Benidorm Boat Trip to Peacock Island

Benidorm Island sits 3.5 kilometers offshore, a limestone outcrop that rises sharply from the Mediterranean and remains one of the Costa Blanca's least developed coastal landmarks. The island earned its peacock nickname from the free-roaming birds that once inhabited the interior, though today the main inhabitants are nesting seabirds and day visitors who take the glass-bottom ferry across. The boat service operates as both transport and attraction. The glass panels set into the hull reveal rocky seabeds, darting fish schools, and the occasional octopus sheltering in crevices—a 15-minute preview of the marine reserve that surrounds the island. Operators run the route year-round, with morning and early afternoon departures offering calmer seas and better underwater visibility than late-day crossings when wind and afternoon glare reduce clarity. Once ashore, the island reveals a compact trail network that climbs to a summit viewpoint and loops past the ruins of a 19th-century defensive battery. The terrain is rocky and exposed, with no shade structures or facilities beyond a small beach bar near the dock. Most visitors complete the loop in 90 minutes, though the clifftop benches invite longer stays for those watching the parade of ferries shuttling between the mainland and the island's small jetty. The return crossing follows the same glass-bottom route, and tickets remain valid for any departure back to Benidorm within operating hours. That flexibility matters on windy days when seas can roughen by late afternoon, making earlier return trips more comfortable. The ferry departs from a dedicated dock on Passeig de Colón, a five-minute walk west of the old town harbor, where ticket booths open at 10:00 and remain staffed until the final departure.