Side days compared
Fishing Tour or Rafting in Side: Calm Sea or Lively River?
Both are water days, and both appeal to groups of friends. Beyond that they have little in common, and it helps to be honest about what your party wants before choosing.
Short answer
Choose the fishing morning if your group wants a relaxed half-day at sea with rods supplied and the captain's help, back at the hotel by early afternoon. Choose rafting if you want an energetic day of paddling on a river. Anyone uneasy on a boat at sea should read the seasickness guide first; and because the fishing ends early, a week can hold both.
Sea and river: different kinds of water
The fishing morning takes place on the open sea. The boat anchors over the fishing ground, every guest is handed a rod, a line and fresh bait, and the captain talks you through baiting the hook and winding a catch to the surface. Red mullet, sea bass, sea bream and shrimp are the common catch, with small colourful species and occasionally a larger fish; nothing is promised. No food comes with the fare; bring your own.
Rafting means a raft on a river and a group paddling together. Our sister site shows its current details — what is included, the timings and the price — and we would rather send you there than repeat them and risk being wrong.
Comparing the two
| Fishing morning | Rafting | |
|---|---|---|
| Effort | Low: sitting, casting, reeling in | Physical: paddling |
| Water | The open sea, at anchor | A river |
| Timing | Boat 07:00 to 12:30; pickup time confirmed the day before | Shown on our sister site |
| Fare | €45 per person, every age, plus the €5 sea fee in cash on board | Shown on our sister site |
For groups of friends
A group that wants to talk, laugh and see who lands the first fish will enjoy the fishing morning. A booking holds up to 12 guests and the shared boat carries at most 12; a larger group is an enquiry, and a private deep-sea fishing boat — €650 per person plus the €5 sea fee in cash on board — keeps your party on its own. The groups and friends guide explains the options.
A group after adrenaline and a shared physical challenge may be happier on the river. Our sister site, which runs rafting near Side, describes that day as it is currently offered.
For first-timers
Neither day asks for experience, but they ask different things of you. On the fishing boat the effort is gentle and the help constant: the captain shows you every step and handles the fish. If you have never held a rod, the beginners' guide explains exactly what to expect.
If anyone is unsure about the sea
A boat at anchor moves with the sea, and some people feel that more than others. We make no promises either way. If someone in your party is prone to seasickness, tell us before you book; the captain decides on the day. Remedies are your own choice. The seasickness guide sets out honestly what to consider.
Planning both in one week
Since the fishing boat is back at 12:30, it fits neatly into a week alongside a river day. Keep them on separate days so the early fishing pickup does not collide with anything else. Bookings for the fishing morning open from tomorrow on the deep-sea fishing trip page; the fare is paid in euros on the day, nothing is taken online, and you may cancel without charge up to 48 hours before.
Side Deep-Sea Fishing Trip: prices, what is included, and booking