Zakynthos is, without exaggeration, the single most important Caretta caretta nesting site in the Mediterranean. Around 1,000 to 1,500 nests every year, half of which are on one tiny stretch of sand. Here's how to see them respectfully — and which boat operators we'd actually trust.
The Marine Park, in plain English
The whole of Laganas Bay on the south side of Zakynthos is the National Marine Park — the first marine park ever established in Greece. The protected area includes six nesting beaches, the islet of Marathonisi, and the open bay where adult turtles feed and mate. Six beaches sit inside the protected zone:
- Sekania — the most important nursery in the Mediterranean, 500 to 1,000 nests a year. Closed to all public access. By sea or by land. If a tour boat takes you to Sekania, they are breaking the law.
- Daphni — second-densest nesting beach. Restricted access, minimal facilities.
- Gerakas — the most beautiful and the most-visited of the protected beaches. Maximum 350 swimmers a day from May to October. Beach closes at sunset.
- East Laganas — the quiet east end of Laganas. Still nesting territory, even though Laganas itself is the party strip.
- Kalamaki — sandy, family-friendly, also active nesting. The Archelon volunteers do their morning nest patrol here at dawn.
- Marathonissi (Turtle Island) — the small uninhabited islet shaped like a turtle. Limited landings, no overnight stays.
Where you'll actually see one
1. Marathonisi (Turtle Island) — the most reliable
The water around the islet is shallow, sandy and clear, and adult females rest here between nesting trips. A boat tour from Keri, Limni Keriou, Laganas marina or Agios Sostis will spend 1-2 hours in this area. You will almost certainly see a turtle from the boat. If you're swimming, you might float right over one. The good operators kill the engine the moment a turtle is spotted.
2. Gerakas — from the shore
Gerakas is a long curve of golden sand on the east side of Laganas Bay. From the cliff path above the beach you can sometimes see turtles surfacing in the bay, especially in the early morning. Easy to combine with a beach day, and the cliff walk is free. The Marine Park information centre (Earth Sea Sky) is at the entrance and worth a stop — small, free, and the best on-island education on what's actually going on.
3. Kalamaki — at sunrise
If you want to see the nest patrol in action, walk Kalamaki beach at first light. Volunteers from Archelon (the Greek sea turtle society) cage off new nests and count tracks. They're happy to talk if you don't get in their way. You won't see a swimming turtle from here, but you will see what the conservation actually looks like.
4. Boat tour swim stops — where it gets ethical or unethical fast
Most boat tours include a "swim with the turtles" stop. This is where things go right or wrong, depending on who's driving the boat.
- Good behaviour: captain cuts the engine when a turtle is spotted, briefs everyone on the 15-metre distance and no-touching rule, limits time at the spot, doesn't chase.
- Bad behaviour: throwing food into the water to "lure" turtles (illegal, harmful — their natural diet is jellyfish, not bread or tomatoes), passing the boat over a swimming turtle, idling near Sekania, dropping a screaming group of 60 right on top of one.
Before you book, just ask: "Do you stop the engine when turtles approach? Do you go near Sekania?" A good operator answers yes and no immediately.
The rules, simplified
If you remember nothing else from this page, remember these. They're the actual National Marine Park regulations:
- 15 metres distance from any turtle in the water. Never block its path to the surface — turtles breathe air. Blocking that is what kills them.
- 5 metres from the shoreline on protected beaches — no umbrellas, towels or sunbeds in this strip. Eggs are buried in this zone.
- No touching, no riding, no flash photos. Their shell has nerve endings. Flash startles them.
- No driving, dogs, or horses on nesting beaches. Tracks and paw prints destroy hatchling tracks and confuse the babies.
- Off the beach by sunset from May to October. Hatchlings emerge at night and orient toward the moon — phone torches and cigarette ends disorient them and they end up walking inland to their death.
- Sekania is closed. Period.
A turtle that lives to lay eggs is a turtle that's already survived 30 years of plastic, fishing nets, and boats. Don't be the boat.
The honest verdict on tours
Some tours are excellent. Some are quietly destructive. The smaller boat from a local family in Limni Keriou or Keri is almost always a better experience than a 60-person party-boat from Laganas marina. You'll pay a similar price, see more turtles (because the engine actually stops), and have a captain who gives a damn.
We list the boat trips we'd actually take on our tours page — curated, never sold to the highest bidder. Operators don't pay to climb the list; they earn it by treating the turtles (and the people on the boat) right.
What to bring on a turtle day
- Snorkel and mask. Most boats provide them, but having your own means you spend less time arguing over fit.
- Reef-safe sunscreen. Standard sunscreen is genuinely bad for marine life. Look for "biodegradable" or "reef-safe" labels.
- Polarised sunglasses. They cut the glare and you spot turtles from the boat much faster.
- A camera with a real zoom. 15 metres is not a phone-camera distance for a hero shot. Either accept that or bring proper glass.
Quick answers
Where can I see Caretta caretta turtles in Zakynthos?
Laganas Bay is the main area. The most reliable sightings are around Marathonisi (Turtle Island) on a boat tour, and from Gerakas Beach on the east side of the bay. Keri, Limni Keriou, Laganas and Agios Sostis are the main boat-tour departure points.
Can you swim with the turtles?
Yes, but you must keep at least 15 metres distance, never block their path to the surface, never touch them, and never use flash. Reputable boat operators brief guests on these rules and cut their engines when turtles approach.
When is turtle nesting season?
Females come ashore from late May through August. Hatchlings emerge from late July through October. Beach rules are strictest during this window: no umbrellas in the front 5 metres, no walking after sunset, no flash, reduced visitor numbers at Gerakas (350/day max).
Which beach is closed for turtles?
Sekania Beach is the most important nursery in the Mediterranean and is an Area of Absolute Protection — no public access at all. Tours that approach Sekania are breaking the law. Daphni has restricted access too.
Are turtle boat tours ethical?
It depends entirely on the operator. Good ones stop their engines around turtles and respect distances. Bad ones chase, feed (illegal), or drop large groups directly on a turtle. Smaller boats from Keri/Limni Keriou tend to be better than the big Laganas party boats.
