Side days compared
Pirate Boat or Jeep Safari in Side: Sea Day or Off-Road Day?
These two could hardly be more different: a costumed crew and swim stops on the sea, or open vehicles on dusty tracks in the hills behind the coast. Here is how to tell which one your family needs.
Short answer
Pick the pirate boat for a gentle, organised family day: hotel pickup, costumes, a treasure hunt, swim stops and lunch on board, with nothing more demanding than climbing in and out of the sea. Pick a jeep safari for dust, bumps and hill country. Small children, grandparents and first-timers will generally find the boat easier; adventurous older children may prefer the jeep.
Sea against hills
The pirate boat trip collects you from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle and then lets the sea do the work. The ship cruises along the coast while the crew, dressed as pirates, run games, tell stories and set a treasure hunt; there are swim stops and lunch on board, and you are home in the afternoon after about 6 hours.
A jeep safari is an off-road day. The appeal is the bumpy ride, the dust and the countryside inland — a world away from the beach strip. It is more physical, and it is meant to be.
Think about what your children will talk about at dinner. After the pirate ship it will be the costumes, the treasure and the swims; after a jeep day, the bumps and the dust. Both are good stories; they are simply different ones.
Side by side
| Pirate boat trip | Jeep safari | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | On the sea along the coast | Tracks in the hills inland |
| Feel | Gentle and organised | Bumpy, dusty, adventurous |
| Water | Swim stops in the sea | A different kind of day |
| Fares | €20 adults, €14 for ages 2 to 10, under 2 free | On our sister site |
Value for a family
On the pirate day, the fare covers the hotel transfer both ways, the cruise, the children's costumes, the treasure hunt and games, and lunch. Extra drinks, tips and personal spending are not included. Our is the pirate boat worth it guide lays out what you get for €20 and €14, so you can compare like with like.
We will not price the jeep day for you here; it changes, and our sister site keeps it current. What we can say is that the two are not substitutes: one is a sea day for children, the other an adventure day.
First-timers, grandparents and limited mobility
If someone in your party has never been on a boat, or finds rough rides hard, think about each day honestly. Getting on and off a boat and moving about a deck is one kind of challenge; a jeep's jolting is another. The first-time and grandparents guide covers the pirate day from that angle.
For any health or access question about the pirate ship, tell us before you book. Write on WhatsApp and we will put it to the crew, who make the call on the day.
Doing both
Sea one day, hills another: the two make an easy pair in a fortnight, or even a week. In a family of mixed ages, the younger children may well want the pirates and the older ones the jeeps. Our sister site has the jeep safari from Side, with its current fares, age rules and what is included.
Reserving the pirate day is free; the money changes hands in euros on the morning. Should your plans shift, cancelling costs nothing until 48 hours before.
Side Pirate Boat Trip: prices, what is included, and booking
