Dia Island Sunset Sailing Cruise with Meal Heraklion

Departure from the Venetian harbour of Heraklion

Your cruise begins in the old Venetian harbour of Heraklion, the historic heart of the city's seafront. As the yacht slips past the breakwater you see Koules, the sixteenth-century Venetian fortress that guarded the harbour entrance, and behind the quay the great arched shipyards where galleys were once built. From the water the whole city spreads out against the mountains of central Crete.

The crew gives a short safety briefing and introduces the day while the boat heads out into open water. If you are wondering how to get to Dia island, there is no regular ferry: the island has no residents or port facilities for visitors, so a boat trip from Heraklion like this one is the practical way to visit it and swim in its bays.

Sailing across the Cretan Sea

The crossing to Dia takes about 70 to 80 minutes. When the wind allows, the crew raises the sails and switches off the engine, and you feel the yacht lean gently into the breeze, one of the real pleasures of a sailing cruise in Crete. Your skipper and host share stories about the island, its legends and the coastline, and you are welcome to help with the ropes or simply relax on deck.

Honesty about the sea matters on this route. In July and August the meltemi, a strong seasonal north wind, can make the open water choppy, and Dia sits directly to the north. On those days the crew chooses the most sheltered bay and may adjust the timing; if conditions are unsafe, the trip is rescheduled. Guests prone to seasickness should take a remedy before departure.

Dia island: an uninhabited nature reserve

Dia is a rocky island of about 12 square kilometres lying some 13 kilometres north of Heraklion. Nobody lives there apart from a lighthouse and a small chapel, and it is protected as a nature reserve. Wild Cretan goats, the kri-kri, were brought to Dia in the twentieth century to protect the species, and the cliffs are home to nesting falcons. Underwater surveys in the 1970s found remains of an ancient harbour in one of its bays.

Is Dia island worth visiting? For anyone who wants clear water away from busy beaches, absolutely: the southern bays are deep, sheltered and transparent, with no buildings in sight. Visitors are asked not to disturb the wildlife, so the visit happens from the boat and the water, which keeps the island as wild as it has always been.

Swimming, snorkelling and paddleboarding in a Dia bay

Once the anchor is down, the sea is yours. You can dive straight from the deck into turquoise water, snorkel over rocks and seagrass where small fish gather, try the stand-up paddleboard across the calm bay or cast a line with the fishing equipment on board. Life jackets and noodles are available for children and less confident swimmers.

After the first swim the crew serves freshly prepared pasta with pesto, with vegetarian and allergy-friendly options on request, followed by seasonal fruit, water and soft drinks. There is then time for a second swim before the yacht turns back towards Heraklion. The best time for this Dia island boat trip from Heraklion is from June to September, when the water is warmest; May and October are quieter and still pleasant.

The return sail in the late-afternoon light

The sail back to Heraklion is often the most peaceful part of the day. The sun drops lower over the sea, the mountains of Crete turn gold and the Venetian walls of the city appear on the horizon. In spring and autumn the return coincides with the soft light before sunset, while in midsummer you are back in port in the early evening with plenty of daylight left.

The yacht returns to the Venetian harbour after about four and a half hours at sea, and with the default option our transfer then brings you back to your hotel. If you would rather have the boat to yourselves, other options on this page offer a semi-private catamaran or a private sailing yacht for up to 8 or 10 guests, ideal for families and special occasions.