Dia Island Sailing Cruise with Meal and Water Activities
Description
Sail with us to the exotic Dia Island on our large and comfortable sailing yachts. Our journey begins at the Heraklion Old venetian port. After 1 hour of sailing, we arrive to Dia where we anchor in the bay of the island. There you can enjoy the crystal waters and water activities such as snorkeling, fishing and paddle boarding. (Please request the equipment from the Crew). The standup paddle boards are not available under rough wind conditions for safety reasons. About 1 hour later our delicious menu is served and includes Greek salad and several appetizers, while the main course is shrimp Linguini (we also offer vegetarian and gluten free versions of the menu upon request). You can also accompany your meal with the finest wine, beer, ice tea or soft drinks. Around 30 minutes later our fruit salad of tropical and local fruits is served. After you finish your meal you will have a few last moments of relaxation on the yacht or in the refreshing water before we sail back to Heraklion.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The island of Dia is an uninhabited island 6 miles north of Heraklion with crystal waters, beautiful wild scenery and rich history. The legend says that it used to be a monster created by Zeus to destroy the Cretans but he turned it into a stone to save them eventually. In the bay of Saint George where we anchor there was an ancient Minoan port that got destroyed along with the Minoan Civilization and sometimes it is possible to find ancient ruins and artifacts in the bottom of the beach. Nowadays there is a beautiful christian church of Aegean architecture. The island is home to many wildlife species such as rabbits, kri-kri goats, hawks and more while there is also a chance to meet the dolphins while sailing towards the island!
The site was first fortified by the Arabs in the 9th or 10th centuries. By the second Byzantine period, a tower known as Castellum Comunis stood on the site. In 1303, the tower was destroyed in an earthquake but was repaired. In 1462, the Venetian Senate approved a programme to improve the fortifications of Candia. Eventually, the Byzantine tower was demolished in 1523, and the Castello a Mare began to be built instead. The fortress was completed in 1540. In 1630, the fort was armed with 18 cannons on the ground floor, and 25 cannons on the pathway leading to the roof. During the 21-year long Siege of Candia, Ottoman batteries easily neutralized the fort's firepower. The Ottomans eventually took the fort in 1669, after the Venetians surrendered the entire city. They did not make any major alterations to the fort, except for the additions of some battlements and embrasures. They built a small fort known as Little Koules on the landward side, but this was demolished in 1936.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pickup is provided from the following areas: Area 1: Ammoudara, Gazi, Heraklion, Karteros/Amnissos, Kokkini Hani, Gouves, Gournes, Anissaras, Hersonissos, Koutouloufari, Piskopiano, Analipsi, Stalis, Malia and all areas between. ( Option name: Pick up from Malia-Gazi) The pick up from Area 1 might be up to 1.5 hours before the start of the cruise. Area 2: Elounda, Agios Nikolaos, Fodele, Agia Pelagia, Lygaria. (Option name: Pick up from Ag. Pelagia-Elounda) The pick up from Area 2 might be up to 2 hours before the start of the cruise. We will contact you one day before your cruise for your exact pick up time. If you are not sure if your hotel is included in the areas mentioned above please contact us.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- If you have booked separately from your group/friends/family please let us know so you are distributed in the same boat.
Reviews(542)
Stay away from this experience. It started out poorly when the skipper arrived 15 min late after all the other tours had departed. Then we got to the boat, never introduced himself and proceeded to hit the boat next to us when trying to exit the slip. Once we finally got moving, there were mechanical problems so we were stuck in open water with him trying to figure out how to steer the boat. At times it felt like he had never driven a boat before. While the weather was not something to blame on this vendor, it was very windy and at times we all thought we were going to fly off the boat. There was also no direction given about life preservers or any safety in case of emergency. When we finally made it to the island, we were the last boat to arrive. The water is freezing in this area and there is nothing there so no point in even snorkling. The skipper maybe gave us 2 minutes of history of the island and then said that was enough talking for the day. The food was okay and appreciated it was cooked fresh, however the pineapple they served was old and rotten. Overall, an expensive and wasteful trip.. I’d recommend doing anything other than this adventure while in Crete.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations. We would, however, like to clarify a few points for future readers. The departure delay was caused by paperwork check the port authorities, which were beyond our control. In an effort to minimize any further delay, the skipper focused on preparing the vessel and departing promptly rather than making a formal introduction before leaving the marina. Regarding the maneuver while exiting the berth, our onboard camera footage confirms that no collision occurred. Due to the particularly narrow and crowded layout of our marina, it is standard practice to use the vessel's fenders to safely create space when departing tight berths. We would also like to clarify that there were no mechanical issues during the trip. What may have appeared to be steering difficulties was the skipper positioning the yacht into the wind in order to deploy the furling mainsail correctly. This is a normal sailing procedure and is required for the sail to be safely opened. The weather was indeed windier than usual that day. While sailing conditions were more dynamic, the safety of our guests was never compromised. Nevertheless, we are sorry that you felt uncomfortable during parts of the trip. As for Dia Island, the skipper provided information about its history and concluded with one of his usual light-hearted remarks, which was intended as humor rather than a dismissal of guests' interest. We appreciate your positive comments regarding the freshly prepared meal. We are, however, concerned by your comment about the pineapple, as food quality is very important to us, and we will review this with our crew. While we respect that sailing may not be for everyone, we are disappointed that the experience did not reflect the enjoyment and positive memories that the vast majority of our guests take away from visiting Dia Island with us. We wish you the best for the remainder of your travels in Crete.
5 stars for a 5 star day! Olga and Yannis were both great and the food Olga made while we were docked at Dia was some of the best we've had on our 3 week trip! You could snorkel or paddle board if you wanted, the water was too cold for this Arizona girl so I stayed on the boat to sunbathe. Great day trip to see more beautiful parts of Greece!
Such a great trip and experience! Had a lovely driver pick us up from our hotel where we met part of the group and then the lovely team who captained us and made us a lovely meal on the boat! Would recommend to anyone you’ll have such a great time!!
Dimitri and Dimitri were incredible hosts. This excursion was a highlight of our trip. Phenomenal views, so fun, the food was delicious! Highly recommend!
Dimitri and Dimitri were excellent guides for this tour! We got to enjoy some great views of Crete on our way to Dia Island as well as hear some history and legends about how Dia came to be. The food onboard was absolutely delicious! The shrimp and risotto were definitely standouts. They had a bunch of different water toys that we could use and they even busted out some fishing poles for us towards the end of the cruise. While we had a great time, would definitely recommend taking the sunset cruise if you’re able to. That would’ve made the trip that much better!
If you have small children, skip this one… I have teenage boys, and it was perfect for them! My oldest was able to fish, they both got to use the paddle boat, diving and flipping off the side of the catamaran was a plus! Sailing on the boat was enough to put them into a short nap. My husband and I were able to sunbathe and take in the views! The lunch and dessert was amazing and our captain was great at answering all of our questions and giving us even a little history lesson about Dia Island! All in all I would book this again. It was very easy-going and no hassle or trouble at all.
This trip was one of the highlights of our trip to Crete. The boat was nice and spacious, we were 11 people including the captain and the skipper and there was enough space for all of us. The Dia Island itself was not too interesting, but it was a nice area to chill on the boat or swim (really blue, clear water!), although on the day we were there the water was a bit cold. The lunch was prepared fresh on the boat and was amazing! I was kind of expecting a cold, simple dish but the crew went above and beyond to prepare a delicious meal for us. Also we had a free flow of drinks including wine. Big thanks to Dima and Mano from Cretan Sailing Cruises - they were the best crew we could ever hope for. Friendly, funny, and they made sure every second we spent on the boat was comfortable. I would definitely recommend this trip - but make sure to bring warm clothes because it can get really windy on board!
The whole experience was amazing and incredible. Also the food was like a 5 star restaurant. Totally happy 💛
It was a great experience. Definitely worth the money. Very friendly crew and very good food
We had a beautiful boat and a small group. Manos and Dimitri welcomed us on board and it all started with a local snack and a description of the island (a dragon) and the local cretian history. The visit to Dia island took us to a secluded bay where we swam, snorkelled and did some paddle boarding. While this was going on a gorgeous dinner of shrimp, pasta, risotto and Greek salad was freshly prepared, ready for us. The service was great, Manos and Dimitri were so good - a fantastic afternoon & evening that we enjoyed do much. As a retired couple we really appreciate the extra care they took of us. Thank you
