When it comes to the locals, as elsewhere in Greece, it’s best to come equipped with plenty of
humor and patience. Trust me! Nothing is going to go according to plan. Even at the airport, they
don’t make much effort to follow the rules. When we were there the baggage scales weren’t
working, and the security check was just for show. The only schedule you can count on them sticking
to rigorously is siesta time! This is total – from noon until about five or six in the evening life shuts
down. Nothing is open, even in the capital. We had to walk miles just for a bottle of water. On the
other hand, you can easily go shopping until eleven in the evening. Loose adherence to the rules is
particularly evident on the roads, which are extremely narrow and winding, but cars and quad bikes
roar up and down them at top speed all day long. The bus schedule is at best a rough guideline. Even
at the bus stop, it’s often written that you should simply ask the driver where the bus is going, and
when the next one will come along. Still, tickets are generally very reasonably priced: ours was €1.60
for the whole trip.
It’s unbelievable in this day and age, but the fact is that in practice it’s possible to smoke
everywhere: in bars, restaurants, hotels and boats. In our hotel, the cook who prepared out
breakfast did so with a cigarette hanging out the corner of his mouth, and when my friend got up
from the table to go smoke outside, the waitress told him he needn’t bother – he could smoke at the
table. Since Zakynthos is an island, it’s good to be sparing with the tap water, and signs remind you
of this everywhere. Electrical power, on the other hand, seems practically unlimited, and this is what
the air conditioners run off. (The local bus was about 20°C, while outside it must have been at least
30°C). The temperature drops to a surprising degree in the evening, and after dark I don’t think
anyone uses air conditioning – it’s unnecessary. The tap water isn’t drinkable, but the mineral water
tastes good, and it’s interesting that both a single bottle and a whole carton are the same price:
€1.50. The internet is unreliable, but this means that it’s never worth paying extra for: if it works, it
will work for free, and if it doesn’t money won’t make it work. Knowledge of English is equally
patchy, though they’ll usually nod enthusiastically and repeat whatever you said to them. In
restaurants and hotels there are many members of staff who speak good English, and are happy to
chat with a tourist.
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Zakynthos – Opinion
July 2022: We have just returned from Zakynthos. We planned the trip ourselves, with all that that entails. I booked accommodation on Booking.com, and there were no particular problems with that. The biggest problem was with Laganas. Of course, I also tried to gather information in advance. I read a lot of reviews, and spoke personally with people who had already been there. Several people said we could certainly book accommodation there, it would be hassle-free. But what does hassle-free mean? Bottom line: I would never go to Laganas again! Only those who want to party day and night should book accommodation there. And I mean that literally. 90% of people in Laganas are British teenagers. I will try to be diplomatic about them so this post isn’t deleted. These young people can't behave. During the day they are still restrained (or maybe they sleep a little), but they start up in the evening. They go about in very skimpy clothing, they are drunk, and high on who knows what else. It’s unlikely to be sucking the helium from balloons. Their antics and screaming are continuous until the morning, and there is no chance to rest. I couldn't sleep peacefully for a single night in a week, even though our accommodation was a 10-minute walk from the main street. They are constantly making noise, riding about on mopeds and quad bikes. They leave terrible garbage behind, and even the few trash cans are overturned and smashed. Barbarians would be more civilized than them. Not to mention that they don't even respect their hosts enough to learn 1-2 words in Greek (at least to say hello, etc.) If you want to relax, DO NOT book accommodation here. I rented a motorbike and we went to other parts of the island. Zakynthos is beautiful, if you haven't been there yet, you should definitely visit, just don't go to Laganas. It isn’t easy to spot turtles around Turtle Island. I rented a boat (no license required) which cost 110 euros for 3 hours plus fuel. It takes 3 hours to comfortably see the islands of Marathonisi and Cameo. The boat rental is worth it – it’s a great experience. If you really want to see a turtle, this is the island to visit. The entrance fee is 5 euros/person (that's why you get a key ring – if you hand over your entrance ticket to the photographer he’ll take a picture of you, and after a while, your key number will be displayed on a board, where you can either hand it in or buy a larger print of the picture). Go to the section of the coast between the island and the port, where there is a small blue pier. I swam in with a snorkel and goggles and saw a turtle, about 30-50 meters from the shore, near the pier. They rarely come to the surface of the water, which is why you need goggles. I swam really close to it, and it was a fantastic experience to literally swim with a turtle! It is also worth paying for a boat trip to the wreck bay and blue caves, but NOT with a big boat! Unfortunately, we went with it, and only later found out that we would not be visiting the wreck bay, on account of the waves. The smaller ships all went there, but not the larger ones. However, we did stop at the blue caves. I have never swum in such beautiful, turquoise water! Not to be missed.
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“It’s a real shock when you come from a land of tyranny, inflation, and austerity, and then you meet the Greeks. They screw up EVERYTHING, the vendors smoke in the shop, there are no traffic rules or schedules, and the continually honk the horn and shout. Yet everyone is cheerful, friendly, and hospitable. Respect!” (BC, 2022)
