play jokes so make sure you're up for a laugh. Remember to take a hat or the sun will cook your brains!! Its well worth the early start.

Absolutlely fantastic - We are a family of four and have taken many trips of this type over the years. This was the best one we have ever been on. The captain made the trip informative, enjoyable and always fun. Thank You.

What a fantastic trip i cant belive some people found it average im 18 years old and thought it was the best thing on the island by far sypros was fantastic he is a very funny man and i didnt stop laughing from start to finish it was lovely having no time restrictions, and being able to see those turtles close up and getting to swim with them, overall a very relaxing and enjoyable day out and well worth every single penny and more!!!

This boat trip was the highlight of our week in Zante. Just a little more expensive than a similar trip on a larger boat but well worth every penny oops! euro. My five year old daughter sat up front with Spiros for three hours and got to steer the boat. We were able to see the turtles at close range and some of the guests actually got into the water with them.A wonderful afternoon with no time restrictions. Thank you Spiros and love to Yani

What a great adventure we had last week - much more personal than larger excursions. My daughter & son got to drive the speedboat and so did I (the men missed out!) - great fun was had by everyone on our trip. Thanks Captain Spyros (and the lovely Tassos) for all of the great information and for showing us the beauty of the caves. Worth the extra money but we couldn't afford the south island trip too - we will save that one for our next visit to Tsilivi!

well we have been back 2 days and are 10 year old son cannot stop talking about swimming with the turtles, we went on both trips and recommend both, even though the speedboat is a lot more expensive than the big boat having experienced them both its well worth spending the extra money, thanks spiros we all really enjoyed it, hope to see you again next year.

Thoroughly recommend both north and south trips, relaxing and informative, swimming with turtles and in the cave a real treat.Captain Spiros very knowledgable and great fun involving everyone to be a crew member, cant wait to go back

I don't understand why people think the internet gives them the right to be insulting to other people. Fiona and I (her boyfriend) didn't enjoy the trip. I found it rather boring, sorry if for some reason that offends anyone even though I can't see why it should. I thought Spiros was a little bit rude to me to make everyone else laugh. But if you guys enjoyed it thats great! We were just saying that we didn't it may have something to do with our ages Fiona is 17 and i'm 22. So are you going to call me spoilt for not enjoying the trip as well?

Excuse me, how dare you call me a prat? And for the record, no I'm not spoilt. I didn't like the chips is all I meant! I thought my original comment was clear, but all I meant was I didn't really think the trip was all it was cracked up to be! My opinion is as valid as yours. I think you are just plain rude.

Fiona (Allan) I agree with you that the turtles should be protected, but Captain Spiros is very thoughtful and kept his distance from them. The swimmers followed behind them at a respectable distance. When reaching Turtle island, Spiros told people that were sitting too far back on the beach to move to the waters edge so as not to disturb the nests. One boat load of Brits in a selve drive boat had even anchored their boat to a nest protection cage and would you believe were playing football amongst the nests.Spiros told them in no uncertain terms to remove their anchor and to stop playing ball.
So you see, Spiros does more than his fare share to protect them. It would truly make more sense for the Greek government to ban people from going on nesting beaches. One beach we visited had sun beds and umbrellas amongst the nests.
NOW THAT IS BAD.

hi can't recommend the speed boat trips enough,exhilarating and relaxing.ok maybe a little bit more expensive than the island cruises but believe me the speed boat will provide you with memories you won't want to forget (unlike the cruises!).If your off to Tsilvili look out for Ian walking up and down the beach with his clipboard no hard sell (nicest lad you'll meet there!).Spiros the captain well he'll keep you well informed about the places you visit and if you only chose one then make it the Keri caves,a fantastic experiance swimming in the caves. not to mention the Turtles.

Went on the afternoon trip to see the turtles (saw three!) and Keri caves on Saturday July 31st (postponed from Thursday 29th due to the high winds)Spiros will only go if he is sure of the weather.

Fantastic trip, a "must do" event.

Spiros is very friendly, funny and informative.

Ian is very honest and accurate in his description of the trips.

See you again next time we're in Tsilivi!

Cheers

Alan,Pauline, Liz and Andy (Lancashire)

Sorry Spiro, an error in my previous message. Places visited should read EXCELLENT!!!

We don't need a description of Fiona Allan, we can guess: very young, spoilt no taste,satisfied with nothing!! She criticises Spiro for everything including the chips at the Taverna stop off!!
What a prat, never mind perhaps she will grow up one day. As for the trips they are excellent, by far the best on the island, excellent value for money, with a kind, warm and caring captain. For those who don't believe me look at the rest of the comment and please ignore the"spoilt brat". All the best to Spiro and Adolyse.

First off, spell my name right (Fiona ALLAN), and secondly, can I have an opinion? You all thought it was great, fine, but don't attack me for my view. I may be 17, but I am entitled to an opinion, just like you.

All Trips are 35 Euro. If you are going to Zante shortly, the afternoon trip would be good because you may still have a chance to see (and swim) with the Loggerhead Turtles. The afternoon trip tends to be better as there is no time limit, you get to spend as long as everyone wants at each location. Go round to Tsilivi harbour at 1p.m. any day and speak to Spiros (the Captain) or Ian, or catch Ian patrolling the beach most afternoons. They are both very helpful and will run through the trip itineries with you. ENJOY.

What are the prices of the trip to Keri Caves also shipwreck cove,can anyone recomend what would be the best one to take two teenagers on.

We enjoyed the trip thoroughly and would recommend it to anyone who loves the island of zante. Apologies for the comment below - it wasnt meant to be sent.

Fantastic trip to the blue caves. Captain Spiros was very entertaining, honest and funny. 24 people on the boat - a lot more personal than the large boats. Went right into the caves and learned a lot from Captain Spiros who is very passionate about the history of the caves and the island. This trip is an absolute must and finished off a great 2 weeks in the beautiful island of zante. Would recommend this trip to anyone and that moany fiona allen can just shut up and stay at home next time. Northern monkey.

Arrived back from Zante on 26/7/04. Went on two trips with Spiros to see the ship wreck and the turtles. Spiros was an excelent host both times. We found 3 turtles and got to swim with one of them. My husband had to jump in the water in the caves under Spiros' orders!

Both trips were excellent value for money, my daughter and I had a go at driving the speed boat. I would definately recommend this trip over the trips with the reps.

What a day; there were 16 in our party and we hired the boat to ourselves for the afternoon nearly all of us got to drive the boat - wow - Keri Caves were amazing and loads of us jumped off and swam. It was then off to Turtle Island; again an amazing place - the nice touch was when the Ice Cream boat came around the corner - shame he didn't have the 'tonibell' bells - this all boosts the local economy. We saw turtles and we did NOT jump in and disturb them, but what an fantastic sight - one cannot appreciate how big they really are. It was then off to Banana Beach for a few beers and the fastest ride back to Tsivili, of course making sure everyone who sat at the back got soaked - we can't thank Spiros and his crew enough - a big thank you for Ian as well for letting us know about it. If you are in a big crowd club together and take the boat, especially if you want the laughs. Efharisto Spiros and Yamas to Levante!!!!! XXXX

Maybe your trip was just lucky but no-one drove the speedboat on ours. And also, the person whose fiance swam with the turtle, they are an endangered species. On our turtle trek, the guide (a member of the protection society) would have been horrified. You're not supposed to get that close to them or they can become distressed. Maybe you didn't swim very close to them but I feel that is a bit bad you were allowed off the boat with the turtles.
We were only near the turtles for only a short time and got to see 3. As soon as more than 2 boats were near them, we left, so as not to disturb them too much. It's the turtles time for relaxation and they need to rest. I'm sure it was great experience, but not too good for the well-being of the turtles.

If you are going to Tsilivi, this trip is a must. We had an excellent afternoon watching and swimming with the turtles, visiting turtle island, Keri Caves and Banana Beach. Spiros is a very friendly and helpful guy and doesn't put any time limit on the afternoon trip, you spend as much time as you like at each location. We were out from 1.30pm til 7.45pm.(Very good value for around £23)This is definately the best trip on the island. DON'T MISS IT!
We had done the "Round the Island" tour on the big boats the week before and there is no comparison.

Spiros was a great host, I think that this is a must. It seems that the comment below must have had a really bad day..!

Nearly everyone got a go driving the speed boat, the stop at the taverna was great. So what if we give our money to the locals, they deserve it for putting up with us on their island.

Fantastic trips on offer by Spyros. Well worth the money. Much better than being stuck on a boat withh 500 people. I got to steer the boat and my Fiance got to dive into one of the blue caves. We liked it so much we went on the turtle trip. No other trip could follow the turtles like we did. I got to see 3 turtles and my Fiance swam with one. We even bought ice cream and drinks fromt he floating shop.

I returned from a week in Zante today, and I have to say that both myself and my boyfriend felt this trip is overrated. No-one got to steer the boat, although a couple of people did get to sit on the front of the boat. I felt Spiros was trying to be funny and therefore wasn't. I am 17 and my boyfriend is 21, which may have been a factor. However, my boyfriend felt Spiros was being quite rude to him, to get laughs.
The shipwreck is beautiful, and the blue caves are good too. I just think that the stop at the taverna (incidentally, the view may be good but the chips were awful!) is a way to get money for the locals and of no benefit to us. The trip did get a tad boring after a while too and I think 35 euros is a bit expensive.
During our week, we went on the turtle trek organised by Dionisis tours, with Graham. This was by far superior to this excursion. In my opinion, this trip is severely over-rated and I would recommend other trips over this one.

HAD A GREAT DAY ON THE SPEEDBOAT SPIROS LET ME DRIVE THE BOAT AND MY FRIEND CHRIS JUMP IN THE WATER AT THE BLUE CAVES ...

This trip is a MUST! You will have people approaching you all day in the street to try and get you on the larger boat trips but I wouldn't bother with those ones - they can't get right into the caves and they're always packed with about 200 people.

Spiros' boat fits 24 people so the trip is a lot more personal and Spiros is the nicest man you'll ever meet. I'm pregnant and promised him that if I had a boy I would name him Captain Spiros - a verbal agreement is apparently binding in Zante, Oops!

This trip is excellent value for money. He takes you right into the caves and tells you about all the local history. He's brilliant with kids and lets them ride his boat - he also lets the women ride the boat. We also stopped at a nice little cafe on a cliff overlooking the sea. Then we went onto a private beach which was really nice and peaceful. It's really pebbly though so make sure you take your flip flops or you'll be in agony.

Spiros is a very honest man - if the trip will be affected by the weather (i.e. the water on the northern side of the island may be very choppy and stop you from going to the Shipwreck) he will tell you in advance and offer you your money back.

The trip cost 35 euros which was well worth it. If you want to go on a trip make sure it's this one. You'll find Ian or Spiros walking up and down the beach wearing bright blue shorts and cream coloured t-shirts.

We spent the morning of July 16th 2004 aboard the speedboat and all had a wonderful time. Spiros and his crew were both attentive and entertaining. We were told all about the blue caves and the shipwreck as well as the colours of the water and the minerals. The kids loved it. My husband loved it and I loved it. Definetly a highlight of our holiday in Tsilivi.Our only regret is that we had to come home before the next tour around turtle island on the following wednesday.

Well done to everyone, stunning scenery, excellent organisation, hopefully a vivid memory for my children as they grow up. What more can I say!?

Spyros is FAB and really makes the day as exciting and enjoyable as possible. The boat fits about 20-25 so is much better than the usual boats that seem to have about 100-150 on them, so as well as having a great day out, you get a chance to make some friends too.
Each stop along the way you get a long time to swim, catch some rays, whatever it is up to you. I would definately recommend this trip (we went twice!) Captain Spyros is great with children too!
Find Ian walking up and down the beach, usually near Freddy's Bar and he will have a nice chat with you and give all the details A****

Had a fantastic week in Zante. The highlight of the holiday was the speedboat trip. Spiros was a very charming lovely man with loads of charisma. Going to visit the shipwreck was great there was only our boat and another small one there when we landed. The place was quite eerie and still. We still can't believe the shipwreck landed almost centre in that little cove, but its a good story which Spiros tells you. If you get chance you must go on this trip its not expensive. Its far better than going on the big boats which takes all day, plus the ladies get the chance to steer the boat.

We had the most fantastic time with Spyros, we firstly went on the trip to the Keri caves, had the most wonderful relaxing day. Spyros is a lovely man, great with the kids, taught them to skim stones. He has a personal touch with everybody, making sure all had a great day. We spotted loads of turtles and Spyros stops the boat alongside them for phototaking. We came straight back and booked the next trip to the shipwreck. Which was just as great, stopping to look in the caves.

We also spoke to quite a few people that had booked the larger cruises with the Reps, they all said they'd had boring days, couldn't stop in caves, or get off onto beaches. Also had a long coach ride picking up people and then having to wait in Zante town for ages to get on the boat at both ends of the day.

Spyros or his assistant Ian usually walk up and down the beach taking bookings, but the speedboat comes back to the harbour about 1.00 pm, where you can catch them to make bookings, or Ian is often in Freddies Bar along the beach. Fully recommend these trips.

This is the best boat trip ever, it beats all the other boat trips. You not only get to see the blue caves but you get to go right inside them which is a sight to see. The captain Spiros is excellent. He is quite the charmer with the ladies. He let all the ladies on board have a go at driving the speed boat. Warning though - when you stop off for something to eat, just don't order Cheese Pies or Sasuage Rolls, you have been warned! The omelettes were good.

We were in Tsilivi for 2 weeks and only returned on the 1st July 2004 and can't wait to go back.The Levante speedboat trip really is the Ultimate must, Spiros was entertaining and made the trip very worthwhile.

Had a great day out tried the island trip boring,spiros is very entertaining and you see more than you would on the larger boats it's a must

4 of us went to Tsilivi in September 2002, it is a fantastic place and the Levante Speedboat trip is a must. The nightlife is great and food is out of this world, we had the best time, so much, me and my Boyfriend are coming back this year July 2004

We went on an afternoon trip, just right for the kids. My 6yr old Son Liam got a chance to drive the boat and my 2yr old daughter Ella got a proposal of marriage!! Everything was idyllic, an absolute paradise. This is the best way to go and see smugglers cove, I will remember that sight for as long as I live. do it again - definately!

We did the speedboat trip with Spyros this morning, and it certainly lived up to all the enthusiastic reports we have heard, and previous comments on this site. Spyros is a wonderful, entertaining host, and he gives you a great morning's outing. Certainly a must-do on your next holiday.

the trip was well worth it,both my children had a shot of driving which they loved.Capt. Spiros was especially good with my 10 yr old son throughout the trip.we also met Spiros in zante town harbour a couple of days later(he recognised us and shouted us over)and told us the best places to visit.he is a decent bloke.i would recommend eating before you go or taking a packed lunch because(like all restaurants in zante)you pay a lot for not a lot at the taverna

The speedboat trip was far superior than any large boat trip offered,Captain Spiros is so knowledgeable of the area and knows all of the good stories, weather they are true or not make your own mind up, it was good of him to also let the children and ladies all to have a steer of the boat, a good picture opportunity, There are two trips per day, 0830 for the early birds which gets you to the shipwreck before any of the crowds or 1330 for a more lesurely start. If you do not do any more trips on the island, then this one is a must.

This is the one trip that everyone must to do if they come to Tsilivi. Capt Spiros and his friend are so helpful and friendly. As soon as we left the harbour my two girls aged 5 and 7 got to steer the boat (literally he just let go of the wheel!) and he made everyone clap them. We got to the shipwreck by 0915 and Spiros was constantly checking the weather and conditions with the coastguard so we got the most from the trip. We stopped at a nice little taverna for lunch and went in the blue caves on the way back. Spiros is such a laugh and knows what he's talking about and because there's only 24 on the boat everyone got on really well. The trip cost us 30 euros for adults and 15 for children. If you can't find Ian on the beach you can book through Tsilivi Travel Agency in Planos (same price). We would certainly do this trip again if we went back to Zante.

it was nice to see that there are still people out there running trips that care about what is around them and not just the money. any one who reads this if you dont go on another boat trip go on this one thanks for the informative trip and i will see you next year

Brilliant trip, Spiros is the perfect host and is a mine of information on the Isalnd of Zante. He's a real entertainer who speaks very good english.
The boat is fairly basic but it is very fast and it's a great trip because it only takes half a day.
I really would recommend anybody to go on this trip and if there are kids on board Spiros lets them drive the boat for a bit.

Thank you Spiros, we had a great time on your boat!
The boat only has 24 on board so its loads better than the big boats. We were the only ones on 'shipwreck beach' which was good, just don't give up your shoes - the beach is murder on your feet!! We sat on the very front of the boat and felt like Bond girls until Spiros went heading for one of the big boats at full speed and we nearly went flying off - absolutely hilarious, couldn't stop laughing for ages! The trip goes too fast as you really enjoy yourself - would definitely recommend it!!

We had trouble finding Spiros to book this trip but eventually tracked him down in his home where is wife and he were very friendly. The trip to Smugglers Cove was great fun and we had a wonderful time. The story of Mermaid Cave was very funny. There was only one thing that spoilt my trip. A party of 9 people had booked and paid in full for the excursion. Unfortunately, one lady was taken ill and therefore she and her partner were unable to go. Despite Spiros being able to then re sell their seats to 2 people who had turned up at the harbour on the off chance, he refused to refund any of their money. Sorry Spiros, but this smacked of being just a little bit greedy! It wasn't as if you had lost any money.....you gained an extra 60 euros that day! My advice would be to pre book the trip but only pay a 15 euro deposit as we did.......just incase!

The reason why I wanted to visit Zante was the beautiful picture I saw about the Shipwreck. Therefore I was searching through the web to find the best option to get there. As I was reading a lot of nice things about Spiros' trip, we decided to go for it. But I was very disappointed because we got there very early and most of the bay was still in shadow and the view is simply not comparable when it is in beautiful sunlight. Yes, we did get there early before all the other tourists, but this way the Shipwreck was only a touristy sight and nothing more. We didn't even stop for swimming anywhere else so I felt very disappointed compared to all the things I read. The tour itself was done and organized in a professional way. Maybe I had too high expectations but I didn't have a good time.

Excellent boat trip - worth paying the extra to be the first few on Shipwreck Bay as opposed to 100s of sheep-like tourists, and to get inside the blue caves - fun and friendly with only 24 onboard. Watch out for Spiros, than maniacal skipper - very friendly, very fun and very mad! (tip - hide your flipflops in your shorts!)

A great big thank you to captain Spiros and the team for a wonderful day, it was truly the best day of our holiday, I would recomend this to anyone coming to Zante, look for the lovely Ian on the beach (he's always at the harbour at 1pm) Spiros is a great host, the only downpoint was the 5 miserable girls on board I felt really sorry for Spiros, he was trying his best to make them happy (remember you are on holiday girls)! we will definitely go on the trip again next time we are in zante.
P.S Ian you are gorgeous!

What a great trip can't recommend it enough. Spiros is certainly a character, let all the ladeez on the boat drive!!. If you go to Zante go on this trip rather than the big boat, much more personal

Message for Andrea.The speedboat trips run from Tsivili harbour.It is best to book a couple of days in advance by visiting the harbour at about 1pm,when the morning trip returns,and bookings are then taken. Advise you to have something to eat before the trip,take a camera,and a snorkell with you as you will be able to swim in some lovelly waters.We did the afternoon trip to Keri Caves which is possibly more spectacular than the north end of the island where Smugglers Cove is.Certainly worth the money,so enjoy it!!

DO NOT MISS THIS TRIP

I thought the levante speed boat was good. The day that we were on it we could not get around to smugglers cove as it was windy. The only thing I would tell people to watch out for is the Taverna up on the cliff that we stopped charged us 20 Euro for 2 breakfasts which I think is far to expensive. When we came of the boat we complained to the guy on the beach about the price and he asked us what we ate. He came back to us a couple of days later to tell us that the reason we were charged so much for our breakfasts is because we had a few beers !!!. I then told him that we did not have any beers and after that he didn't seem to want to help us try and get our money back. My advice to any-body would be go on the boat trip but if you eat anything in the Taverna ask how much it costs first.

Fantastic!!! Spiros really knows how to give you a great time. When we stopped at the taverna he found out I was on honeymoon and made me propose to the wife again in front of everybody. Could not get to shipwreck as coastguard said swell was to high, much to Spiros disgust, but he made up for it. Best money we spent on the holiday! If anyone took photo of me on one knee could they post it on this website?

can anybody tell me where to find the guy that does the boat trips also need advice on the kids clubs what age do they need to be were stopping at the illisea beach i think thats how its spelt.

thanks

This was the best thing we did on our holiday to Zante. Spiros and his lad are brilliant. They really do care about whether you enjoy yourself and Spiros goes out of his way to ensure you have a great day. The sea in the cove off the shipwreck is breathtaking - I swear you,ve never seen water that colour before! It's absolutely beautiful and what's more - you can swim in it. The little tavera on the cliffs is lovely - food is very good too. Don't forget to buy something from the strange little old lady. She's very poor and I had some gorgeous fresh figs from her for just a couple of euros. Well done Spiros. Thankyou for a wonderful time!
Janet and Richard

Simply the best! Spiros is a tourist attraction on his own. The trip was fantastic. We would have paid a lot more to go on a trip like this (Hope Spiros doesnt read this) Best regards to Spiros and his team (Ian is a good salesman) From Pip & Hily

We were extremely unlucky with the weather during our one week stay in Zante. We booked to go on the trip on Monday 8th Sept, but Spiros had to cancel as he said the weather was going to be bad. True enough, it soon started raining and there was a major thunderstorm that evening. We had rebooked for the next day and when we got up were doubtful again whether the trip would take place. The conditions initially were not ideal thanks to the previous nights storm, however, we set off in any case as everyone really wanted to do the trip.

The Coastguard would not let us around the top of the island, so for the majority of the morning we were unable to visit any of the main sites. Spiros took us to several picturesque places and perched the boat by a beach for a while to let us all have a swim. He was continually pestering the coastguard to get clearance to go further and eventually we were able to visit the Blue caves. We were allowed to swim in and around several caves which was one of the highlights of my holiday.

When you consider the problems we had and that we were not able to visit the shipwreck, it is to Spiros's great credit that there were no complaints. Everyone had a lovely day and left the boat with great smiles on their faces. He is clearly a very conscientious man, who is determined to make sure that everyone has fun.

I fully recommend this trip to anyone visiting the island.

We went with Spyros on the morning of saturday 6th September. We had previously been on the big boat trip and had read about levante on the internet, this trip was fantastic. Spyros allowed Sam and Ash (15) to sit on the front of the speed boat all the way to the shipwreck, he also invited all the children and women on board to drive! What a wonderful experience!
We were able to dive off the boat to go to the shipwreck beach (you need tough feet as the beach is very sharp!) there are only 20 on the boat and not a big boat in sight.
A nice stop at a taverna for lunch and a swim (dont forget your snorkel, thanks to the family who loaned sam a snorkel and mask to use as we forgot ours!)
Spyros told us some lovely stories of the history of the wreck and the caves. A thoroughly enjoyable morning we would have booked the afternoon trip to the other side of the island only the storms stopped play! Maybe next year.

cheers spyiros
fantastic day out.
much better then the large boat trip we went on ear;lier in the week.
if it hadn't been our last day we would of gone again!!!!!!

We were recommended the Zante Levante speedboat trip by a friend who had been before - and we were not disappointed. We went on the morning trip of Sat Sept 6th up to the shipwreck and through the blue caves. Spiros invited our daughters (9 & 10yrs) to pilot the boat, which they loved. Spiros offers a really humerous commentary and kept us chuckling all day. Our youngest daughter couldn't find her sea-legs and was pretty sick throughout the trip, so I would advise taking a seasickness tablet if you think it might be a problem (thanks to the German couple on our trip who kindly provided one for my daughter, allowing her to enjoy the rest of the day!)

Don't miss this trip - if you go in the morning then you will get to the shipwreck before the hordes arrive on the big boats, and by going out on the smaller speedboat you get to go into the caves and see them properly.

A fantastic excursion - we would have booked again to go to the other end of the island if time had been on our side.

Four of us went on the afternoon trip on Sat.6th Sept.2003 to the Keri caves,turtle beach and banana beach.It was an enjoyable trip,however we did not see any turtles(apparently 1st time this has happened).The highlight was swimming in the waters around the Keri Caves,which was worth the trip itself.Make sure you take a snorkell and mask to get the full benefits of swimming in these waters!!Capt.Spiros let the women and children have a go at steering the boat,so take a camera aswell!!We were out for about 6 hours which included 3 swimming stops.This trip is no doubt better than the trips on the bigger boats,and Spiros and the lads very pleasant.So if you are planning on going on a boat trip,we would certainly recommend this trip.ANDY,TRACEY,NICOLE&ROB

My friend Lucy and I went on the morning trip of Thurs 28th August. Cpt Spiros let us sit at the very front of the boat while we were whizzing along ... it was fantastic we felt like Charlie's Angels girls with our hair blowing in the wind (except for when we were deafened by Spiros blowing the horn!!) The trip visited Shipwreck Beach, the Blue Caves and a lovely fishing port where we stopped for lunch and a swim. Spiros tried to get one unfortunate gentleman to propose to his girlfriend in the restaurant ... we all looked round in anticipation as the "lucky" guy knelt down on one knee and asked...not if she would marry him ... but if he could have some of her potato salad! Oh well, better luck in your matchmaking next time eh Spiros?!!

This was a tru;y fantastic trip and we would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the island.

This was one the highlights of my Holiday to Zante.Thanks for looking after us Spiros! Vickie & Charlie

Great - trip and excellent host! - Don't miss it if you are in Zante

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SPIROS IS THE MAN, A TRUE LEGEND, HE GAVE US THE BEST DAY EVER, WICKED FOR ALL AGE GROUPS WE WERE A GROUP OF 7 18YR GIRLS AND HAD A BLAST WITH A FAMILY OF 5, ITS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN.

DO NO MISS OUT

This is the best sea trip that you can book-up on the island!
We went on the morning trip around to the ship wreck and caves, so the shipwreck was empty when we arrived. Spiros allowed all children and women to pilot the speedboat, something that both my daughter and wife took great pleasure in. There was never a dull moment during the trip with plenty of swim stops, sight seeing and local stories! As a bonus we saw a large turtle during the trip!

We went on this trip last Tuesday and it was by far the best part of our holiday. We went to the south of the island, round Keri caves and then on to Turtle Island and Laganas bay. Spiros made the trip for us, he is great fun. Would recommend this trip to everybody!!!!

Thank you Spiros & your team for another excellent trip to the Shipwreck. This was our second holiday to Tsilivi & our second trip on the speedboat. Like us , the kids really enjoyed your humerous, but very interesting stories about the history of your wonderful island. (Sit down you silly people). This trip is a must for anyone visiting Zakynthos. We hope nobody has stolen the pump you welded to the post. We will definately be back for another trip next year.
Thanks again Spiros.

This trip is fantastic.

We went out at 8.30 in the morning to see the shipwreck and there was no one else there, it was great. Our two kids got a go at driving the boat then it was off to the caves. Suddenly the mobile went and Capt Spiros orders us onto the boat as he had heard from fishermen that dolphins were about. We found them and you could tell he was as excited as the rst of us, even though he has seen them time and time before. We immediately booked an afternoon trip to see turtles and that was terrific too. Spiros and I even ended up having a piggy back fight with my son on me and a lad Spiros "kidnapped" from his dad on his back in the shallow water on turtle beach. This man is brilliant, and his trips are WONDERFUL!

If you only do one excursion on your holiday, MAKE IT THIS ONE!!!!!!!!
If you dont want to be shuttled around and would like to spend quality time at all the stops, Captain Spiros and the team at Levante should be the first people that you go and see. We had the two most wonderful afternoons on two separate trips and on each one Capt. Spiros made us laugh and made us feel welcome, not only on his boat but also on his island. Thank you!!!!!!!

Spiros Kaponis the captain of the speedboat is excellent and
the whole excursion is worth every penny.
He has an excellent sense of humour and will keep you entertained
throughout the trip of either going to the North or South of the
island. During our Trip we went on two of the trips both at 1.30pm in the afternoon, 1 day to the south swimming in the caves, turtle
island and Banana beach. Second time to the north which takes you to the shipwreck and caves which are beautiful.
Whole trip if second to none and is a must for anyone visiting the beautiful island of zakynthos.
You will hear Spiros on his speedboat as he beeps his horne and you will hear this on the beach - you should wave back to Spiros..
No other comments to add other then this trip is excellent and you would be a fool to leave without a trip on this excursion.

www.zantelevante.com

I will be staying in Alykanas within the next 2 weeks and would like to go on the Lavante speedboat trip in Tsilivi can anyone tell me how easy this would be to do without hiring a car

We went on this trip on the last day of our holiday and thought it was excellent. Wish we had found the speedboat excursions before. It was laughter from beginning to end and the swimming and seeing a loggerhead turtle were amazing. We went on a big boat trip at the beginning of our holiday but never again!

Sunday 24 August 2003 Tracey, Jill, Tom and Sam.

Spyros again proved what an excellent understanding he has both of Zante and his customers.Immensely enjoyable and useful information. Highlight was swimming in the caves. Well done and highly recommended.

This is an awesome trip and anyone wishing for a great trip out to some exotic sights and a laugh all day then this is the trip for you. from the moment you set off the fun begins and it only stops as you leave the boat. Both me and my sister enjoyed driving the boat. Spiros was not only a laugh but also very informative, we visited the south side of the island which had the keri caves where wen swam inside the cave and we visited turtle island. we also saw 3 turtles pop up for air. it was amazing, definetly a must if you are in Zante

What a Great Trip!! We were lucky enough to visit the south of the island as the wind was too bad on the normal route. We got the chance to visit the keri caves, turtle island and st nicholas beach!
Captain Spiros was great!!! Good laugh, informative, and well prepared as one unlucky swimmier got a sting in her leg, which he took care of. Carole, Gemma, Helen and Micheala all loved piloting the boat while the rest of us held on!! All Good fun, we almost went on twice, only time stopped us! A must if you visit Zante, enjoy!!!

Went on this trip with Zante-Levante and i have to say that i dont think it is possible for any of the large boat trips to be anywhere near as good as this one!!! The boat only holds 20 people, Spiros the guide actually takes his boat into the caves. He is so friendly as well, i would recommend this trip to anyone............
.......It may be a little more expensive than the other boat trips but it is well, well worth it.
Smugglers cove is fantastic, i actually went snorkelling in the bay there, i can safely say that the water is not clear at all. The reason for this is the fact that the limestone falls into the sea from the cliffs in smugglers cove, this is why the water looks so blue!! Spiros, explained this to us all. It was quite scary snorkelling as i couldnt even see my hand in front of my face. The shipwreck its self looks great from a distance but the graffiti spoils it a bit when you get up close. The stones on the beach do hurt your feet, so take some flip-flops or something.

speedboat trip was fantastic.Kids enjoyed it very much Spiros allowing them to take a turn steering.we were looked after superbly by Spiros.Very informative and helpful.My husband is disabled but Spiros made him comfortable.Great fun day not to be missed.

The Levante boat trip was excellent and well worth the money for such a super experience!
Myself and my family went on the trip to the shipwreck and the blue caves. Captain Spiros was a great host, he was fun and informative about all the places we visited. The children loved it! The speed boat was quite a novelty, it was fast but smooth.... Captian Spiros even let us sit at the healm for a time. What a blast!
This trip was uniquie as its the only boat that can actually get inside the caves for a really close look, the water was beautiful.

I highly recommend the trip for all ages, its not to be missed!!!

Well done Captian Spiros and crew for a fabulous day out.

Tracey

Brilliant trip - until Captain Spiros chose me as the person to dive into the sea at the caves , being a poor swimmer I nearly drowned !!!
Worth paying the extra money compared to the big boats out of Zante harbour.

An excellant trip which my wife and daughters thoroughly enjoyed. Captain Spiros's comments were informative and useful. We wish it could have lasted longer or perhaps another half day trip visiting the other side of the island looking for turtles and other wildlife. It was certainly the best trip of our holiday and thankfully not organised by our tour operator!!!

Thanks again to Captain Spiros and his crew

Peter

Superb half day out with Spiros, who is great fun on the boat. Shipwreck beach is not that great with stones under foot, so Spiros stays just long enough to inspect the old wreck, then we swam at the amazing 'blue lagoon' in the next bay.
After this, a visit to all the blue caves and arches, lunch at a beatifully located restaurant in Mikronissi, and finally another swim on the way back to Tsilivi.
By far the best way to get to the wreck. Just do it!

Excellent trip out for 5 hours. Spiros was entertaining and interesting, well worth the money.The speedboat went into the caves
unlike the larger boats, would recommend the trip without a douby

what else can i say thats not already been said?

how good no one like this, it value for money its fun

just read what everyone else says, they're not lies

pics to follow!!

He just back from zante . This trip is well worth its money. You get to go in all the caves which you wouldnt get to do on one of the big boat trips. The shipwreak was good but sore on ur feet. :) well worth it!!!

The Levante boat trip was just superb, Spiros was fantastic making sure everyone was enjoying themselves and joining in with the fun all the time.Just to top it off we came across at least 7 dolphins & stayed with them for at least 10 mins, truly amazing, forget all about the all day cruises this is well worth the extra money.

Hi, I'm going to Tsilvi in October and wondered what the weather is like and also if Spiros will still be running the Levante Speedboat Trip cause it sounds excellent and I would love to see the blue caves.

If anyone else knows of other good places to visit I would love to know.

Claire

WHAT CAN I SAY SPIROS PROMISED A GREAT DAY AND WE CERTAINLY HAD THAT. THE TRIP TO THE WRECK WAS AMAZING AND THE CAVES WE BEAUTIFUL THANKS FOR GREAT MEMORIES OF A GREAT ISLAND. IF YOU DO VISIT MAKE SURE SPIROS SHOWS YOU MERMAIDS FOOTPRINTS.THANK YOU FOR A GREAT TRIP
DEB GREG SARAH STEVE ANTHONY JORDAN MITCHELAND BRADLEY.
PS YOU WILL FIND OUT ON THE BEACH JUST LOOK FOR IAN

We went on this trip after reading about it on this site and it was absolutely fantastic.
Spyros is an absolute star who has a true passion for what he does, my two daughters aged 10 and 7 even got to steer the boat as we sped along the coastline! The smile on Spyros's face was as big as theirs.
We had the shipwreck to ourselves, drove right into the blue caves (as the bigger boats just looked on from a few hundred yards away) and stopped at a beautiful tiny harbour where we dived off the boat for a snorkle and a swim.
It was 30 euros each for my wife and I and 15 each for the kids, this may sound expensive when you can go in one of the bigger boats for about 17 euros each but this trip really should not be missed.
It was the highlight of our visit to Tsilivi. Thanks Spyros.

Just returned fropm Tsilivi, the best holiday we have had.Speedboat trip was amazing. Worth 30 euros. Beautiful caves and the journey there and back was fun in itself.

Thankyou Spiros for a memorable day out and a laugh a minute.

By the way Spiros its the "gorgeous girlfriend with the ugly boyfriend!!" ha ha

See you next year!

Go to Tsilivi every year and Levante seed boat trip is a must for us.We hire the whole boat between to families and Spiros takes anywhere we want around the island stopping at deserted beaches for lunch of sandwiches & cold beer and wine.He is great with the kids & being a speed boat he can access areas around the island that the large boats can"t. Anybody that is considering boat trips go for this much more fun than the big boats.

Hiya all ive just come back from zante and i have to say that out of all the trips we went on The Levante Speed Boat trip was the best.
Spiros is a great laugh and we had fun the whole journey...

Hope to go again!

Hello all, Captain Spiros here.....
Thanks for all your enquireies about our trip, its loverly to hear from you all. If you have an particular questions regarding bookings times, cost etc please feel free to send me an email directly at zantelavente@acn.gr and I will be able to get back to you straight away. I look forward to seeing you all soon......Captain Spiros

Hello me and friend are coming to zante this thursday and are staying in the Laganas resort we would very much like to try out this speedboat excursion and would like to know how to visit tsilivi from laganas, are there buses that we can take or can any other special arrangements be made. We would also like to know the time you start as we really do no want to miss this opportunity. We are going for 7 days and want to explore the Island as much as possible. Please could you let me know abuot availablity as well for this weekend, or early next week, your help will be greatly appreciated. Please reply to deepa@infomat.net
With thanks Deepa

me and my girlfriend are going to zante in july, we are staying in laganas but want to go on the levante speedboat trip, how far is tsilivi from laganas?

We will be there again in May!

I will be there 1st May... Will the trip be running this early in the season????

CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE? ESPECIALLY SPIROS.
I AM GOING TO TSILLIVI IN EARLY JUNE FOR THE FIRST TIME, DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW HOT IT IS AND WHAT KIND OF CLOTHES I SHOULD PACK?

SPIROS I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO GO ON ONE OF YOUR TRIPS PLEASE COULD YOU GIVE ME ANY IFO AND DIRECTIONS OF WHERE YOU ARE, HOW TO GET THERE ETC (WE ARE STAYING IN THE TSILIVI BEACH HOTEL)
Emma-Louise x

Hey Spiros, Is there anywhere where u can rent your own motor boat for the day. Last year , in Corfu, we were able to rent a 25 hP Boat.

This Spiros character sounds like the greatest guy on earth.lol.

Hi Gail, the trip costs 30euros for adults and 15euros for children under 12, the cost is a little more than the bigger boats but i am sure you will find it worth it. regards Spiros

could any 1 tell me how much it costs 4 the trip?adult and child prices if possible please.

We flew to Zante on 7 October 2002 for a week, and had a wonderful time. We stayed in Argassi and as we’d read about Spiros’ Levante Speedboat Excursions on this site, we decided it was one of our “must dos”. The first day we had our hire car we went down to Tsilivi harbour and sure enough, just after 1 p.m., we heard the “Levante” arriving back with Captain Spiros honking his horn and whooping with joy! We booked a trip for the next day, but unfortunately it was cancelled because of rough seas. The same happened on two further occasions, and because we were going home the next day and we no longer had our hire car Captain Spiros took the trouble to bring our 50 euros deposit over to Argassi (a round trip of about 25 km) to the hotel we were staying at. We had a long chat with him – great guy – honest and obviously loves life, people and his job! How many people would have bothered? We were very disappointed we couldn’t do the trip, but we’ll definitely go back and hopefully manage to do it one day! Captain Spiros has holiday properties to rent in Tsilivi too! His e-mail address is: ZANTELEVANTE@ACN.gr Tel: (06950) 45955 Fax: (06950) 27422

The first time we went on the Levante speedboat trip it was raining & when Spiros said we wouldn't be able to go to see the shipwreck because of the rough sea and the fact that we had children on board we were a little disappointed, but Spiros was absolutely brilliant! He was so entertaining & was great with the kids, they really enjoyed steering the boat, in fact he was so good we booked again! This time we did get to see the shipwreck and it a beautiful location well worth a visit even though the beach is shingle and hurts to walk on. Spiros educated us all on how & when the boat was wrecked. The caves were great and the stories very funny, plenty of photo opportunities. Overall Spiros & co really made our holiday one to remember. P.s. The girls who gave you the turtle to keep your mermaid company say hello!

This trip was the highlight of OUR holiday. All women and children had a go at steering the boat (all but Granny who didn't think she dare!!). The kids have talked about nothing else since we arrived home this morning. Spiros put safety before profit as he cancelled one of the trips due to stormy seas and made the morning on his speedboat very enjoyable... NOT TO BE MISSED :o) Spiros is a real character. When the children were parasailing a few days later, they were hovering overhead and Spiros chatted to them from his boat and it made them feel special.

i went on this trip it was brill. it was raining though but that didn't stop us from enjoying it. we were provided with something to keep us dry. a black bin liner yes thats right a bin liner. we got to see dolphins which is great. we spent lots of time near them we were in no rush. when we stopped at the harbour i enjoying snorkeling in the sea. the blue caves are great as is shipwrecked island. spiros is a great entertainer and host. also everyone one has a chance to drive the boat. i have only got one bad point to make you have to get up really early so if you been out drinking the night b4 you won't be able to enjoy it. but i would recommend it to everyone!!

Brilliant Spiras was highly entertaining a brilliant bloke and excellant entertainer. It is the only way to see the caves properly a really good trip.

we went on this trip on the 15th sept 2002 it was a really good trip although it was raining at 8.30am whilst boarding the boat but the weather improved and the kids loved steering the boat.Spiros was a great captain and had good information to keep us all listening. We went to the ship wreck people swam in the hottest blue clear water I have ever seen,then we went to the caves which we actually went in whilst the bigger boats just passed by. We stopped for lunch and the heavens opened. Lightening thunder and it was freezing. Spiros was so concerned about the sea and the children that he put us in his cabin with his assistant. I can really recommend this trip even if the weather changes as he is always thinking of his customers although you feel like you have known him for years. Very good value for money and its the only way to see the caves and ship wreck properly.

My boyfriend and I went on this trip on the 18th Sept and loved every minute of it. The boat, the captain and the sites make the half day one not to be missed. We did have a bit of trouble finding where and how to book the trip as most comments on this site say just go to Tsilivi beach and you'll find him. We got there and couldn't find anything but beach bathers. What you need to do is go to Tsilivi beach for about 1 - 1.30pm and got to the left end of beach where some small boats are docked. Thats were one of Sprios men are taking bookings. It costs 30 euros - money well spent. There is a tour operator that does it in Tsilivi but its shut between 1pm and 5.30pm very useful!

hi, you can found us at the little harbour in tsilivi, passed the watersports, around 1 ish. or telephone us at:0695045955,look forward to see you, spiros kaponis.

This is a great trip and if you're staying in Tsilivi, the best way to see the blue caves & ship wreck.

Hi we're coming over again to Zante for our sixth visit, and like to try new things, so would like to know were to find you please, as it sounds like a great trip. Thanks

Spyros rules OK! A great guy with a great sense of humour. Smashing half day. Glad we chose this small, fast boat that took us inside the caves unlike the big, slow ones who can't and take nearly a full day. Go on you'll love it.

Absolutley fabulous, Spiros is a great bloke, he asked if anyone would like special seats up the front, of course we jumped at the chance, not knowing that there were no seats up front, we had to lie on the floor grasping a metal rail above our heads and hung on for dear life!!!! It was all taken in good spirit, we also went to a beach and actually disturbed some nude sun bathers, one chap said When in Rome and removed his shorts in the water, Spiros was waving the shorts over his head shouting Anyone need spare shorts? We all had a really good laugh. He is a very interesting person to talk to and clearly loves his boat and his job. Keep up the good work. Great day out, thank you.

Four of us joined Captain Spiros on this adventure to the blue caves and the shipwreck and I would highly recommend it. The other comments on this page say it all but I'd like to mention a couple of things that made our time with Spiros and crew a little bit special. We were particularly lucky to come across dolphins on our trip and Spiros' passion for what he does really came through as he took us all on a detour to see them. We spent time cruising slowly around as the dolphins swam around us and everyone was given a chance to enjoy the spectacle and take photo's. Fantastic! Towards the end of the trip a friend of mine who had over indulged in the local beer the previous night took a turn for the worst and almost passed out at the small Taverna we stopped at. Spiros and his assistant were brilliant, they kept my friend (and the rest of us!) calm, attended to him with a little humour thrown in for good measure and had him back in 'ship shape' in no time at all. If you're going to see the caves and the shipwreck DO IT WITH SPIROS.

Captain Spiros rules the waves!

Spiros is a legend! The Levante boat trip was the highlight of our holiday, I even got to swim in one of the blue caves. Everyone on board enjoyed themselves and had a relaxed day. Would definetely reccommend this trip :)

Without doubt this is one of the best trips on the island. You get to see most of the sights on the island in half a day, and before all the larger boats arrive (especially at the shipwreck). Captain Spiros (a genuine character) also takes you into the blus caves...don't miss his 'Mermaid' story. He is a very cautious and funny person, so have no fear about bringing kids on the trip. They will love it and he gets them to drive the boat. The cost is a little more then the other trips available, but in my opinion worth it.

We thought this trip was great! Spiros is a great captain and is very passionate about what he does. His speedboat seats around twenty-four people and he lets the children take turns at steering and tells them all about the area. The trip gets you closer to places than the larger boats, and with Spiros' precise steering it's very informative. Pleasant lunch stop also, so take some money with you. Well worth the money!

Well what can I say, we all had a fab time and are so pleased we booked this trip. No hidden extras that makes a change! Spiros our Captain was great very safty concious not only with children but also adults. I would recommend this trip to all. Thanks for a great 1/2 day out.

Last week we went on the speedboat trip from Spiros Kaponis. My family and I had the time of our life. It only took us half a day to see all the beautiful sights like the impressing shipwreck and the wonderful bluecaves. If we would have gone with one of the bigger boats we would have lost our whole day waiting and we would get sun burned on deck to even get a glimpse of all these miraculous things. With the speedboat it took half the time and we saw even more. We could even get closer. Captain Spiros was very polite, very careful (you can bring your kids along) and explained everything, giving insight information like a true guide. We had a fantastic time. We'll remember this forever. I'll immediately book again when I return to Tsilivi next year!!!!!

CAPTAIN SPIROS SPEEDBOAT TRIP Dont go visiting the Shipwreck or Blue Caves any other way!!! This speedboat trip was fantastic. You can see Spiros return into Tsilivi harbour at around 130. You cant miss him, speeding across the waves, hooting and waving like crazy to everyone. The advantage of going on this trip is that it is a smaller boat compared to the bigger cruisers (around 24 people) so no getting cramped. It is open topped, so no getting stuffy. It is faster, making for a better more exciting ride and also reaching the sites before the bigger, slower boats and therefore having the "wreck " to ourselves for the photos. This boat is also able to enter the caves, unlike the bigger ones where you need to get off into a smaller boat to gain access. Also, Spiros is a character in himself. He obviously takes the upkeep of his boat, LEVANTE, very seriously and is very experienced in his ability to "drive" it and in his knowledge of the island. Think some of the stories were little porkies though!!!! Good entertainment too!!! He was good with our kids too. He even allowed them up to the steering wheel and had a good 5 to 10 minutes steering. The little taverna we stopped at for lunch was very nice too. Thank you Spiro and crew (sorry dont know his name!) for a lovely trip. Hope this does the trick!!! This trip may work out a bit more expensive than the other boat trips, but what I say is, "You get what you pay for!"

hi there we book the navagio ship tour with captain spiros. the first time it was raining and we couldn't go to the shipwreck. but we went to the blue caves and to a nice tavern. we had a great time. we tried a second time and it works. we see the shipwreck. to captain spiros: it was the best tour guide you can have. both tours are really funny and we had a really good time on the boat. if you want to book the levante speed boath tour with captain spiros, go at 1.30 am on the tsivili harbour. u met them there. (by the way, the harbour is near the watersportscenter on tsivili, just in case, the taxidriver don't know where the harbour is.)

I went on spiros' boat trip back in 1999, travelling to tsilivi later this month and already can't wait to go on spiros' boat trip. The trip is THE BEST, small group and very friendly. Everyone has the chance to drive the boat and ask questions. If you don't want to swim then you are able to stay on the boat, spiros will put umbrellas up for you. if you want to see the blue caves and ship wreck then GO WITH SPIROS. 110% value for money Can't wait to come back spiros!!! see ya soon

The trip by speedboat run by Spiros was the best trip that me and my son had when we visited Zante. We drove right up to the beautiful caves and saw everything that you would normally miss if you took the journey in a large boat. We were very well informed on the shipwreck (and the caves) and taken to its lovely location where we could also stop for a swim. Lunch was in a lovely location too. It really was an excellent and invigorating trip with a lot of ground covered in only half a day.

The half day boat trip run by Spiros the Captain (Lavante Tours) from the little harbour in Tsilivi is excellent. Spiros loves the kids and lets them drive the boat. He allows you time on the beach at the shipwreck, actually goes into the caves(very few boats do this) where you can swim and he stops off at other landmarks plus about an hour at a lovely bay where there is a taverna where they serve lunch. All in all well worth the trip and not too long.

We went on the speedboat Levante with Captain Spiros to see the shipwreck and blue caves and belive me it is the only way to see them. Captain Spiros is great fun and will even let you drive his boat. We swam at the shipwreck and had a drink and a swim at a lovely Taverna. He has all the local information at his fingertips and makes sure you all enjoy yourselves. He remembered all our names when we met him later on in the week and kept singing to my daughter Ruby. You can book his boat by being at the harbour in Tsilivi at 1.30 when he returns from the morning trip. He really made the trip most memorable. Thanks Spiros.

The Levante Speed boat trip is excellent. Capt. Spiros made this trip a blast. He is great with the kids and his knowledge and humour most welcome. Half a day to see the sites in detail as opposed to a full day on a big boat from a distance. Actually go inside the caves and swim, full history of the wreck and its crew. Stop at a nice taverna for lunch and a dip in a clear little inlet. My Daughter (Captain Ellie 6) loved it. A must during your visit.

If you want to see the blue caves and the ship wreck then Spyros and his speedboat is the only way to travel. He does half day trips and because he has a small boat he can moore up on the ship wreck beach to let you walk around it, he is also able to get into the caves in his boat. He’s full of stories and a very funny man. If your not sure then just wait till your on the beach and at 1.00p.m, you will hear and see him coming back from the trip waving at you like a mad man!!!

If you want to go to the shipwreck and blue caves then SPYROS is your man! We took this fantastic half day trip with Spyros in his speedboat and had a wonderful time. We set off at 8.30am cruising up to the beautiful shipwreck where we spent time wandering around the amazing beach there. Then we went onto the blue caves visiting each one and listening to fascinating stories by Spyros himself. Finally we stopped at a beautiful little village on the coast for a wonderful greek salad. It was the most amazing trip. I fully recommend to everyone.

Went to the ship wreck and blue caves with Spiros on his speedboat. The trip is only half a day and the boat is taken into every cave. Spiros is a great laugh and very interactive stopping to answer any questions. You can swim at the wreck or perhaps drive the boat. Or he may throw you into the water in one of the caves (as he did me)Don't miss the best trip on the island.

I have had many people contact me via e-mail asking how to book the LEVANTE Speedboat excursion to the Shipwreck and Blue Caves with Captain Spiros. you can either call me direct on Greece 06950 45955, or e-mail me at www.zantelevante@acn.gr or meet me at the Tsilivi beach harbour at around 1.30pm when I come back from the days trip (this is also a opportunity to ask the people on the boat whether they had a good time)! I look forward to seing you all soon. CAPTAIN SPIROS!

I went with my family to Zakynthos. We went on the trips to the caves and the shipwreck organised by the bigger companies which really disappointed us. The boats were very big and very uncomfortable and the trip was way too long. The other year a friend of us recommended us to wait on the beach of Tsilivi till we would be approached by Spiros, the captain of the speedboat trips from LEVANTE... We booked the trip with him and it turned out to be a great trip!!! It only took half a day and we visited all the caves inside, which was impossible to do with the bigger boats we were on the year before. I do recommend everybody to take this trip. It's worth every moment and every penny. You wouldn't be disappointed!

went on a trip with spiros of levante tours it was brill left at 8.30am got back at 2pm.We visited the shipwreckwhere he explained how it got there,thenwent on to visit the caves which was brill as he can get the boat right into the caves ans you can even swim in them whereas the other boats just go past them as they are to big stopped for something to eat and even got ago at steering the boat it cost about £20 but was worth every penny spiros is very much a ladies man but a real gent give it a go you wont be dissapointed

levante speedboat excursions to the blue cave and shipwrack(which is run by spiros kaponis) is the best. the speed boat is super and spiros has a very good safety aspect, with children(lifejackets supplied),on the way back from the caves which we when inside, shipwrack and a small cove were we all had something to eat. spiros would let the children and the ladies drive the boat(undersup**vision) this was great would go again.ps this trip is only 1/2 day

My 13 year old son and I took a speedboat trip from Tsilivi which leaves prompt at 08.30 in the morning. It leaves the small harbour and goes round to the shipwreck cove where we had a short stop which was enough. As it was quite early the sun hadn't reached the beach, but there wasn't a soul around, very pleasant. The speedboat captain then took us back the same route to the Blue Cave which we were able to enter. After a stop for brunch we went back to Tsilivi, reaching the harbour at 1 p.m. This is ideal for families with children who get bored on a full day's trip. Look out for the "Levante" speedboat trip, very exhilarating (01.09.01)