Side days compared
Fishing Tour or Boat Trip in Side: Which Day on the Water Suits You?
Both put you on the water off Side, and both start at your hotel. They are, however, quite different ways to spend the time, and choosing between them comes down to what you want your hands to be doing.
Short answer
Choose the fishing tour if you would like a purposeful morning with a rod — gear, bait and the captain's help supplied, a small boat of at most 12 guests, and back at your hotel by early afternoon. Choose a day on a boat along the coast if your idea of the sea is swimming, sunbathing and watching the shoreline go by. A single holiday can hold both, because the fishing morning leaves the afternoon free.
Two very different days at sea
The fishing morning has one aim: to drop a line over a fishing ground and see what comes up. The boat anchors, rods, lines and fresh bait are handed out, and the captain guides each guest through hooking bait and landing a fish. Red mullet, sea bass, sea bream and shrimp are the common catch, with small colourful species and now and then something larger, though no fish is ever promised. No food is served on board, so bring your own.
A coastal boat day is built around the scenery and the water itself rather than around a rod. Our sister site covers that kind of day in full and shows its current details; we would rather not describe its stops, timings or prices here and risk being out of date.
Side by side
| Fishing morning | Boat trip along the coast | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Fish with a rod, with the captain's help | Relax, swim and look at the coast |
| Pace | Focused, with quiet spells and busy ones | Leisurely |
| When | Boat out at 07:00, in at 12:30; pickup time confirmed the day before | See our sister site |
| Fare | €45 per person, every age, plus the €5 sea fee in cash on board | See our sister site |
Who should pick the fishing morning
Anyone who has always wanted to try sea fishing and never had a rod in their hands. The morning assumes no experience, and the captain handles the fish so nobody has to. It also suits people who grow restless on a boat with nothing to do: holding a rod gives the hours a shape.
For a couple wanting something a little different from the usual holiday outings, the fishing morning offers a shared project, a competition over who lands the first fish, and an afternoon still free afterwards. The guide for couples weighs a shared seat against a private boat for two.
Families can come together as well: the fare is the same for every age, and parents stay with their children throughout.
Who should pick the boat trip
If swimming in open water is the highlight of a holiday for you, a coastal boat day is the more natural choice. The fishing morning is about the rod, not about swimming. The same goes for anyone who would rather not handle bait at all, or who wants to spend the day lying in the sun with a book. Our sister site, which runs the boat trips along the Side coast, shows what those days include and what they currently cost.
Doing both in one holiday
Because the fishing boat runs from 07:00 to 12:30, it does not compete for a whole day of your week. Keeping the two on separate days means neither feels rushed; a fishing morning followed by a lazy afternoon at the hotel is an easy rhythm, and the coastal day can sit elsewhere in the week.
If you are counting euros, the worth-it guide lays out exactly what the fishing fare covers and what it does not. The shared, private or big game guide helps if you are already sure about fishing and simply need to choose how.
Booking the fishing morning
Reservations open from tomorrow onwards. Money is not taken online. The fare is paid on the morning in euros, the sea fee goes in cash on board, and you can step back without charge until 48 hours ahead. See the morning in full and reserve on the deep-sea fishing trip page.
Side Deep-Sea Fishing Trip: prices, what is included, and booking