Interlaken boat tour by jetboat

Then the throttle opens. The listing promises 360° spins and names the sights on the water: the village of Iseltwald and the Giessbach Falls. It lists no stops, while OUTDOOR's own description of the ride mentions a short pause in front of the falls so you can look at the waterfall and the hotel behind it. Look up at the forest that climbs straight out of the water on the far shore.

The whole ride lasts 50 minutes and ends where it began, at the Bönigen base. One photo is included, and the pictures can be downloaded about an hour after the trip. As an Interlaken boat ride it is short enough to fit between breakfast and a mountain train, and loud enough that you will still be grinning on the bus back to town.

The color has a simple cause. Glacial water from the Lütschine and the Aare carries tiny particles of sediment into the lake, and because they are so fine they sink very slowly. Interlaken Tourism says the turquoise is strongest in spring and autumn, and that the more sunlight falls on the water, the brighter it glows.

Water that enters the lake stays a long time: Eawag gives a residence time of 980 days. Seen from a fast boat, that patient lake becomes a moving sheet of color, darker under the cliffs and pale over the shallows near Bönigen, with the peaks of the Bernese Oberland standing behind it.

Rain does not seem to spoil it. One rider booked on a wet day and pointed out that you get soaked on a jetboat anyway, so a rainy morning works as well as a sunny one. The same reviewer had worried about the size of the jackets and life vests and found that the team had something to fit everyone.

Wind is the one thing reviewers warn about. A guest who rode on a windy day described a very bumpy trip, loved it, and suggested that anyone who wants a smoother ride should pick a calmer day. Another rode on a cold day and said the captain still gave them the full experience, while his wife kept asking for one more spin.

From November to March the same team runs a winter ride, which ends back at the base after about 25 minutes on the water. OUTDOOR calls it the only winter jetboat tour in Switzerland. Interlaken Tourism adds that the route changes a little in winter to make the most of the snowy scenery.

The winter version is sold separately here from $98, rated 4.88 from 25 reviews, and it asks you to bring waterproof and windproof winter clothes. Whichever season you pick, the boat runs in almost any weather with rain gear provided, and only extreme conditions change or cancel a ride.

Summer is the wettest stretch: July and August each average 13 days with at least 1 mm of precipitation at the MeteoSwiss station. February has 8 such days, and its average daily high is 5.6 °C. Rain matters less than you might expect, since you are wrapped in a splash jacket and will get wet from the spray regardless.

Temperature matters more. July's average high in Interlaken is 24.5 °C, while January's is 3.5 °C. Interlaken Tourism gives the lake's average summer water temperature as 17 to 21 degrees. Spray from water that cool feels lovely in August and bracing in May, so plan your layers by the air, not the calendar.

Booking is flexible. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancelling costs nothing until 24 hours before your ride. Starting times are shown when you check availability, and the guide speaks English and German.

Tips, hotel pickup and drop-off, and food and drinks are not part of the price. Getting to the base is easy on your own: bus 103 runs from Interlaken Ost to the Bönigen See stop in about 10 minutes, and from there it is a 2-minute walk. Drivers will find car parking right behind the base, marked with blue signs.

You still go home with pictures. One free photo is part of the ride, and the shots are ready to download about an hour after you step off. OUTDOOR also sells a professional social media clip for CHF 29.

Being free of a phone has an upside. Without a screen between you and the lake, you notice the color of the water, the cold of the spray on your face and the way the Giessbach Falls appear above the trees. Save your own photos for the quay before and after, where the turquoise water and the mountains make an easy backdrop.

The listing asks for comfortable shoes, sunscreen and clothing that suits the day, and it does not allow high-heeled shoes. Sunglasses are worth bringing for the glare off the water, but tie your hair back and leave hats that can fly off on shore.

In the cooler months, think of the wind chill at speed. A thin fleece under the splash jacket, a buff and gloves make a cold morning far more fun. For the winter ride, OUTDOOR includes waterproof gloves and a warm hat with the splash jacket and life jacket.

A BLS day ticket for both lakes costs CHF 83.00 in 2nd class and CHF 125.00 in 1st class at full price. BLS states that the Swiss Travel Pass is valid on its cruises on both lakes. A day pass for both lakes is also bookable on GetYourGuide from $52.

Mind the season. BLS runs its boats on Lake Thun all year, but it does not operate cruises on Lake Brienz during the winter months, from 7 December. The jetboat, by contrast, keeps going through the cold months with its winter ride, so you can still get out on Lake Brienz in midwinter.

Iseltwald, one of the sights the listing names, has become famous through the Korean series Crash Landing on You, some of whose scenes were filmed there. Its municipality charges CHF 5 to step onto the pier from the show, payable in coins or by credit card.

The Giessbach Falls drop past the Grandhotel Giessbach in 14 tiers, plunging 400 metres. From the lake you see the white ribbons of water cutting through the forest, with the turrets of the hotel standing beside them.

It is not the trip for a calm, contemplative cruise, and it is not for pregnant women or people with back or heart problems. If you want to sit on a deck for hours, take a coffee and watch villages drift by, the public boats or a kayak tour will serve you better.

There are smaller caveats too. Your phone stays on shore, the ride does not include transport to Bönigen, and a windy day can make the water rough. Weigh those against the spray, the spins and the turquoise water, and anyone with a sense of fun will find the answer easy.