Private Luxury Sailing Trips To Dia Island

It’s a lovely day out, but don’t expect any proper sailing with the wind in your sails. You’ll most likely be taken to the island by the engine. The mainsail was only up for show. So it’s more like a very pleasant bus ride. I have an inland sailing licence and wanted to show my friends what sailing feels like, so we took a private tour. But we were taken to the island by the engine in an hour, stayed there for two hours (swimming, eating a fish dish, drinking a bit of Prosecco) and were then shuttled back again. There was a light breeze, about 2 Beaufort, and I asked the skipper if he could switch off the engine and sail. With two or three tacking manoeuvres, we’d get there easily. But he didn’t want to, because the wind was too light (haha) and he had nor foresail. In October, there were a handful of other boats out and about doing the same tour. None of them had a foresail either. The skipper told me that he runs the tour twice a day, seven months a year. In peak season, there are 40 to 50 boats out on the tour, all anchored side by side in the bay. All in all, the tour happens as advertised (in high season in a crowd) – just without the sailing.

We had such an amazing time onboard with Ilias and Nikki. The sailing trip was unbelievable, from start to finish. We booked a private 4 1/2 hour afternoon trip and were welcomed warmly onboard. The boat was spacious and felt very safe for us and our children. Drinks were available throughout the trip. After sailing over to Dia, we jumped and swam in the sea, snorkelled and tried some fishing. We could paddle board and snorkel, with masks and flippers provided. We had an excellent lunch prepared onboard which was very tasty and fresh. We had time for some more swimming and fun after lunch, and then set sail back to Heraklion during sunset which was magical. Ilias and Nikki were incredibly knowledgeable and were lovely hosts, to both us and our children, both clearly enjoying their jobs onboard. They were amazing to spend time with even letting our kids have a go at steering the yacht, which will be a memory they treasure forever. Thanks once again for an amazing experience!

The 4 of us went on a private half day trip in the morning (aprox. 09:30 -14:00 hrs). We met Denis and Elias, the crew, at the port of Heraklion. Travel time to the island took about 1hr each way. The island itself is uninhabited and a protected national park area. We got to a nice little bay where we stayed for 2/2.5 hrs. Seems this is the main hotspot for sailing trips as there were many other boats there, but it is full season in mid August. Here you can snorkel around in its crystal clear waters, paddle-board (SUP) or a quick visit to the island (little church, fisherman’s hut). The crew prepared a plentiful and delicious snack for us, which we ha pre-ordered separately (greek salad, sandwiches and an enormous bowl of fresh sliced fruit). Kids had a go at fishing and then a last splash in the sea before making our way back. We didn’t do much sailing as the wind was not in favour, but can’t do much about that. The staff were extremely courteous and friendly for the whole trip and pampered after us throughout the whole trip! Thankyou Denis and Elias!!

Wow, what a day to remember. I travelled with my three children aged 14, 11 and 7. We really wanted to do a boat trip & snorkelling, and after seeing hotel excursion prices, I found these guys online with wonderful reviews. We booked a small sailing boat, private trip for the four of us, which worked out cheaper than joining a larger group excursion from the hotel. I was worried as my youngest Son has egg allergies (for the food) and also can not swim yet without a float. So worried it would he wouldn’t be able to join in. I needn’t have worried at all. The food was incredible. We ordered two lots of sandwich and two of the chicken menu options. Wow! This day was fantastic from start to finish. The hotel transfer was arranged for us, the captain and co-captain were amazing. The whole trip of 4.5 hours was just out of this world. We all loved every minute of it and can not recommend this highly enough. Upon setting anchor at Dia island, my youngest was into the sea with his float, snorkeling, seeing fish and paddle boarding. My boys absolutely loved it (as did I). And not one moment of not being able to swim hampered the experience for my youngest. It has given him even more confidence in the water. The bay at Dia island was fantastic - the water crystal clear. It is deep to start with - but you can see the bottom of the water and my son with his swimming float was the most confident I’d seen him swim :) The food put on for us was amazing! So much of it! Felt awful not being able to finish it all because it was so good. Honestly I can not speak highly enough about the experience from start to end. I trawlled review after review worried if it would be ok for young children - and didn’t see many reviews mentioning young children, so definitely wanted to add this one for anyone considering in future. I just want to say a massive thank you to sailingtrips.gr for making this one of the most memorable days of our lives 😊 amazing!!!

If you are heading to Crete and fancy a boat trip, we would highly recommend sailingtrips.gr ⛵️ Their service was top notch, they even offer a door to door service 🚐 we had an amazing time 💖 We were extremely lucky to have seen dolphins 🐬 and a sea turtle 🐢 on our trip. Big thank you to Captain Denis & Mike for their hospitality and for giving us a day to remember 🍾🎂

We had a great afternoon sailing to Dia form Heraklion ! The trip was perfect , beautiful sunset , enough time to enjoy snorkeling , swimming etc. Dinner was deliciously prepared . Sunset was magical but above all , Marisa and Nikosfori made this trip very especial . They were friendly , attentive , accommodating and very professional .

Great sailing trip to Dai. 9 miles each way with expert captain Nico and his assistant Michaelitis. Stop for snorkel in the clear waters and walk up to the church / fisherman’s huts. Good lunch then flew back with the wind behind. Thoroughly recommended.

It was a wonderful and relaxing boat trip with friendly staff. Truly a delightful experience on the sea

We had a lovely day with Marcus and Rula. Marcus was very kind to our children and looked after us all well, including one very nervous sailer! We all had a great day - it was the highlight of our holiday.

The boat was not clean, with a foul smell coming from the toilet, and the promised cabins were inaccessible. The tour was also marketed as high-end, but it was actually subpar and overpriced. The boat's condition was poor, with inadequate life jackets, hard seats without pads. Food normal but with stale bread and low-quality wine. The equipment was old and not properly cleaned, and the tour operator didn't have time to clean between trips. The whole experience was a joke, book with someone else to avoid embarrassment.

Very nice yacht (Bavaria 45), real sailing experience. Great team of 2. Food is great and plenty. Highly recommend (not my first time on Dia). We did not get to fish, but I guess half a day is not enough (note to myself).

Mario the captain made sure our day was fantastic from start to finish. We also arranged our hotel pick up and drop off which made the trip stress free. The snacks, salad and fruit were delicious! This is a must do when visiting Crete! Thank you Mario for making this a very memorable day! Much love from Canada

We booked a corporate excursion for 20 people – 2 Sailing Cruisers Bavaria. Great communication wjth Magda , The Sailing organizer Captain Ilias , Ceo of Sailingtrips is the most Professional dedicated in sailing all his life. Holding the 5th place in the mastersasailing world championship of 2023! Nkt to mention that he is Certified from the Royal Yachting Academy , and a member of the Greek National Sailing team for years with many medals and trophies. Markos and Dimitris were funny and interactive. This is a great company for The Ultimate Real Sailing Adventure. Look no further ! Absolutely the Best outing or a corporate event. The sailing time was just right – not too short and not too long and you can do as much or as little work. Beverages and meals were great as well. I will come back !

It was the best sailing experience from Crete. The boat is stunning and the captain and crew do an amazing job in showing you the area, offering anything you might need during the day, preparing lunch and making you feel so comfortable. Such a wonderful experience! We had booked the morning trip and ended up deciding to stay onboard for the sunset trip, too. It’s absolutely a must and the best service for sailing trips from Heraklion! Special thanks to captain A. for the morning sail and A. And V. For the sunset one, you’ve been simply amazing!

We booked a full day sailing trip with Salingtrips and enjoyed every minute of the it. We were a party of 8 friends from the Enchanted Princess cruise ship. This was one of the best excursions we took. We spent a leisurely day of sailing with Captain Jorge and his assistant Marta . They provided us with an amazing day. We splashed and swam and floated all day. It was fantastic. Our lunch was spectacular. Fresh grilled chicken, rice and a magical salad. We thoroughly enjoyed our day onboard. It was a trip of a lifetime. Would do it again tomorrow.

A marvelous day on the water, with such a kind and professional crew Marco and Vassili! We felt warmly welcome, they made the trip memorable (yet very wet 😉) for our kids and we had an interesting day discussing Greek mythology and current topics! We try to make a boat trip every year. This was by far the most memorable. Thank you!

I booked half day private sailing to Dia island for my husband and my 2 daughters. The communication of sailing trips before the trip was detailed and precise. They helped as well for all practical aspects like parking. Our skipper Kostas and his colleague Magda (I hope I spell correctly the name) were very professional, friendly, explaining the historical part of the island and giving us different tips for snorkeling places. They prepared for us delicious fish meal onboard and they did everything to make us happy. They were just perfect. We had an unforgettable day. My only regret is that we booked half day and not full day sailing. We had so much plaisent time and fun that the time passes by so fast. I strongly recommend

I booked a full days sailing to Dia island with my family for my wife’s birthday. We were picked up from our hotel and taken to the marina. Everything was pretty much perfect. Our crew, Kostas and Magda were delightful company and looked after us superbly. We had pre booked lunch, which was very good. Sailing and snorkelling in the spots we stopped at were all great. I can’t fault the experience and thought it excellent value for money. All in all, a truly magnificent day!

Calm sailing with friendly skipper and mate. Warm water snorkling. Not much to see but happy to be in the clear blue water.

my sisters and i went on the sailing trip and it was amazing!! Our captains, Marco and Erina were soo sweet. Very welcoming, super funny and nice to be around. The food was sooo good. Definitely would recommend.

We enjoyed this beautiful private excursion, including hotel pickup service. I would say all impeccable service and staff! Of the shuttle driver to the crew of the boat, all kind and nice, have not abandoned a moment, although respecting privacy and discretion. 3/4 hours is more than enough to enjoy everything without haste, but also without getting tired. Breakfast light with fruits and vegetables, recommended, fresh and well served. Clean bathroom as well as the whole boat. A beautiful experience

A very pleasant excursion. Not essential of course, but pleasant with swimming (palms, mask and snorkels provided) and meals/drinks included. Satisfactory price/quality ratio.

Beautiful day on the boat to swim in the turquoise water of Dia Island. The skipper was very nice and showed our 8-year-old son how to fish (we released the little fish). Great moment of relaxation with lots of privacy, highly recommended. Even the lunch on board was exquisite and the girl helping the skipper was very friendly.

Great activity to do if you are on holiday near Heraklion. We paid 80€/person for a 4h30 small group cruise (10 people max) on Dia Island in front of Heraklion. We chose the time slot at sunset and it was really beautiful, especially on the way back but you can also choose morning, noon or afternoon. The staff was very friendly and gave us lots of explanations throughout the cruise, thank you very much to Sandy and George! The drinks are unlimited (including wine during the meal) and the meal is prepared on the boat: Greek salad + rice and chicken + bread + fruit. Masks and snorkels are available but unfortunately there is not much to see in these seabeds. It was still a great time to recommend.

Both team members want to earn easy money and do not offer the tourist the minimum. Very low level tourism. The worst is the Service on the boat because the customer does not have free access to drinks. If you wanted to take Fanta, you had to ask for it and a member of the team would give you a drink and keep the bottle. We were deprived of drinking water during the whole tour because constantly asking for everything tired us a lot and seemed petty and disrespectful to us. You have to change this way of treating the customer if you want him to come back for us, this is the second time we visit Greece and probably the last.

We booked this activity at Fivos Travel and we were not disappointed! Superb outing, spectacular scenery and very pleasant skippers!