11 Ferry & Island Tickets in the World to Build a Day Around

1.Waiheke Island: Ferry & Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,311 reviews · 1 day · from $59Our pick

Take the ferry from Auckland to Waiheke, then use a day-pass bus to visit 16 stops at your own pace. Choose from Mudbrick, Cable Bay, Batch, beaches, villages, galleries, olive oil tastings, and nature walks. Guides such as Ruth, Aaron, and Tilly add local color along the way.

“Our driver/guide Aaron was exceptional! He was so knowledgeable about the area, the history, and the tour. Everything went so smoothly and he offered so much great information about New Zealand Highly recommend!!!”

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2.Corralejo: Return Ferry Ticket to Lobos Island Fuerteventura

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,098 reviews · 1 day · from $20

Travel from Corralejo to Lobos Island aboard the family-run Barco Majorero, with a 20-minute crossing, several return times, and free time for beaches, swimming, and walks to La Caldera volcano or the lighthouse. Bring all food, water, and sun protection.

“it's just a ferry trip to lobos island. I have done this before, the island itself is gorgeous. takes around 2 and half hours to walk around it including going up the small volcano Montaña de La Caldera Isla de Lobos. I would come again”

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3.Robben Island Ferry Ticket and Guided Prison Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 1,792 reviews · 4 hours · from $79

Meet at the Nelson Mandela Gateway, skip the ticket-buying line, and take a shared ferry to Robben Island. A bus tour covers the island before a former political prisoner leads you through the prison, including Nelson Mandela’s cell. English guides, return ferry, and museum entry are included.

“Nice tour to Robben Island by ferry. Ferry was fully enclosed and quite crowded. Once on the island after about a 45 minute ride, we boarded a bus with an ex-prisoner guide who provided details about the buildings and life on the island. After an hour we were dropped at the prison and did about an hour of walking and understanding of life inside by another ex-prisoner. The tour provided a very moving explanation of what actually happened to those who disagreed with segregation, and the goals of the Government to try to silence them.”

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4.Lobos Island Round-Trip Speedboat Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,473 reviews · 15 min · from $18Top rated

Take Barracuda Perdomo’s speedboat from Corralejo to Lobos Island in about 12 minutes. Choose your own hike, beach stop, snorkeling session, or meal at Antoñito el Farero, then return on a prebooked boat. The ride is fast, fun, and sometimes quite bumpy.

“So funny trip by speedboat. Good price and staff really friendly. Lobos island is beautiful If you want to visit the whole island, you must book in the morning. I very recommend:)”

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5.Corralejo: Snorkeling on Lobos Island & Return Ferry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 769 reviews · 1 day · from $31

Take a 20-minute ferry from Corralejo to Lobos Island, then enjoy a drink on a 10-minute coastal cruise and 25 minutes of snorkeling near El Puertito. Choose your return time so you can hike to La Caldera, visit the lighthouse, or relax at La Concha Beach.

“Just as described, would be nicer if they stopped in a more closed off area as the water was quite choppy and you could struggle as a weaker swimmer, otherwise it was amazing!”

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6.Santa Pola: Return Taxi Boat Ticket to Tabarca Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 597 reviews · 15 min · from $12

Take a 15-minute water taxi from Santa Pola to Tabarca Island for $12 per person. Your return ticket remains valid for several days, so you can spend a few hours or stay overnight. English, Spanish, and French-speaking staff help with the port departure.

“Boot war super pünktlich und den Kindern hat die Fahrt mit etwas höhere Geschwindigkeit als auf einer Fähre gut gefallen!”

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7.Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 594 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $20

Travel from Rethymno to western Crete by air-conditioned bus and boat, with time at Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island. Swim in striking blue-green water, climb to a Venetian fortress, and enjoy hotel pickup. The €36 adult boat ticket is extra, along with food and fortress entry.

“At first arived a big and very comfortable with conditioner bus. Guide was very pleasant and tell us all needed information about our tour. The views were magical ❣️We climbed on the rock to look from the top. Water colours are magical. Water im Balos is about 25C, but in Gramvousa just about 18-19C ! But it is very good after climbing. Water is super solty, but in the ship is normal water whitch you can use before going inside the ship. Recomended !”

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8.Istanbul: Round-Trip Ferry Tickets to the Princes’ Islands

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 586 reviews · from $11Best value

Take a return ferry from Eminönü to Büyükada, the largest and most famous Princes’ Island. Use your smartphone ticket, explore old villas, Trotsky’s former home, St. George Church, beaches, and harbor restaurants, then return on a scheduled afternoon ferry. An optional audio guide is available in six languages.

“Overall the trip was decent. Do NOT purchase the tickets online, purchase them at the port in Istanbul as you will pay much less per ticket”

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9.Robben Island Ferry Ticket and Townships Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 400 reviews · from $89

Start with District Six and Langa, then see Bonteheuwel and Gugulethu before taking the ferry to Robben Island. Local guides such as Sam, Mpumzi, Luyolo, and Shake explain apartheid, daily life, local beer, schools, hostels, and community life. The day ends at the V&A Waterfront, not your hotel.

“The tour excellently displayed the social and socioeconomic inequalities that exist in post-apartheid Cape Town.”

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10.Robben Island Ferry with Prison Ticket and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 324 reviews · 3h 30m · from $90

Travel from the V&A Waterfront to Robben Island, tour the lime quarry and Robert Sobukwe’s house, then enter the maximum-security prison and Mandela’s former cell. An English-speaking guide and former political prisoner bring the island’s past to life over 210 minutes.

“The Island tour was particularly good but both tours were very rushed, very little time for questions or photographs.”

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11.Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Ferry Ticket with Upgrade Options

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 291 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $49

Meet in Battery Park, pass security, and ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands for roughly four to five hours. Choose a basic ticket, multilingual audio guides, live guiding, or a 9/11 and Wall Street add-on. Guides such as LeAnn, Nina, and Vivian have earned special praise, but options vary.

“Wonderful experience. Our tour guide was excellent- he is so knowledgeable about historic events regarding the sites we saw.”

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