paphos : snorkeltocht op zee met Gids

Firstly I’m not a notice and have been snorkelling in many beautiful places around the world, sadly the experience I had on this trip was not a good one, I will keep my review factual 1. Trip advertised as small group max 15 .. there were 22 on this trip (I counted twice as couldn’t believe it) This totally changes any snorkelling experience with over a third more people. 2. The event takes place at St George’s harbour, which as other reviewers have said prohibits swimming or snorkelling with a large sign stating it’s a fineable offence. 3. Trip advertised as “ In small groups of just 7–9 people, you’ll enjoy a relaxed, personal adventure. Glide effortlessly through the crystal-clear waters with your sea scooter,” reality was 6 sea scooters between 22 people. Also the group of 22 was split into 2 but once in the water the group just merged so it was difficult to see which group you should be in as the leaders were dressed in black (only a small red tape on their snorkel pipe which wasn’t easy to see) 4. When booking via Tripadvisor the operator cancelled my order, stating it was fully booked, then rebooked me for the next day outside the Tripadvisor ap (cash on the day). NOW FOR THE BIT THAT IS REALLY CONCERNING Once you have seen the resident turtle in the harbour (with 22 people swarming it) you are taken out into deep choppy water which is neither safe or suitable for snorkelling and I actually got into trouble in the water as the sea was so rough. Lucky for me my son was able to stabilise us but even he (at 24 years old and physically strong had a job to stay afloat). Why the need to go out this far where the sea is dark, rough and very cold, puts people at risk, and there’s nothing to see as there are no fish as they hide deep in the reefs and the chances of seeing a turtle in that vast spans of sea is remote. I could go on but I wanted to highlight the main concerning issues so anyone booking is aware of the potential pitfalls with this excursion as it carries a high star rating but I can’t help feeling that people are just overwhelmed to see a turtle in the sea and rate on that, I was actually so shaken by the whole experience I couldn’t wait to get home so paid and kept quiet not wanting any confrontation there was another lady on the excursion that experienced the same as myself. My advice is if you do this trip take a noodle when offered you shouldn’t have to for snorkelling but with this trip you may regret it if you don’t. The photos are shared at the end via a WhatsApp chat and having been taken on a good quality go pro you will be able to see the turtles clearly even if you can’t in the water due to the chaos. I couldn’t help feeling this trip is about an English guy cashing in on a resident turtle in the harbour and padding the trip out with talks while you sit in the searing heat then taking you into deep waters needlessly as it’s prohibited to be swimming or snorkelling in the harbour all just to justify the high fee.

Truly an amazing experience. Stelios and the team are amazing. They are super knowledgeable and patient. We had some issues with getting there so the team stepped in and picked us up from our hotel - which was incredibly kind. The team give you a briefing about safety while snorkelling and a brief about the turtles you might find while out in the bay. We split into two groups and had Mario and Chris as our guides. They were so kind - Mario is so gentle and patient with people! While out, we spotted 4 turtles, some baby squid, and lots of fish and marine life. We were out in the water for just over an hour. I asked for a pool noodle as I hadn’t been snorkelling before and felt safer with it - they also had sea scooters you could use. Never have I had such a fun experience and my partner now wants to go scuba diving too! Once back on land, they provided us with water and some watermelon to eat - desperately needed after all that swimming. You do need to be a fairly confident swimmer… while there is no current, there are some swells that can be a bit feisty.

Myself and my family went on this trip yesterday. Initially I was nervous having never snorkelled before. There was no need to be nervous. Chris and the team really looked after everyone. Very detailed safety brief, equipment check for everyone. We swam as a group however and were made to feel very safe and secure in the water. We saw lots of turtles, George even made an appearance before we got in the water. It really was a highlight of our trip. Adults and children were able to go at their own pace and were looked after at all times. When we got back to shore we had a lovely treat of fresh watermelon and bottled water. Amazing experience and would recommend! Thanks Chris and the team. Great photos too!

We did this last month and it was incredible. After swimming around for what seemed like hours and seeing about 4 fish was thinking what a waste of time and money but then she appeared and it was breathtaking. Having the privilege of being so close to such a beautiful creature was so calming and hard to describe. Absolutely fantastic experience and would totally recommend it to anyone.. Thankyou..

We've just got back from our snorkeling trip with the turtles and have to say it was the highlight of my holiday. The staff were amazing and totally made you feel safe in the water. We got to see two turtles and one we swam with for around twenty minutes. If there's one excursion you choose to do whilst in Paphos this would definitely be the one to go for. A massive thank you to all the staff for making this a truly remarkable experience 😄

AVOID AVOID AVOID Today we saw a family almost lose 2 family members from drowning. The man was stuck in the sea in a current. There wasn't enough sea noodles to go around and only 2 sea scooters amongst 21 people. The guide Chris really wasn't much help. I know the lady heard him on the phone saying they didn't have enough equipment because I heard too so she must have. The man was saved by a random passer by on a paddle board whilst the woman got her 2 kids back safely. They could all swim but the guide left to get equipment that was left behind. It was awful to watch. Another families little girl had to get taken back too on a canoe by a girl who looked no older than 14. As much as I saw turtles and it was great to see them the family almost didn't come home in one piece. I then heard Chris asking for the money considering all that had happened. The other group had a problem too but I don't know what that was. We then had to wait a long time to get the ride back. I would be wary if booking with this crew, it was ok for us but for the family today I would never want to see that risk again which could have been avoided. It made me think twice about who I would book with going forward. This looked more of a money spinner when I reflect.

Fabulous trip. Very well organised from start to finish. Got to see 6 different turtles I think and the sea scooter was a real plus for easier mobility in the water.

The trip was great! The guides were really friendly and welcoming, and we were lucky enough to see two turtles. The photos were included in the final price, which was a nice bonus. We also received a 20% discount for the water park, which added even more value. If you're planning to visit the water park afterward, we highly recommend this activity. The only downside was that not everyone got to be included in the photos with the turtles, which was a bit disappointing.

Had a great time on this snorkling trip and encountered several turtles. I messed up timing for the pick up point however our guide Chris was brilliant in coming to collect us from our hotel to esnure that we didnt miss out. Huge thanks to him for going the extra mile, making sure that we had a fantastic morning.

Absolutely amazing. Chris and Mario were brilliant, very informative and knowledgeable. Very good briefing provided prior to going out into the sea on equipment and do’s and dont’s. We felt safe and at ease throughout the experience. Our group consisted of 10 or so people. For cheaper price than the advertised - book direct as we did. 150 euro for 4 of us. We swam for ages, into the deep stuff, but it was worth it when you see those turtles. A memory our children (15 and 17) will treasure. We were lucky enough to see 5 turtles, both green and loggerhead. Tired at the end of it (1 hour 15 swim time) but no faults at all. Free photos provided at the end as well. Would recommend without hesitation. Great fun.