Sea swimming is available at Windmill Bay Hotel or at Kavo just across the road from Windmill Hotel. There is also a small beach in Argassi resort. However, some of the best beaches in Zakynthos area available within 15-20 minutes by car at Vassilikos, with wide stretches of sand, dunes and shallow water. You can use a hire car or taxi to reach them or take the public bus to Vasilikos. A beach bus also runs from Argassi to Banana Beach, it's free so long as you purchase something at the beach bars.

Our favourite beaches in the Vasilikos area include;

Porto Zorro / Porto Azzuro - swim around the tall rocks in the water

Banana Beach - A wide, sandy beach backed by dunes - base yourself at Banana Baya beach bar or Casa Playa beach bar

St Nicholas Beach - a young and lively beach with a watersports centre

Porto Roma - a pebbly beach with a taverna overlooking the sea and a small boho beach bar "Nico's beach bar"

Dafni Beach - you'll need a hire car to drive on a steep, winding road to find this sandy beach with numerous beach bars where the turtles nest

Gerakas beach - a broad, sandy beach with no development since it's protected as a turtle nesting site, although there are tavernas by the parking area.

West coast:

If you want to drive your hire car (45-60 mins) over to the scenic, rocky, west coast there are deep water inlets and swimming spots. We recommend:

Porto Limnionas - an scenic inlet with sunbed terraces and taverna

Porto Roxa - another inlet with tavernas that's a short drive from Porto Limnionas

Shipwreck Beach / Navagio - this famous and much photographed beach with a shipwreck buried in the sand can only be reached by boat. Take a boat trip from St Nicholas port or Makris Gialos in the north of the island.

For more information on Zakynthos beaches, read;

20 of the best beaches in Zakynthos Greece

The best beach for watersports is St Nicholas beach, where there's a dive centre and watersports are available from Zakynthos Watersports. They provide range of experiences like ringos, pedalos, canoes, jet-skis, water-ski, para-sailing, flyboard.

Watersports are also available on Banana beach near Casa Playa beach bar.

Sea kayaking trips in the south of the island can be arranged through Sea Kayaking Zakynthos. They organise guided trips around the sea caves of Keri and turtle island in Laganas bay.

There are numerous boat trip options to choose from, however they broadly divide into a couple of main trips.

North of Zakynthos

Boat trips exploring the north of the island tend to include the famous Shipwreck beach on the north-west coast and swimming in the sea caves "Blue Caves" on the north-east coast. They may also stop at another beach such as Xigia Beach, known for the sulphur springs that bubble up from the sea bed.

If you have a hire car, the northern boat trips start at Makris Gialos or Agios Nicholas (St Nicholas Port) on the north east coast. Otherwise there are many excursions on sale in Argassi resort that include transport from the hotel to where the boat trip starts.

South of Zakynthos

Boat trips around the south of the island tend to focus on turtle spotting in Laganas bay, with stops at Turtle Island and swimming in the sea caves "Keri caves" on the south coast. These boat trips often start at Keri port or in Laganas bay, or you can buy an excursion that will take you from Argassi resort.

Self drive boat hire

There are small boats to drive yourself for around 6 people, available for hire from Keri port or Laganas resort. This is a fun way to explore the calmer bays of the south coast. Beware of self drive boat hire to explore in the north unless you are experienced, as the waters on the west coast around Shipwreck Beach can be choppy, better to go with a skipper.

Private luxury boat hire

If you'd like to go out on a boat with a skipper for the day, our wedding planner Explore Zakynthos has some beautiful boats to charter. They can also arrange smaller self-drive boats.

The island capital of Zante Town is 15 minutes from Argassi and is worth exploring for an hour or two. You can get there by public bus, tourist train, taxi or hire car. Things to see and do include:

- Wander along the waterfront where you'll see fishing boats selling their catch in the morning, up to the marina at the far end where there are some super-swanky boats.

- Visit the imposing church of Agios Dionysios, on the waterfront dedicated to St Denis, the patron saint of the island. This is where the saint's remains are buried and there's a small religious museum behind the church.

- Walk through the open Solomos square to the smaller square Plaka Agiou Markou behind, where there are numerous bars, restaurants and cafes to sit and people watch.

- For shopping, walk along the semi-pedestrianised Maiou street where there are numerous souvenir and clothing shops as well as bars and cafes. The more local shops and bars are to be found in the side streets running off it or the roads that run parallel.

- Take the tourist train or drive up to Bohali hill where there's a pretty church and a cafe terrace with stunning views over Zante town and the port.

- On Bohali Hill you can also visit the Venetian Castle, with some interesting canons and fortifications.