Side family days compared
Pirate Ship or Dolphin Boat in Side? A Family Decides
Both days put the family on a boat out of Side. One fills the deck with pirates and games; the other is about the sea itself and the chance of dolphins. Here is how to pick.
In short
If your children want to be entertained — face paint, a treasure map, a live show, a foam party — the pirate-ship day is built for exactly that, at €23 for everyone from 2. If your family would rather watch the water and hope to see dolphins, a dolphin boat is the calmer kind of day. Neither is the better day; they answer different wishes.
Two boats, two reasons to go to sea
The pirate-ship day treats the boat as a stage. The ship casts off at 10:00 from the Side departure dock, goes down the river to the delta for a swim, and from then on the animation team runs the deck: face painting, a secret treasure map, tug-of-war, a live pirate show and the hunt for the pirate Ferhat, then lunch from the children's menu and, to finish, foam, music and Halay dancing.
A dolphin boat treats the boat as a viewpoint. What you go for is the open water and whatever swims in it, and the mood follows from that: quieter, with more looking and less organised play. Dolphins are wild animals, so how that day handles the search is a question for the people who sell it.
Side by side
| Pirate-ship day | Dolphin boat | |
|---|---|---|
| The heart of the day | Games, a show and a foam party | Looking for dolphins at sea |
| Who it is planned around | Children | Anyone curious about the sea |
| Noise level | Lively, with music | Calmer |
| Swim | At the river delta | Ask the dolphin site |
We describe the dolphin day only in general terms. Its details, fares and timings belong to the site that sells it.
Which children suit which day
A child who needs something to do every half-hour, who lights up at a costume or a game, will have the time of their life on the pirate ship. The day is planned around the children rather than fitted around the adults, which is why the fare is the same for every guest from 2.
A child who loves animals, who can sit and watch the water and who will remember a fin breaking the surface for years, may be happier on a dolphin boat. With one of each in the family, you could do both on different days of the holiday. If you are comparing our two pirate days as well, start there.
What the pirate day has that is hard to find elsewhere
The swim. At the delta the river's cold fresh water meets the warm, salty sea, and children can feel both in one swim. It is a quirk of geography rather than a show, and nothing on deck needs to be staged for it. Our guide to the delta swim explains it.
Whether the whole package is worth €23 per head for your family is a fair question; we answer it honestly here.
If you choose the dolphin boat
Our sister site sells it and sets out what the day holds: the dolphin-watching cruise from Side. If you choose the pirates, the pirate-ship day books here with no payment until the morning of the trip.
