Alicante is one of those cities that makes more sense from the water. Its bay sits protected between Cabo de las Huertas and the Sierra Grossa ridge, Santa Bárbara Castle stands as a backdrop and, in less than half an hour of sailing, you can drop anchor in coves that look untouchable from land in peak season. That's why, when someone searches for a boat trip in Alicante, they'll find several very different formats — each with its own price range, duration and approach.
This guide walks through the real options available from the port of Alicante — from a two-hour coastal ride to a full day heading to Tabarca island — with what each format usually includes, indicative price ranges and when each one makes most sense during the year. The idea is that, before you book, you know exactly what you're asking for and what each nautical experience on the Costa Blanca will actually deliver.
We're not just talking about sailboats: there are motorboats, catamarans and organised tourist-boat rides too. Each type suits a different plan and a different budget. Let's go through them.
What a boat trip is and why Alicante is such a natural fit
A boat trip is, at its core, a coastal outing without a particularly demanding route: you leave the harbour, sail along the bay under engine or sail, usually anchor in a cove for a swim and head back. What separates one format from another essentially boils down to three variables: duration, type of boat and privacy (your own group or shared with other passengers).
Alicante has several things going for this kind of outing:
- Sheltered water most of the year: the bay has moderate wind and low swell outside of occasional autumn and winter easterlies.
- Close to coves and to Tabarca: in 30-45 minutes of sailing you're already at Cabo Huertas, El Cantal or the island itself.
- Long season: swimming is reasonable from April to November; July and August are the peak, but May, June, September and part of October work really well for those looking for fewer crowds.
- Serious sailing infrastructure: the Real Club de Regatas de Alicante (RCRA) and the commercial port concentrate most of the professional offering.
If you want a broader view of what can be done on board before choosing a format, we have a detailed guide to activities during a boat trip along the Alicante coast that complements this article well.
Short 2-hour ride: the quickest way to test the water
This is the most affordable format and the one most chosen by first-time sailors or families with small children. Two hours is enough time to skirt part of the bay, stop briefly in front of Postiguet or Albufereta beach for a jump in the water, and head back to port.
Who it fits:
- Couples or families on a short Alicante visit who want to try the sea for one afternoon.
- Groups with kids who wouldn't hold up for a full day on board.
- Anyone looking to add something different to a weekend without committing the whole day.
What's usually included: skipper, mandatory insurance, a chance to swim at a stop if sea conditions allow, cold drinks (depending on the charter) and basic safety equipment.
What not to expect: there's no time for Tabarca or a long route. The outing stays in the bay and nearby. If the group is large, the experience can feel short — just as everyone settles in, it's already time to head back.
Relative cost: it's the most affordable format in the Alicante market and the one that leaves most room to try before committing to a bigger plan. Shared rides drop the per-person cost versus private; a motorboat tends to come in lower than a larger sailboat. For exact rates by date and group size, each charter publishes them on its service page.
Half day on a sailboat: the most balanced format
The half-day outing (4 to 5 hours) is the sweet spot of the Alicante offer. It's enough time to leave port, sail to a decent cove, anchor for a couple of hours to swim, eat something on board and come back without rushing. For most visitors it's the format that leaves the best memory in terms of quality-time ratio.
Typical half-day routes include:
- Bay + Cabo de las Huertas: heading north to El Cantal, La Palmera or El Corralete coves.
- Bay + Cala Cantalar / Cala JudĂa: a bit more tucked away and less crowded in high season.
- Bay + southern coast: towards Santa Pola if the wind cooperates, with the Peñón de Ifach visible in the distance.
This format is covered by the half-day sailing escape service we offer on the Peggy. It usually includes: professional skipper, cold drinks on board, swim gear (paddle surf and basic snorkel kit), fuel and the day's mooring at RCRA.
On a boat trip in Alicante of half a day the pace is slower: once you reach the cove, the boat stays anchored and most of the time passes there — swimming, paddling or lounging on deck. For many groups that's the most memorable part: less the sailing itself than the "floating picnic" in the middle of the blue.
Relative cost: the half-day private format usually offers the best time-to-price ratio of the whole Alicante offer — more affordable than a full day and more usable than a short ride. In July and August rates rise noticeably with demand. Each charter sets its own conditions (passenger cap, catering included or not, etc.); check the fine print on the service page and request a quote for your date.
Full day (6-8 hours): Tabarca, coves and an unhurried trip
The full-day option opens the door to places that a half day leaves halfway done. The classic choice is Tabarca: 1.5 to 2 hours of sailing, anchoring inside the marine reserve, swimming and snorkelling in excellent-visibility water, lunch on board or on the island and returning at sunset.
If Tabarca is specifically what you're after, we have the route broken down hour by hour in our guide to the full-day boat trip to Tabarca. It's also the ideal format to combine two or three different coves on the northern Alicante coast — more flexibility, less clock-watching.
Why many groups pick the full day:
- It's the only way to reach Tabarca on your private boat and swim in its marine reserve without the tourist ferries.
- It allows lunch on board with no rush, which shifts the whole experience.
- It leaves room to switch anchorages: one cove in the morning, another after lunch.
- The cost per hour works out better than short rides.
The option is detailed in our full-day sailboat rental service in Alicante. It usually includes skipper, fuel, mooring, cold drinks, swim gear, towels and water. Some charters include catering (optional), others let you bring your own food.
Relative cost: the full day delivers the best per-hour rate of the whole Alicante offer — if the plan is to get the most out of the boat, this format makes clear sense. In July and August rates rise noticeably with demand. For groups of 8-10 people, the per-head cost compares very well with shorter outings when the day is actually used.
Sunset sail: the most-requested format of the summer
The sunset sail is, by far, the most photogenic format. 2-3 hour outings starting around an hour and a half before sundown, with the silhouette of Santa Bárbara Castle in the background and a return to port with the coastline already lit up.
It's a plan that fits many contexts: an anniversary, a hen or stag do, a small corporate gathering, a date or simply a different way to end a day in Alicante. Time on board is short but intense — the sky changes colour every ten minutes and most of the group ends up with their cameras out.
We see this recurrently in the sunset boat experience off the coast of Alicante: the mood on board is quieter than during day sails, people speak more softly and the boat becomes almost a floating terrace. There's also a practical breakdown of the format in our sunset sailing in Alicante post if you want to know what to expect hour by hour.
When to book: May to September works well. In June and around the San Juan night, demand spikes — reserve weeks ahead. October still works if the weather cooperates, with the bonus of an earlier sunset and a quieter marina.
Relative cost: similar to a short 2-hour ride, though charters tend to apply a small premium for the prime time slot — it's one of the most-requested formats of the summer.
Private charter: a made-to-measure boat trip for groups and events
When we talk about a private charter, we shift from picking a standard format to designing the outing from scratch: duration, route, catering, on-board decoration and number of stops all adapt to the group. It's the natural option for celebrations (birthdays, hen/stag dos, proposals), corporate events or larger families that want control over every detail.
Private charters in Alicante have a few key points:
- Length and capacity: for groups up to 10-12 people, a 19-metre sailboat like the Peggy sailing yacht fits without strain. For bigger groups, there are charter catamarans.
- Personalised route: you can ask to sail past a specific spot (for example, a terrace with people waving from shore) or prioritise a specific cove.
- Catering: from a simple on-board picnic to fully managed catering with service. Defined at booking time.
- Multi-day: if the plan is more ambitious, there's a multi-day rental format with passage to Formentera or Ibiza — a boat trip in Alicante no longer in the strict sense, but a short offshore voyage.
Relative cost: highly variable depending on boat size, duration and catering. A half-day or sunset on a 19 m sailboat sits in the mid-range of the offer; full days or multi-day voyages fall in a different bracket. A detailed quote based on your actual plan is the best way to compare.
With skipper or without: how to decide
The dominant offer in Alicante is with skipper. There are "bareboat" rentals — without skipper — but they require recognised nautical qualification (PER at a minimum for most interesting boat sizes) and come with different insurance and local-knowledge implications. For a boat trip, going with a skipper makes sense for four reasons:
- Safety: the skipper knows currents, local winds, good and bad anchorages, and the protocols.
- Zero admin: you don't have to plan routes, watch the fuel or worry about docking manoeuvres.
- Local knowledge: a local skipper knows which cove is less crowded on a Tuesday in August or where the sunset looks best depending on the breeze.
- Insurance and legal: skippered charter insurance is sized to carry passengers; bareboat has different logic.
If you have a licence and feel like steering, the option exists — but our recommendation for a standard boat trip in Alicante is to book with a skipper and enjoy the ride.
Where boat trips actually leave from in Alicante
Almost all professional charters board at the Real Club de Regatas de Alicante (RCRA), right in the marina next to the seafront promenade. It has private parking, a serious sailing standard and direct access to the bay. It's the Peggy's home berth and the departure point for most reference charters.
Other departures leave from the Alicante commercial marina, Marina Greenwich (El Campello, slightly to the north) or Santa Pola (to the south). For a classic ride around the bay of Alicante, RCRA is the most natural starting point — walkable from the city centre, with parking and the boat already facing the interesting coves.
For a second outing in the same season or if you've already been to Tabarca, it's worth considering the best coves near Alicante by sailboat: there are spots 30-40 minutes away that are less crowded than Tabarca itself.
What each format includes and what's usually paid separately
With serious charter operators, the published price usually covers:
- Professional skipper and mandatory passenger insurance.
- Fuel for the day (on half-day and full-day; on long outings it may be extra).
- Mooring and port fees at the departure harbour.
- Swim gear: paddle surf, basic snorkel kit, floats.
- Cold drinks: water, soft drinks and some beer — depending on the charter.
What typically isn't included and should be confirmed in advance:
- Catering and food: usually brought by the guest or contracted separately.
- Alcoholic drinks beyond the basics (cava, wine, speciality cocktails for events).
- Decoration extras for celebrations.
- Pick-ups at other locations outside the departure port.
- Extra hours beyond the booked slot.
Knowing this upfront avoids the classic last-minute billing friction. If the group is large and wants to eat and drink on board without bringing anything, it's worth asking for a quote with catering included from the start.
How to pick the boat trip in Alicante that fits your plan
There's no single "best" option — there's one that fits what you're looking for. In short:
| What you're after | Best format |
|---|---|
| First time on the sea or plan with small kids | Short 2 h ride |
| Day out in a couple or small group with swim and relaxed time | Half day on a sailboat |
| Reaching Tabarca or distant coves without rushing | Full day |
| Date, anniversary, intimate celebration | Sunset sail |
| Birthday, hen/stag do, corporate event | Private charter, half day or full |
| Mini-holiday at sea | Multi-day rental |
If it's your first time, a half day on a sailboat is the safest bet: plenty of margin to enjoy without committing the whole day or the cost of a full-day outing. If you've already been sailing in Alicante and the group is larger, going for a full day or a private charter usually delivers more value per euro.
Bottom line: compare before you book
A boat trip in Alicante can be an affordable shared plan or a fully-catered private day — and both can be the right call depending on context. What matters is to contrast three things before booking: what the price actually covers, what happens if the weather changes and who your skipper will be.
On the weather side, serious Alicante charters apply a cancellation policy based on coastal warnings from AEMET — if the forecast shows strong wind or rough sea, the outing is rescheduled at no cost or a date change is offered. Notice usually comes 24-48 hours ahead. It's worth confirming the specific terms before paying the deposit.
On the Peggy sailing yacht we've spent over a decade sailing this coastline with the current skipper at the helm. We know the less-visited anchorages off Cabo Huertas, the wind angles that make a sunset actually work and the days Tabarca fills up — information that doesn't show up on any map.
If you're weighing options for your date, you can check the detail of our sailings from the port of Alicante or get in touch through the contact form with the number of people, a tentative date and the type of outing you have in mind. We'll help you decide which format fits best — no rush, no pressure.
