Sea Kayak Italy's Cilento Coast

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamt of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

This sea kayaking trip has one kayak guide to every six participants. This means for a group of 12 people there will be a minimum of two kayak guides. There is also a support boat on-call, ready to provide assistance should conditions or circumstances require it.

You will be provided with double kayaks (generally better for those who are new to sea kayaking or who enjoy paddling in pairs). You'll be provided with good quality 5.15m (17ft) sea kayaks (such as Rainbow Laser/Prijon/Furano and similar). These have proven to be the best kayaks to tackle the Amalfi and Cilento Coasts, allowing effortless access to rocky beaches, sea grottoes and small harbours. They have a covered deck and are generally longer, faster and sit lower in the water than touring or sit-on-top kayaks. The double kayaks have a foot controlled rudder which aids with stability and steering. All kayaks come equipped with spray skirts, paddles, PFDs, drybags and other paddling accessories.

If you are an experienced sea kayaker, prefer full control of the kayak and are keen to paddle solo, please contact your host ahead of your departure to request a single kayak. Note the single kayaks are not equipped with rudders and have been chosen for manoeuvrability, and so require a higher skill level to paddle efficiently.

The weather in Cilento is usually pretty mild throughout the year, although adverse wind, sea or rainy conditions can be unpredictable with some disruptions possible at any time of the year. The best you can do is to be prepared for anything and come equipped with layers of clothing, sunscreen and waterproofs. Your guide(s) will be monitoring the forecasts during the course of the trip and will suggest alternative, shorter kayaking routes or replace the kayaking with some hiking and exploration in the event sea conditions are not favourable. Should conditions allow for the normal route still to be followed, but an individual participant wishes to shorten their day to rest, the use of a boat to transport them to shore can be made available for an additional cost. Regardless of conditions, larger groups (7 or more people) will have a second kayaking guide to provide additional support.

The local tap water is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottle to fill up at the hotels, public fountains and at restaurants to avoid buying single use plastic bottles.

You may wish to extend your stay by visiting the iconic Amalfi Coast – surely a deserved treat after a solid week of kayaking. The best way to reach the Amalfi Coast is by train from Policastro to Salerno (1.5 hrs), which offers plenty of direct ferry connections to the villages of the Amalfi Coast (Amalfi, Positano, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, and Vietri sul Mare) or the islands in the Gulf of Naples (Ischia, Procida and Capri). If you wish to receive specific information about the options and routes available, please contact your host.

This trip operates in areas where daytime temperatures can reach extreme highs, where limited shade and high humidity can also be a factor. These conditions can affect physical performance and increase the risk of dehydration or heat-related illness. Your guide will adjust the pace and monitor the group closely, but hydration, proper clothing, and sun protection are essential.

Before travelling, consider your ability to be active in high temperatures and consult a medical professional if you have concerns – especially if you have any cardiovascular or heat-sensitive conditions. Arriving a day or two prior to the trip may help you adjust gradually to the heat.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.