Kayaking - A Different Take on the Amalfi Coast
Last Updated: June 24, 2023
You may have kayaked before, but have you kayaked along the stunning Amalfi Coast? Kayaking on the Amalfi coast is not your ordinary kayaking trip—it comes complete with a guide who brings you to the top grottos to visit, takes your photos, supplies you with snorkeling gear, and feeds you melons. Here, we give you our comprehensive guide on what to expect when kayaking on the Amalfi Coast.
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When you think of the Amalfi Coast, images probably come to mind of towering cliffs and quaint seaside Italian villages peeking out over azure waters. But few get to experience this breathtaking beauty from the front-row seat of your very own kayak!
Now, this experience is ocean kayaking, so the waves give you the thrill of speed and underwater discovery. If you have a Go Pro, this is the ideal moment to strap it to your head as you jump into the pristine waters of the Amalfi coast and spot sea life unique to Italy. You can try out a tour like ours to experience it for yourself.
How Long is an Amalfi Kayaking Tour?
Depending on which kayaking tour you book, plan for about three hours for a kayaking tour in Amalfi. Our tour required us to meet at the beach around 9:30 am. It took around 30 minutes for the guide to get all the gear ready and give us a brief tutorial in ocean kayaking. Then we hit the water and kayaked up and down the coast for a little over 2 hours. We made it back to the beach around 12:30pm.
How Difficult is it to Kayak on the Amalfi Coast?
We’d say it’s very doable for anyone with some kayaking experience. You do not need to be an expert in kayaking to kayak on the Amalfi Coast. But you do need to have a baseline fitness level, as you will be expected to paddle for about 2 hours.
And because it’s ocean kayaking, you have to account for waves and sometimes choppy waters. It won’t be as smooth of a ride as kayaking in a lake or even a river. Also, if you have a tendency to get seasick, we recommend taking medicine for seasickness before your Amalfi kayaking trip.
What to Expect on an Amalfi Kayaking Trip
As you paddle along the coast, pay close attention to the points of interest your guide points out. You might even spot a celebrity lounging outside their Amalfi beach house!
Do you get to swim on an Amalfi kayaking tour? Yes! When you arrive at the Runghetiello Grotto, anyone who’s feeling extra adventurous can don their snorkel and jump into the water to see the Italian marine life up close. The cool, clear water feels especially refreshing after all that paddling.
The cherry (well, melon!) on top of the day comes when your guide breaks out some fresh melons to slice and share as a delightful afternoon snack. After you’ve had a chance to re-fuel with the snack, everyone climbs back into their kayaks and paddles along the coast to return to your starting point.
Once you arrive back at the beach where you began, you can finish off your Amalfi kayaking day by kicking back with a pizza and a gelato, and relaxing in the Amalfi sun.
Is kayaking in Amalfi worth it? A kayaking trip offers great views of the Amalfi coast which you can only get from the water, for a fraction of the cost of renting a private boat or taking a boat tour. However, kayaking is obviously more strenuous than sitting on a boat or relaxing on the beach. So if you do not feel up to a couple hours of paddling, kayaking in Amalfi may not be for you. That being said, a kayaking trip offers unique elements of adventure, as you paddle yourself along the coast and visit hidden caves you might miss on a boat. Overall, kayaking was one of our favorite things that we did in Amalfi, so we found it was definitely worth it.
Additionally, if you’re looking to explore other adventures in Italy, check out our article on doing a wine tour in the Tuscan countryside and our complete 2-day itinerary for Rome.