A Paphos glass bottom boat cruise leaves the harbour and sails the coast, showing the seabed through the glass. Browse more tours in Greece when you are choosing a day on the water.
This page covers the trip, the seabed through the glass, the coast, the swim stop, the season and the FAQ.
What is a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise, and how does it work?
Aboard a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise, you sail from Paphos Harbour and look down through glass panels. The panels sit below the waterline, so the sea floor passes under your feet as the boat follows the coast.
Glass panels placed beneath the waterline let passengers watch the sea life while they stay inside the boat. Ripples on the surface do not distort the view, so it is clearer than peering in from above. The principle matches a diving mask, yet you stay dry.
Boats differ in size from one Paphos glass bottom boat cruise to the next. One operator page describes a 22-metre boat with a glass viewing deck of 20 square metres. Another page caps its boat at 25 passengers and says the glass magnifies the view. A third page describes a glass panel in the hull.
The idea is old. In the late nineteenth century, two men fitted a dugout canoe in Florida with a glass viewing box. Tourists used it to look into the clear water of a spring. Today these boats work in seaside resorts and lake towns.
Paphos is found in southwest Cyprus, right on the coast. Two operator pages describe a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise as a loop. It leaves the pier, runs along the coast to a swim spot, then sails back to the harbour.
How long is a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise, and where does it start?
Expect a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise to last between 90 and 150 minutes, depending on the trip. The boat leaves from the first pier of Paphos Harbour in Kato Paphos and returns there at the end.
Operator pages list three lengths. The short trip takes 90 minutes, and the trip with a slide takes two hours. One page lists 150 minutes for the longest version, which adds snorkelling and the slide. Another page lists a two-hour sunset sailing.
Operators set their own start times. One page lists a daily Paphos glass bottom boat cruise leaving at 11:00 and again at 1:00. Its slide cruise leaves at 3:00 in the afternoon on five days of the week. Another page lists half past twelve, three o’clock and half past four.
Paphos has an upper town on the hill and a lower town, Kato Paphos, which holds the main archaeological sites. Hotels, bars and restaurants line a coastal strip, and a front leads round to the marina. This is where a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise begins, at the harbour.
One operator page breaks the 90 minutes of a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise into legs. The first ride out takes 20 minutes and ends at a wreck site. Next come the marine life and a reef, then a lagoon swim and the cruise home along the coast.
What do you see through the glass on a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
The seabed comes into view during a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise, through glass set below the waterline. Operator pages list a shipwreck, reefs with fish, a natural sponge and sea turtles in season. You stay dry throughout.
Wikipedia describes a glass-bottom boat as one with panels of glass under the waterline. Glass under the hull gives a sharper view than the surface, because ripples blur what lies below. The effect is close to a diving mask. One operator page says its glass magnifies the view. Another describes a glass viewing deck of 20 square metres.
The shipwreck is the first sight during a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise. One operator page says the boat leaves the first pier of the harbour and heads for it. Another page puts the ride at about 20 minutes. Through the glass you see the remains under the sea. One listing says marine life thrives around them.
The Cyprus tourism board calls the wreck a freighter that ran aground in shallow water. It was later blown up as a hazard to ships and now rests in a crater, 11 metres down. The board lists grouper among the sea life there. Pages disagree on its date: one links it to the Turkish invasion, another to the nineteen fifties.
Past the wreck, one page says the boat pauses over reefs, and the crew explains a natural sponge. Another page lists sea turtles and other sea creatures among the sights of a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise. One more page says the skipper is a dive master who explains the local sea life.
Which coast and landmarks does a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise pass?
Along the shore, a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise passes a shipwreck, the Moulia Islands and a local lagoon. The boat starts from the harbour in Kato Paphos.
The boat leaves from the first pier of the harbour. A tourism page lists fishing boats and yachts there, with a promenade along the water. At the western end of this port sits Paphos Castle. No operator page lists it as a stop during a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise. Wikipedia dates it to the mid-thirteenth century.
Wikipedia describes a large rectangular tower with 12 ramparts on the roof. The castle has served as a fort, a prison and a salt depot. Today it is a tourist attraction, and Wikipedia says it hosts an outdoor cultural festival each September.
Operator pages describe the route of a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise as a loop. First comes the shipwreck, then the Moulia Islands, where one page promises photo stops. Another page names Moulia Reef instead and says its water is as clear as the lagoon. Then the boat stops at a local lagoon by Yeroskipou bay.
The shoreline is also part of the view from a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise. Wikipedia says the Paphos district coast has coves, capes, beaches and tiny islands. One listing says the return leg passes cliffs, coves and beaches. On land, Kato Paphos holds the main archaeological sights, including ancient Nea Paphos.
Is there a swim stop, snorkelling or a waterslide on a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
The swim stop is part of every Paphos glass bottom boat cruise, and snorkelling gear comes on board. The longer cruises add a waterslide, while the 90-minute trips skip it, according to the operator pages.
Operator pages agree on the swim stop, but not on the spot. One page says every cruise stops in the clear water of a local lagoon. Another page puts the depth inside the lagoon barrier at 1.5 metres.
A third page sends its two-hour Paphos glass bottom boat cruise to Atlantis Beach. A fourth lists two swim stops. A fifth page calls its stop short and says it leaves time to spot fish.
Snorkelling during your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise needs no gear of your own. One page lists snorkelling equipment, noodles and flotation aids on board. Another page says the equipment is provided. A third page says you can snorkel among fish and sea sponges.
The slide separates the cruises. One page lists a giant sea slide on its two-hour trip but not on its 90-minute trip. Another page puts the slide on the 2.5-hour cruise only, and says it expands from the main deck.
A third page lists an onboard waterslide on its two-hour cruise. A fourth page says the 90-minute cruise has a short swim stop and no slide.
Two pages add a jumping platform on the top deck for thrill-seekers. Steps on the swimming platform let everyone else enter and leave the water, says one page. Check what your chosen Paphos glass bottom boat cruise lists before you book.
What happens on board a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
Operator pages list a sun deck with plenty of seating, toilets, changing rooms, a fresh water shower and a bar. A friendly crew looks after each Paphos glass bottom boat cruise.
Boat size and shade vary from page to page. One page limits its boat to 25 passengers and calls the boat completely shaded. Another page lists a 22-metre boat with spacious sun decks.
Food and drink differ between the cruises, so read each listing. One page says drinks are part of its two-hour cruise, served on the sun deck. Another page says sandwiches and fruit come during the swim stop on the 2.5-hour cruise.
After the swim, one page says you rinse off under the fresh water shower. Then you go back to the sun deck. Another page offers a private charter, where the group can customise the stops and activities.
The talk on board comes from the crew. One page says its skipper is also a dive master and tells the group about the local marine life. The crew on that boat speaks English, Russian, Greek and German. Choose your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise by the language you want.
Which season and weather suit a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
The sunny months suit a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise, and operator pages list daily departures. One page adds a sunset trip that runs until the end of September. Only the swim stop needs warm water, because the glass keeps you dry.
Light is plentiful across the year. Visit Cyprus reports that the six summer months give 11.5 hours of bright sun each day, on average. December and January still give six hours. The same page says summer brings high temperatures and cloudless skies.
The sea near the coast changes with the calendar. Visit Cyprus says water three or four metres deep runs from 23 to 28°C in August. In February it runs from 15 to 17°C. That range matters at the swim stop of a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise, not on the viewing deck.
Heat and wind come next. Wikivoyage puts Paphos at 33°C with 90% humidity from late June to early September. It calls the rest of the year relatively mild. Visit Cyprus says winds change in strength and direction, while a sea breeze makes the coast pleasant. One operator page says its newer boat stays steadier when the sea is rough.
The short seasons in between suit a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise gently. Visit Cyprus describes April and late spring days as pleasantly warm, with slightly chilly nights. It lists warm days and cool evenings for autumn, from September to November.
How does a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise compare with a snorkelling trip or a sailing cruise?
The Paphos glass bottom boat cruise keeps you dry and looking down through the deck. A snorkelling trip takes you into the water, and a longer cruise adds hours and stops. The glass-boat pages list trips as short as 90 minutes.
A Paphos glass bottom boat cruise gives the view of a diving mask without the swim. Wikipedia says the glass lets passengers see the underwater world while they stay dry. One operator page also offers free snorkel gear. It adds free life jackets for children and guests who feel less sure in the water.
A snorkelling trip is the active choice. Wikipedia defines snorkelling as face-down swimming with air drawn through a tube, and says it needs only basic swimming ability. One boat page lists about two and a half hours, including the briefing, with mask, snorkel and fins. It limits the group to ten.
The third choice is a longer cruise along the coast, the kind pages describe as setting sail. One page lists about four hours with one swim stop near St George’s Island. It asks guests to bring their own snorkelling gear. Another lists six hours between Paphos and Latchi. Next to those hours, a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise looks compact.
What else do travellers ask about a Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
Which clothes and gear does your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise need?
Pack light for sun and a short swim. Listing pages ask for swimwear, a towel and sunscreen. Two pages add a sun hat and sunglasses, because the deck is open. One page suggests a waterproof camera, and another recommends water and snacks from home.
One listing says the boat has a shaded area, but you still get sun. The swim stop is short, and swimwear and a towel are for guests who wish to swim, says one page. Another page says pets and litter are not allowed on board your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise.
Are children and non-swimmers welcome on your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
An adult must stay in charge. One booking page says children under 18 must travel with an adult. It also asks that guests can board the boat safely. Another listing allows prams and strollers for infants and small children.
Non-swimmers can stay dry and watch the seabed through the glass. A review summary calls the crew attentive towards children. A listing for the 90-minute trip says it suits all fitness levels. Another page says the swim spots are shallow, which helps less confident swimmers. Follow the crew’s safety instructions at all times.
Is seasickness a worry on your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
It depends on the sea that day. A review site says windy or choppy days can affect comfort, especially if you are prone to seasickness. The same site says reviewers find the boat stable and the views worth it.
Another page says choppy seas can occur and tells winter travellers to prepare for that. A page on a similar glass-cabin cruise advises precautions for people prone to seasickness. Three pages advise a look at the forecast before you book. Check with the operator about the sea before your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise.
Where is the boarding point, and when do you check in for your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
Every trip starts at Paphos Harbour, but the boarding point differs by boat. One listing places its boat at the far end of the first jetty, on the left-hand corner. Another page points to the first pier on the right-hand side.
A listing for the 90-minute cruise says boarding starts 30 minutes before departure. It asks you to meet the boat 20 minutes before. It counts a late arrival as a no-show, and no transfer to the harbour comes with it. Another page says arriving early ensures a smooth start.
If the sea turns rough, what happens to your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise?
The weather decides. The booking page for a two-hour cruise says unsafe weather or sea conditions can reschedule or cancel the trip. Another page says the provider can cancel or change the route. A third page says a cancelled trip gets a new date.
Booking pages let you cancel yourself until 24 hours before departure. The trip is popular, so book your Paphos glass bottom boat cruise about five days ahead, says one page.