Side days compared
Pirate Boat or Suluada Boat Day from Side: Which Suits Your Family?
Both are days at sea with swimming in them. The difference is what happens between the swims — a crew in costume running games for the children, or a long day on the water to reach an island famous for its clear sea.
Short answer
The pirate boat is the pick for families with young children: costumes, a treasure hunt and pirate games fill the hours between swim stops, and the day stays along the Side coast. A Suluada boat day is about the island and its water, which suits adults and older children who are happy to relax on board. Both are swimming days; only one is a show.
How the two days feel
On the pirate boat trip, the crew are dressed as pirates and the children get costumes as they board. There are stories, games and a hunt for treasure on deck, the ship cruises along the coast, and it stops so everyone can swim in the Mediterranean. Lunch is on board, with dishes children like, and you are back in the afternoon after about 6 hours.
A Suluada day is an island trip. The draw is the island itself and the colour of the water around it, and the day is shaped by getting there and spending time in that sea. Think of it as an easy day for the views, not a day of organised fun.
Side by side
| Pirate boat trip | Suluada boat day | |
|---|---|---|
| The point of the day | A pirate adventure for the children | An island and its clear water |
| On board | Crew in costume, games, stories, treasure hunt | A quieter day at sea |
| Swimming | Swim stops along the Side coast | Around the island |
| What it costs | €20 for adults, €14 for ages 2 to 10 | Listed on our sister site |
Swim stops, compared honestly
If swimming is the whole reason for the day, both will give it to you, in different ways. The pirate ship's swim stops are breaks in a busy programme: in, splash about, back on deck for the next game. Our swim stops guide covers what to pack and how to keep an eye on small swimmers from the deck.
An island day puts the water at the centre, and adults who mainly want to swim and lie in the sun often prefer that. Children who need something to do between swims tend to prefer the pirates.
Toddlers and small children
On the pirate boat trip, children under 2 come free, and children from 2 to 10 pay the child fare of €14. The day can be dipped into from a parent's arms: watch the games, have a paddle, eat, nap. Our toddlers and babies guide goes through the practical side of a long day on the water with a little one.
For the island day, look at its own page before you decide anything about very young children — ages, fares and what is provided are all set there, not here.
Both in one holiday
Because one is a themed adventure and the other a scenic island day, they sit happily in the same week. Families with small children might do the pirate ship first and keep the island for a day when the adults want their turn. Our sister site has the Suluada island boat trip with its current details, so you can compare dates and fares properly.
On our side there is no deposit and no card form: you hand over the pirate fare in euros on the trip day, and you can drop the booking without charge until 48 hours beforehand.
Side Pirate Boat Trip: prices, what is included, and booking
