Boat Tours and Cruises in Lanzarote

Sailing around Lanzarote by boat is one of the best ways to discover the island. From the ocean you will enjoy breathtaking scenery, often with a glass of cava or a cold beer in your hands.

A boat trip is one of the best attractions Lanzarote has to offer, but you have to choose well. It is important to choose the activity that best suits your tastes and desires to make the experience unforgettable.

Undoubtedly one of the best activities in Lanzarote. After a short ferry ride you will arrive at La Graciosa, the smallest island in the whole archipelago. About 600 people live in Caleta de Sebo, the only village on the island and the first destination of this excursion.

At the harbour you will see the luxury catamaran that will take you to Playa Francesa, a stretch of unspoilt coastline with shallow, turquoise waters. It's a bit crowded at times - by La Graciosa standards - but I assure you it's well worth a visit. You'll be left speechless.

On excursions to La Graciosa from Lanzarote you will have time for snorkelling, lying on the white sand or just swimming in the beautiful sea.

Around 14:00 you usually get back on the catamaran to enjoy a seafood paella, fresh fruit and alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks.

Practical information

• Duration: approx. 5 hours
• Price: approx. 70 €
• Starting point: harbour of Órzola

A highly recommended option if you are travelling to Lanzarote with children. The bathyscaphe is designed to ensure maximum comfort for the passengers: the seats are comfortable, the interior is painted white (the atmosphere seems more spacious) and there are 22 portholes and two lookouts.

The submersible reaches a maximum depth of 25/30 metres and guarantees the sighting of countless species. The starting point is Puerto Calero, a municipality in the south-eastern part of Lanzarote. The trip lasts about an hour, so you won't stray far from this town.

Contrary to what you might think, this activity can also be done by pregnant women and people with hearing problems. You can book your tickets on the official website.

Practical info

• Duration: about 1 hour
• Price: about €60
• Starting point: Puerto Calero

The perfect activity for couples (and not only). The sailing takes place on a yacht leaving Puerto de Carmen to sail along a stretch of the island's southern coastline.

The price includes a flute of Champagne as a welcome drink and as many drinks as you like for the rest of the excursion.

In addition to the spectacle of the sunset, it is common to come across the friendliest animals in the sea: the dolphins. If you are travelling to the island with your partner, I recommend another interesting experience: a visit to the Jameos del Agua in Lanzarote.

Practical information

• Duration: about 2 hours
• Price: between 40 € and 50 €
• Starting point: Puerto del Carmen

Just a short distance from Corralejo (Fuerteventura), there is an islet with no vegetation and surrounded by turquoise waters: the Isla de los Lobos (Island of the Wolves). No, there is no voracious canid, but this place owes its name to the monk seals that once lived here.

Unfortunately, fishermen hunted them to extinction, as each of these animals needs a large amount of fish as its daily food. Efforts are now being made to reintroduce a few monk seals, but there's no guarantee you'll see one.

Most excursions depart from the southern coast of Lanzarote and reach Corralejo, Fuerteventura. From there you take a water taxi to the islet. You usually have two alternatives: either you take a walk around Corralejo before Lobos Island or after.

You can usually choose between two options for this activity: a cheaper and shorter one and a more complete one that also includes a kayak trip.

In any case, there are five things you must have in your backpack: mask and snorkel, sun cream, crab shirts, sun cream and cash. A guided tour is the option I highly recommend, as with all other excursions to Fuerteventura from Lanzarote.

As with other tours - such as the excursions to La Graciosa from Lanzarote - places are limited in order to preserve the unspoilt nature.

Practical information

• Duration: 6 hours or 10 hours (approx.)
• Price: approx. 50 € or 100 €
• Starting point: Playa Blanca

The Atlantic Ocean is home to a large population of cetaceans. To see it, many agencies organise dolphin watching trips from Lanzarote, either by catamaran or on boats equipped with semi-rigid tarpaulins/roofs.

Normally the boats depart at sunset and include a glass of champagne accompanied by cakes and pastries. In Lanzarote, you can rely on the local company Dolphins Tour (Avenida del Varadero, Puerto del Carmen).

The guide will explain the habits of these animals. In the case of the dolphins, they are friendly and often approach the boats. As for the whales, for safety reasons, you must keep a safe distance.

Practical information about Lanzarote

• Duration: between 2 and 3 hours
• Price: around 50 €
• Starting point: Puerto del Carmen

Are you an experienced fisherman or do you want to get started in this discipline? No problem, these excursions are designed for both. I just recommend you to specify your level at the time of booking. This way, the organisers can put together homogeneous groups. In any case, you will never set sail with more than 6/7 people.

The routes are organised by real professionals - as in the case of the Escualo Fishing agency (Puerto Calero) - and the price includes all the fishing equipment. As far as fish are concerned, the waters of Lanzarote are abundant with:

• Wahoo or sawfish,
• Bonito listado, a regular in the open waters
• Seriola, also known as Lecha or Pez Limón. They are huge and challenging to catch. They are capable of breaking the line
• White or bluemarlin. They usually reach the waters of Lanzarote between summer and the first half of autumn
• Tuna, more frequent between February and April
• Barracuda, prowl mainly reefs and mangroves
• Grouper, recognisable by the large mouth. It prefers rocky coasts and feeds on crustaceans, octopus and small fish

If you don't feel like throwing your hook into the sea, you can also get on the boat and enjoy the ride. Some of the inedible (or not usually eaten) species will be thrown back into the sea after the classic photo of the feat. Normally, there are two types of excursions.

Daytime

A perfect option to combine the fishing experience with a beautiful ocean cruise. You will enjoy the splendid scenery. The boat usually departs between 8:00 and 9:00 and the price includes water and snacks.

• Duration: more than 6 hours
• Price: about 90 € (about 65 € for spectators)
• Starting point: Puerto Calero

Night

The professionals set sail after sunset. At night, the fish come out of their hiding places to find food or hunt their prey. It is a more epic, intense and original experience.

The price includes dinner and pick up from your hotel or a nearby pick up point. Normally you will be picked up between 16:00 and 17:00.

• Duration: about 7 hours
• Price: more than 70 € (about 10 € for spectators)
• Starting point: Puerto Calero

Thanks to the warm water temperature, they can be sighted all year round. However, cetaceans are even more frequent during the migration periods: winter and spring. As for the fauna, these are the species that live in Lanzarote:

• Cachalote, the Moby Dick whale. It lives on average 70 years and its favourite prey is the giant squid. You will recognise it by its elongated head and dark grey skin
• Bottlenose dolphin, also known as bottlenose dolphin. It lives in groups, sometimes in large numbers, and is characterised by being a very social animal. It feeds on octopus, shrimps, crabs and other fish.
• Pilotwhale. Its distinctive features are its short fins and "tiny" size (5 metres at most)
• Spotted dolphin, with a light-coloured belly dotted with white spots. It inhabits the temperate zones of the Atlantic Ocean and it is not uncommon for it to approach boats
• Fin whale, a very common cetacean both in the archipelago and in the Mediterranean. To eat, it swallows up to 70 cubic metres of water and then forcefully pushes it through its baleen plates.

If you've worked up an appetite while sailing, no problem! Lanzarote has some spectacular fish restaurants. Here are the best rated:

• Amura, a true gastronomic experience. Here you can enjoy wreckfish loin, blue lobster on the back, grilled langoustine and other recipes in an unbeatable setting. The service is first class. Amura is located in the famous Puerto Calero (Paseo Marítimo)
• Amêndoa, for fans of fusion cuisine. In this establishment, Canarias is Asia e Italia (Tinajo, Avenida El Marinero 20)
• Villa Toledo, an emblematic restaurant overlooking the sea. I recommend ordering the tuna sirloin with caramel or a plate of black fideuá with octopus (Avenida de los Cocederos, s/n 35508 Costa Teguise)
• Lilium, the place where Canarian tradition is reinvented. The ropa vieja de pulpo con mojo and the sancocho de cherne are two very significant examples. You will find it inside the Marina de Arrecife Shopping Centre (Avenida Olof Palme s/n)
• Casa Torano, for simple dishes made with very fresh ingredients. It is a short distance from the Salinas de Janubio (El Golfo, Avenida Marítima 31).

Of course it is! With the exception of a few special excursions, such as the night fishing experience, it's worth taking your little ones on a boat.

If they are attracted to the water, on these trips they will discover the abundant marine life on the island and this is something they tend to love.

For more ideas, I recommend you read the post dedicated to the 10 things to do in Lanzarote with children.

Before booking your boat trip, here are some last tips:

• During the summer, the waters of the archipelago have some unwanted guests: jellyfish. The most dangerous species are the Compass Jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella), Luminescent Jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca), Portuguese Carabela (Physalia physalis), Rhizostoma luteum and Aguamala (Rhizostoma pulmo). Do not go near any of them
• If you are interested in whale watching, I recommend booking your holiday in winter or spring. These two seasons coincide with the migratory season and the number of whales is even higher than usual
• Do you tend to get seasick? In this case, I don't think a boat trip is the best option. You can visit the best beaches of Lanzarote or go hiking
• Wear sun cream or you run the risk of getting sunburnt. Don't forget your sunglasses at the hotel either.

The Canary Islands enjoy a good climate most of the year. Cetaceans and whales are a constant presence and snorkelling is possible in all seasons.

For all these reasons, a mini cruise in Lanzarote is always a good idea. Moreover, there are options to suit all tastes and budgets.