Minori seafront

Kayak and snorkel to Pandora's Cave from Minori

5.0/5

About 270 reviews on GetYourGuide

Three and a half hours paddling from Minori into Pandora's Cave and on to Dead Horse Beach for a swim, a snorkel and a lemon spritz, from 55 euros and rated 5.0 by about 270 guests. You must be able to swim; it starts in Minori, not Amalfi.

Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, with a full refund
Reserve now, pay laterHold your place today and pay nothing yet
Duration: 3.5 hoursStart times show in the calendar
Live guideEnglish and Italian

The tour meets on the seafront at Minori, the next town east of Amalfi, at the foot of the column with the statue of Santa Trofimena, between the pier and Ambrogio's lido. The operator's own page gives a 10:00 start, with the group meeting about ten minutes earlier for a briefing on the kayaks, then a short walk down to the beach. You paddle sit-on-top kayaks, singles and doubles, with a life jacket, and your things ride in a dry bag.

The route runs east past Maiori. The operator points out the castle of San Nicola de Thoro-Plano on the hill and the Norman Tower, a defensive tower it dates to between 1250 and 1300, built against raids from the sea. Next is the Sulphur Cave at Acquachiara, a small grotto where a sulphur spring runs out of the rock, visited when the sea allows. Then comes the main event: Pandora's Cave, which the operator calls one of the largest on the coast. The guide takes the kayaks in one at a time, and you spend 15 to 20 minutes, by the operator's two figures, among the stalactites.

The last stop is Dead Horse Beach, Spiaggia del Cavallo Morto, which the operator also calls Cala Bellavaia: a small cove under high cliffs, halfway between Maiori and Capo d'Orso and reached from the sea. You stay about an hour, to swim and snorkel with the mask and tube provided, while the guide sets out a lemon spritz, lemonade and fresh fruit. Then you paddle back to Minori. The operator puts the whole route at 7 km, and photographs of the day are emailed afterwards.

This stretch of coast, with its towns, terraces and cliffs, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, and much of it is seen properly only from the water. The UNESCO Amalfi Coast site's own page on Maiori notes the sulphur spring underwater and the Cavallo Morto cove, a beach it says is always busy in summer: on this tour you arrive by kayak rather than by hired boat.

Why this one

Of the two Amalfi Coast kayak tours we found on GetYourGuide, this one has more reviews and the higher score: rated 5.0 from about 270 reviews on 27 October 2026, with the guides scored 5.0 out of 5 and 97% of English-speaking guests giving it full marks. It was 55 euros, with a lemon spritz, fruit, snorkel kit and emailed photographs included. The nearest rival, Amalfi Coast: Kayak Tour with Snorkeling and Grottoes Visit, was 59 euros for 3 hours, rated 4.7 from 100 reviews. Its map pin is in Amalfi itself, so it is the simpler choice if you are staying in Amalfi and would rather not take the ferry or bus to Minori.

Booking direct costs the same for adults: the operator's own site listed 55 euros for adults on 27 October 2026, and 45 euros for children of 6 to 15, so families may save by booking there. GetYourGuide lets you reserve now and pay later, with the same 24-hour free cancellation. If you would rather see the coast from the sea without paddling, our page Amalfi Coast and Positano small-boat trip with snorkelling covers the coast by boat, and Positano sunset cruise to the Furore fjord, with prosecco is the easy evening version.

Good for

Confident swimmers who want the coast from water level
Guests staying in Minori, Amalfi or Ravello, close to the start
Couples and families with children from 6 who like an active morning

Not for

Non-swimmers, and children under 6
Anyone with back or heart problems, or a low level of fitness
Guests who would rather sit on a boat than paddle for 7 km

When to go

What the sea off Minori and Maiori is like month by month, around the middle of the day. Waves and calm days are modelled for the open sea off Minori; air temperature for the seafront at 13:00 Italian time.

Month	Waves	Calm sea	Air	Water
Jan	0.5 m	79%	13°C / 10°C	16°C
Feb	0.4 m	88%	15°C / 12°C	15°C
Mar	0.5 m	81%	15°C / 12°C	16°C
Apr	0.4 m	80%	17°C / 14°C	17°C
May	0.3 m	95%	22°C / 19°C	20°C
Jun	0.2 m	100%	28°C / 24°C	24°C
Jul	0.2 m	96%	31°C / 28°C	28°C
Aug	0.2 m	95%	30°C / 27°C	27°C
Sept	0.3 m	92%	27°C / 22°C	25°C
Oct	0.3 m	90%	23°C / 19°C	23°C
Nov	0.5 m	72%	18°C / 14°C	20°C
Dec	0.5 m	80%	15°C / 12°C	18°C

Waves are the median of each day's highest wave between 11:00 and 15:00 at sea off Minori; calm sea, the share of days when they stay under 1 metre. Air temperature is the median at 13:00, with the coldest day in ten after it; sea, the median sea temperature at midday.

The sea is calm in summer, and warm late

In the four years of sea data we looked at, the sea off Minori stayed under 1 metre on 95 days in 100 or more from May to August, and on 8 to 9 days in ten in April, September and October. The water warms slowly: a median of 16.7°C in April and 19.9°C in May, against 27.6°C in July and 23.1°C still in October.

From our Amalfi Coast hotels

Drive times are routed to the meeting point on Minori seafront, the column of Santa Trofimena between the pier and Ambrogio's lido. They are clear-road times from OpenStreetMap routing, which is optimistic on the SS163 coast road: a second router gave 5 to 29 minutes for the same trips, and summer traffic is slower still. There is no pickup. From Hotel Santa Lucia in Minori it is a 2-minute walk. From Amalfi, Travelmar's ferry to Minori costs 5 euros, and the operator lists a 09:00 sailing for the morning start; SITA buses run the coast road too. Parking in Minori is limited, the operator says.

Hotel Santa LuciaMinori1 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Hotel Marina RivieraAmalfi3 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Borgo SantandreaConca dei Marini9 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & SpaConca dei Marini9 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Caruso, A Belmond HotelRavello11 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Palazzo PascalScala11 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Hotel Tramonto d'OroPraiano17 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Il San Pietro di PositanoPositano21 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Le SirenusePositano25 min by carFerry, bus or taxi
Palazzo MuratPositano25 min by carFerry, bus or taxi

The facts

Duration: 3.5 hours, about 7 km of paddling
Language: English and Italian
Meeting point: Column of the statue of Santa Trofimena, Minori seafront, between the pier and Ambrogio's lido; the operator's page gives a 10:00 start
Included: Local guides and instructors; equipment (kayak, paddles, life jacket, dry bag and waterproof jackets); snorkelling kit; included drinks (lemon spritz and lemonade); fresh fruit snacks; photographs of your experience sent later by email; luggage storage and changing room; 2 bottles of water
Not suitable for: Children under 6, non-swimmers, pregnant women, people over 130 kg, wheelchair users, and anyone with back, heart or breathing problems, recent surgery or a low level of fitness
Children: From 6; under-16s share a double kayak with a parent, the operator says
Bring: Passport or ID card, sunglasses, sun hat, sunscreen, towel, flip-flops, a change of clothes, breathable clothing
Weather: Needs good weather; if cancelled, a different date or a full refund
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours before; reserve now and pay later
Price: From 55 euros on GetYourGuide on 27 October 2026; the calendar shows today's price
Direct price: 55 euros for adults and 45 for children of 6 to 15 on the operator's own site, read on 27 October 2026
Run by: KayakinAmalfi, Minori

What guests keep saying

Recurring themes in the tour’s reviews, in our words, never quoted.

Praised

Guides who are warm, know the coast and pass on local tips, scored 5.0 out of 5 by reviewers
Paddling inside Pandora's Cave, a highlight in many reviews
The beach stop: a swim, a snorkel and a lemon spritz in a cove you cannot reach on foot

Complaints

The catch

It starts in Minori, not Amalfi
The listing says Amalfi, but the meeting point is on Minori's seafront, about 4 km east along the coast. There is no pickup.
What to do. From Amalfi, take Travelmar's 5-euro ferry to Minori (the operator lists a 09:00 sailing for the morning start) or the SITA bus. From Positano, leave over an hour. From Hotel Santa Lucia in Minori, it is a 2-minute walk.
You need to swim, and to be fit enough to paddle 7 km
The listing rules out non-swimmers, children under 6, people over 130 kg, and anyone with back, heart or breathing problems, recent surgery or a low level of fitness. Under-16s share a double kayak with a parent.
What to do. Put a stronger paddler with each child or beginner, and if anyone in your party is unsure, book the Amalfi Coast and Positano small-boat trip with snorkelling instead.
The sea decides the day
The tour needs good weather, and the Sulphur Cave visit depends on the water. In the sea data we looked at, the sea off Minori stayed under 1 metre on 95 days in 100 or more from May to August, and on about 8 in 10 in April.
What to do. Book early in your stay, so a rough day leaves time for another date. You are offered a new date or a full refund.
Spring water is cool
The season starts in April, when the sea's median temperature is 16.7°C, and it is 19.9°C in May. It reaches 24.4°C in June and 27.6°C in July.
What to do. For the snorkel, go from June to September; in April and May bring a rash vest or a light Lycra top, as the operator suggests for sun.
Bring ID and dry clothes
The listing asks for a passport or ID card. Your things travel in a dry bag, and there is luggage storage and a changing room at the start.
What to do. Pack a towel, flip-flops, a change of clothes, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses on a cord.

Questions people ask

Good questions about Kayak and snorkel to Pandora's Cave from Minori

Is the Pandora's Cave kayak tour worth it?

For 55 euros you get 3.5 hours with a local guide, the kayak and snorkel kit, a cave you paddle into, an hour on Dead Horse Beach with a lemon spritz and fruit, and photographs. It was rated 5.0 from about 270 reviews on GetYourGuide on 27 October 2026.

Where does the kayak tour start?

In Minori, not Amalfi: at the column of the statue of Santa Trofimena on the seafront, between the pier and Ambrogio's lido. It ends back at the same spot.

Do I need kayaking experience?

No. The guide gives a briefing on the kayaks before you set off, and the operator says the tour suits all levels. You do need to be able to swim and be reasonably fit: the route is about 7 km.

Can children do the tour?

Yes, from 6 years old. Under-16s share a double kayak with a parent, and the operator's own site charged 45 euros for children of 6 to 15 on 27 October 2026.

How do I get to Minori from Amalfi or Positano?

From Amalfi, Travelmar's ferry to Minori costs 5 euros and the operator lists a 09:00 sailing for the morning tour; SITA buses also run the coast road. From Positano, allow over an hour by ferry or bus via Amalfi.

When does the tour run?

From spring to autumn: on 27 October 2026 the operator's own calendar showed its next dates from 1 April 2027. It needs good weather, and if the sea is too rough you are offered a new date or a full refund.

What is Dead Horse Beach?

Spiaggia del Cavallo Morto, also called Cala Bellavaia: a small cove under high cliffs between Maiori and Capo d'Orso, reached from the sea. The tour stops there for about an hour to swim and snorkel.

Paddle to the caves

See dates and prices

If you book through our links we may earn a commission from GetYourGuide. It never affects which experiences we include. Operators cannot pay to be here. · Last checked: October 2026