Side days compared
Pirate Boat or Buggy Safari in Side: Which Day Is Right for You?
A buggy safari puts you behind the wheel on dirt tracks; the pirate boat puts the children in costume on the sea. The question is less which is better and more who the day is for.
Short answer
The pirate boat is a family day for children: a crew in costume, a treasure hunt, games, swim stops and lunch, with nobody driving anything. A buggy safari is an adrenaline day where you drive yourself through dust and mud. Families with young children should lean to the pirates; couples and groups of adults wanting a thrill will usually prefer the buggies.
Who each day is really for
The pirate boat trip is built for children and families. The crew play pirates, the children dress up in the costumes handed out on board, and the day moves from games and stories to a treasure hunt, swims along the coast and lunch. Parents stay with their children throughout; nobody is asked to do anything harder than enjoy it.
A buggy safari is a day you drive. It is loud, dusty and hands-on, and the fun is in the driving itself. That makes it a very different proposition, and who may drive or ride is set by the buggy day's own rules, not ours.
Side by side
| Pirate boat trip | Buggy safari | |
|---|---|---|
| You do | Relax, swim, join the games | Drive on dirt tracks |
| Mood | Playful, family-centred | Adrenaline |
| Children | The whole day is designed around them | Rules set on our sister site |
| Fares | €20 adults, €14 from 2 to 10 | On our sister site |
Adults and couples
We will say it plainly: if there are no children in your party, the pirate days may not be for you. You can come, and the coast cruise with swim stops and lunch is pleasant in itself, but the deck belongs to the children. The guide for adults and couples sets out what you would get for €20 each.
For a pair of adults wanting a bit of excitement, a buggy day is a far more natural choice.
There is also the matter of pace. A pirate day lets an adult sit back between swims with a cold drink bought on board, while the children are kept busy by the crew; a buggy day keeps everyone's hands on the wheel. Decide which kind of tired you want to be by the evening.
Safety, in plain words
On the pirate ship, the boat is run by a licensed captain and certified crew, and mums and dads look after their own children from start to finish. We make no medical promises: if anyone in your party has a condition you are unsure about, get in touch before booking and the crew will decide on the day. The safety guide covers the pirate days in more detail.
Safety on a buggy day — what you wear, who can drive, what the rules are — belongs to that trip. Read its page rather than relying on what we might guess.
Both in one holiday
A family with teenagers sometimes ends up doing both: the pirate ship for the younger ones and the whole family together, a buggy day for the older ones who want speed. Our sister site has the buggy safari from Side with its current fares and driver rules.
Our booking form takes no card. You pay the pirate fare in euros on the day you sail, and up to 48 hours before, cancelling is free.
Side Pirate Boat Trip: prices, what is included, and booking
