Is Zakynthos Safe in January 2026?

Touts near the port and in Zakynthos Town sell tickets for boat trips to Shipwreck Beach and the Blue Caves at inflated prices, sometimes selling tickets for boats that do not exist or are already fully booked.

How to avoid: Buy boat tour tickets directly from established operators at the port. Check reviews on travel platforms. Be sceptical of touts approaching you on the street offering special deals.

Rental shops in the Laganas resort strip rent out ATVs and quad bikes to tourists, then charge substantial damage fees — often €100–€400 — at return, claiming pre-existing scratches or dents were caused by the renter. The bikes are frequently already worn, and staff photograph them selectively before rental to obscure prior damage. Tourists who did not document the full vehicle condition before riding have little recourse.

How to avoid: Photograph and video the entire vehicle — all panels, tyres, undercarriage, and mirrors — before riding, and make sure the timestamp is visible. Ask staff to counter-sign a condition sheet. Refuse any verbal-only damage agreements and pay with a credit card to enable a chargeback if a fraudulent claim is made.

Restaurants near Laganas strip and Zakynthos Town waterfront display laminated photo menus without prices, then present enormous bills. Tourists who query charges are sometimes told the prices were "on the board inside" which they were never shown.

How to avoid: Always ask for a priced menu before sitting down. If prices are not displayed, ask for them. Confirm the total before ordering rounds of drinks.

Taxi drivers at Zakynthos Airport quote fixed fares to resorts that are two to three times the metered rate, knowing tourists arriving late at night have few alternatives. Drivers sometimes refuse cards claiming the machine is broken.

How to avoid: Research the standard fare to your resort before arriving. Insist on the meter. Hotel transfer services are often a safer and similarly priced alternative.

Bars and clubs along the Laganas party strip have been documented inflating tab totals between ordering and settling, adding rounds of drinks not ordered, or presenting a bill substantially higher than agreed drink prices. In a small number of serious incidents, tourist drinks have been spiked with substances leading to loss of consciousness. Zakynthos Town waterfront tavernas also occasionally add unrequested items to bills.

How to avoid: Request itemised receipts before paying any bar tab and count drinks served against the bill. Never leave a drink unattended. Drink spiking risk is highest at beach clubs late at night — stay with a trusted group and use the buddy system when visiting Laganas strip bars.