The turtle rescue centre is in the Vasilikos peninsula on the south east corner of
Zakynthos island. It’s around 15km from the islands capital Zakynthos Town and that’s about a 23 minutes minute drive.
Nature lovers travel from far and wide to Zakynthos for its population of loggerhead or Caretta Caretta sea turtles. The National Marine Park envelops the western and southern coasts of the island and the beaches therein (
Dafni Beach,
Gerakas Beach) are an excellent place to get face to face with this precious endangered species on a dive or during an early morning stroll among the protected turtle nests.
Founded in 1991 by Yannis Vardakastanis, the turtle rescue and information centre is a place dedicated to the protection of the turtles that nest on the beaches in the area and to provide tourists with information on these beautiful endangered reptiles.
While an encounter in the wild is surely on every visitor’s bucket list, don’t miss the chance to also learn about the local sea turtles and what we can do to help them. You’ll also find information on other indigenous flora and fauna, and the island’s tradition and history.