Thinking of starting up a business in Plakias !

[Jester]

Hello Everyone,

Visited Plakias September 2002 after a day trip to Preveli (from Elounda!) and me and the missus fell in love with the place  . So much so that we are considering starting up a business there in a few years or so.

We envisage buying a small charter yacht (43ft) and run day excursions or perhaps longer if demand is there from Plakias.

We plan to visit the area again in the next year or so to do our homework but if someone could oblige us with a bit of info that would be great.

Are there any yacht/boat excursions at the moment leaving Plakias and how much does it cost?  Do you think there would be a demand for this sort of thing here?

[Jester]

Anyone ?

we are still researching possible locations, Plakias is one of them as we loved the place on our visit.

Possible thoughts on excursions include

Transport to the top of Samaria and return via Sea with BBQMeal en route back to Plakias.

Trips to Francostello (sp?)
Trips to Preveli
2 day trips to Chrissi Island  

Other locations we are considering are Elounda/Plaka or one of the other islands

Come on Guys and Gals, let me have some input, please!  

[shinaria]

Hallo Jester,
There are some daily trips from Plakias to Preveli with several stops at the beaches between since many years. And also to Frangocastello I think. More trips, as to Loutro, Gavdos and some other destinations further in the West, go from Hora Sfakion. I don´t know if the established ferry man would be so happy about a new ship to serve the same routes?!
On the other hand I think it would be a great Idea to cruise [sail?] to destinations like chrissi and other regions and islands for more than a few hours. We 4 will book your trip to chrissi for 2 days! Please let us know...

Wouldn´t such buisiness have been already established by the locals if it were a great deal?

Kalimera

shinaria

[Jester]

The amount of business is something we are looking into closely, I appreciate that some locals may not like another boat but if we applied that rule to everything then you would never have any competition at all!  

Plus we plan to offer something a bit different than just ferrying people around, we want people to enjoy sailing and the experience of being on a yacht.

Plakias is just one place that we are considering, we are looking as far afield as the carribean but the missus favours the med because the weather is not so extreme.  :"(

Sometimes locals do not always see gaps in the market, for example you just said that you would like to spend 2 days going to chrissi and back.  

If that was the right price we could have 6-8 adults going each way in comfortable cabins, say 75 euros a head for a 2 day excursion, twice a week with shorter trips in between.

For example we would have our own people carrier and take up to eight people at a time up to Samaria and pick them up at the bottom and have meals/drinks ready for them, that kind of thing etc.

As mentioned this is at least 2-3 years away but we are doing our investigations now/ learning more Greek etc.

Thanks for the reply!  

[Greecemad]

Just a point on your proposed Samaria Gorge trip. Have you ever walked down the gorge?

I did it about 14 years ago when I was a lot fitter than I am now, and remember falling asleep on the ferry from Aghia Roumelli to Chora Sfakion. It's a very early start and a long day of walking, so I don't think people will be interested in a beach barbecue on the way back. What is needed on the way back is the quickest trip back to Plakias as possible.

Perhaps you could do the Samaria Gorge the easy way, i.e. take people by boat to Aghia Roumelli and bring them back. You would see Loutro, Chora Sfakion and Frangokastello on the way. I don't know long it would take, but it might be too far for a day trip, unless you had a fast boat.

Another suggestion: Some of the "far enders" might fancy a trip to Aghios Pavlos (between Preveli and Aghia Galini). You can get boats there from Aghia Galini but not, AFAIK, from Plakias.

Greecemad.

[Jester]

Hi, thanks for the input.

I have been down samaria george (many years ago) , I was not clear in my post, I meant they could have a meal on board and a leisurely sail back to Plakias.

Will look up those places you suggested on the map. Much appreciated!  

Whay do people charge at the moment for trips etc?

Many thanks