Hi Clarey,
You're going to love Tsilivi. We're going out there for the 3rd time in August. 10 weeks and counting. :D:D
Yes there are water sports on Tsilivi beach although not as 'in your face' as down on St Nicholas beach. I've read some very bad reviews of Tsilivi watersports although I've never used them personally so can't confirm or refute the reports.
Go to zanteweb.gr and do a search for tsilivi watersports. You'll get a general idea of the feeling towards them. Some say great, others not so.

St Nicholas beach is down near Vasilikos (if you find Tsilivi on the map, follow the coast down past Zakynthos town and it's on the north side at the end of the first 'pointy bit'). I did a scuba diving course down there and it's about a 20-30 minute drive from Tsilivi. Relatively easy to find too as it's near enough 1 road from Tsilivi. It's bit on the noisy and boisterous side when the boats with the kids pull in but if your sons around the same age he'll love it.

Hope this helps

Sean and Jane

I can recommend the watersports in St. Nicolas, we always head here for watersports. My husband and Son always do the jet ski's, but they have all sorts, ringos, banana, mattress's, kajaks etc. They aren't cheap mind you!

Sarah

hI,

We went to tsilivi in June 05 and there were brilliant watersports on the beach. Reasonably priced and great fun. We did the ringo, banana boat, hubby and mates did the flying fish, we rented a pedalo, there was parascending, jetskis....... etc etc.

Freddies bar on the beach was a great place, very friendly, good food, again reasonably priced. We also booked a massage there, you have to book and the man comes down..... it was heavenly, would reccomend as a must do. Even my hubby loved it and he is a bit of a "mans man!!" The bar even had loads of buckets/spades/fishing nets etc that the kiddies could borrow.

The beach itself is beautiful. Very clean and safe.

The resort is fab, we loved the place and definately will go back one day.

The waterpark is also a good day out, just a short, cheap cab ride away!

Have fun!!!

Kelly

We also went in September 2005, we thought the beach was rubbish, we saw lots of glass and plastic cartons. We did not like Tsilivi, but what suits one does not another. We stayed in Kafelonia and to say it is so close to Zante the difference is unbelievable, lovely beaches, gorgeous scenery.

We were in Tsilivi last August and going again same time this year. I have to say the beach, though crowded is lovely. I never saw any rubbish there at all! Perhaps iallen was there at the wrong time!

How can anyone determine when is a right and wrong time, i have seen many beaches and this has to be one of the worst, you must have seen all the pebbles etc. Lassi in Kafelonia has a superb beach, also Fig Tree Bay in Cyprus are much nicer than Tsilivi Beach. Its all a matter of opinion and i am just telling people what i saw when i was there.

Fair comment. By right or wrong time, I just meant that perhaps you were there when a lot of litterbugs were there at the same time as you. Yes, I agree, there are better beaches than Tsilivi, but I just felt you were painting totally the wrong picture for anybody who has never been!

As you say, we're all entitled to our opinions, you had yours and then I had mine, that's all.

iallen - tsilivi isn't the best beach in the world by far - this is no bodies fault but mother natures, i lived in tsilivi for 3 years and i cannot recall seeing any litter, and if there was then it would have been promptly cleaned up by the beach attendants! tsilivi beach was awarded a blue flag for it's beach and if the standards weren't kept, the blue flag would have been revoked!

I have been going to Tsilivi every year since 1999, yes you sometimes get some lazy holiday makers leaving their litter around, but it is soon cleared away by the beach attendants. I wouldn't say that the beach was dirty though. Infact, the beach is cleaned every morning before the bathers come to plonk their backsides on the sun loungers.

to be fair iallen the 2 beaches you mentioned are amongst the best on the med so to compare tsilivi to them is unfair.

Tsilivi Rocks man!