Average rating Sea Kayaking in Greece

Be captain of your own ship – well, kayak – on this week long holiday on the island of Milos in Greece. Explore the coastline, get close to nature and paddle away on a different guided tour each day. Then spend the evenings relaxing at your own pace, strolling the cobbled streets of the island’s capital, Plaka.

Milos is an island in the Cyclades in Greece – so expect a Mamma Mia-like setting of turquoise blue seas, matching skies and pale golden sands. Milos’s main claim to fame is that it’s the place where the Venus de Milo statue was found in 1820, but man-made artifacts pale in comparison when you set eyes on the Milos’s natural beauty. Milos’ moon-like landscape, where rocky crops of burnt reds, earthy browns and stark whites gel together, is as big a scene-stealer as any ancient artefact. And because you’ll be sea kayaking Milos's coastline, you’ll be able to go where most other boats can’t.

Rod Feldtman – a Level 4 sea kayak coach with the British Canoe Union is your guide on each of your trips – so even if you’re a complete beginner, you can rest assured you’ll be in safe hands. Over the course of the six days of kayaking you’ll have a choice of 12 trips to choose from. You can skirt the coast of Milos, taking in places like Tria Pigadia – a secluded beach with a natural spring, the Grandfather Cave – one of Milos’ biggest caves, and the beach at the old sulphur mine. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can paddle over to the island of Kimolos, or the tiny speck of Little Arcadia – an isle that hangs a few kilometers off Milos’ northern tip.

With many different sea kayaking excursions catering for different levels of ability, it doesn't matter whether you've never set foot in a kayak before, or whether you fancy yourself as a bit of a pro. What you do need to be though, is a competent swimmer and have a reasonable level of fitness to paddle three hours a day. You’ll be out all day, and while there will be plenty of generous stop-offs at beaches, and for exploring on dry land, you’ll need to be happy to just get up and go in the mornings. That said, there’s plenty of time to relax or head off by yourself when the sun goes down. Groups are kept nice and small (maximum of right people). This is suitable for families, couples, groups of friends or solo travellers – as long as you’re happy on the sea.

Getting there

You need to fly to Athens and from there, you can get to Milos by either ferry or by plane. Olympic Airways fly to Milos twice a day during the high season, it takes about 30 mins and the views as you land are spectacular. These flights tend to book up quickly in the peak months. If you fly from London with Olympic air, you can check your bags all the way through.

Your alternative is to get a ferry. You will need to get to the ferry terminal at Piraeus (allow about 1 - 1.5 hours from the airport) by bus, metro or taxi. Once at the port, ferries run several times a day taking from 4 - 7 hours depending on whether you catch a fast or a slow ferry.

Price includes

Six guided day-trips, all kayaking equipment, mask, snorkel and fins, tuition as required, eight nights accommodation in Petrinela's Guesthouse, eight continental breakfasts, six picnic lunches and morning snacks, cultural, historical and archaeological side trips and complimentary photos on a CD.

When is best

Anytime from March to November offers excellent paddling conditions: clear skies, calm seas, warm water and air temperatures. April and May is when the island is at its most beautiful, green after the winter rains and full of wildflowers. June, September and October have the perfect combination of moderate air temperatures and warmer water temperatures - perfect for swimming.

July and August are the hottest months - You are assured 13 hours sunshine, everyday and water temperatures above 22 degrees, perfect for lots of swimming and snorkeling. The warm summer nights are ideal for moonlight strolls and eating -out, and remember, you will all ways be comfortable in the air-conditioned guesthouse.

March and November see very few visitors to the Greek Islands; airfares from northern Europe are very low; and, as kayaker's, we virtually have the islands to ourselves. The mild temperatures of early spring and late Autumn are recommended if you are more interested in kayaking than swimming and are perfect for longer expeditions.

Comfort level

Reasonably comfortable (Inns, B&Bs, luxury camping etc.)

Experience required

A reasonable level of fitness and interest is all that is needed

Travellers should bring

A hat sunglasses and sunscreen

1. Sunshine, warm blue seas, beautiful scenery, comfortable air conditioned accommodation and a grinning Aussie guide. ………We had come to Milos to paddle but the warm evenings, when the shops and cafes reopened after their long siesta, gave us time to glimpse Greece at its best. Milos is where many Greeks go for their holidays, and within easy walking distance of Petrinela’s guest house is a labyrinth of picturesque lanes and alleyways, strung with fairy lights and flowers, tiny white-painted houses with colourful doors and balconies, and a wondrous array of artisan craft shops and relaxed restaurants (most with English translations in the menus). After dinner, if you have any energy left from the day’s paddling, I would recommend the stroll up to the top of the hill to the castle, originally a lookout post for pirates, but now affording beautiful views across the whole island and unparalleled glimpses of the sun setting over nearby islands. I could feel my cares dropping away from me on the very first evening and soon felt more relaxed than I had done for years.

   The scenery was amazing. Milos is volcanic and Rod (who came to Milos originally as a geologist) was able to explain about the fantastic rock formations, caves, arches and islands. Each corner revealed a new surprise: a tiny fishing village, a deserted beach, and a labyrinth of mining tunnels or a kingfisher flashing past.

   The first few days were calm, time to get used to the boats and enjoy the scenery. The trips were long enough to make us feel pleasantly tired but nothing strenuous. Each day we had two lengthy stops, usually on a sheltered beach or rocky area good for snorkelling. After morning snacks of biscuits and chilled fruit I was amazed to find I still had room for the huge amount of lunch Petrinela packed for us each day.

   (Rhoda Daniels Published in Canoe Focus in September 2008)

   CanoeFocus reviewing Sea Kayaking in Greece

2. This holiday is really great- I'm back in London now and missing the easy-going days of eating, paddling, swimming/snorkelling and paddling some more.

   There are lots of different trips to go on and Rod (the guy who runs things along with his wife, Petrinela) tells you which you're doing at breakfast depending on wind and such like. One day we went to an old sulphur mine, another we spent going through lots of arches and into caves (Kleftico- my favourite day), another we paddled across to the nearby island Kimolos.

   Ability doesn't matter. I started the week in a kayak with a rudder (easier for steering) and then 'graduated' to one without. I was happy just to paddle along and play about in the rocks but my brother wanted to eskimo roll and learn how to rescue people who fall in- Rod duly taught him to do so. There were some hardcore enthusiasts who practised their kayaking skills during breaks, folks on day trips only, and couples in two people kayaks. This meant group dynamics changed- sometimes the group would be speedy/fitter but on other days paddling was more leisurely (and Rod adapted as such). Either way I love the peacefulness of kayaking and Milos' beautiful coastline and gorgeous blue/green sea meant my holiday was pretty bloody fantastic.

   The place where you stay is comfortable and clean and on your day off you can hire a buggy from nearby Adamas to whizz round the island on. Fun, fun, fun.

   Caroline Harper, London UK

   I went with my brother and

   Caro07 reviewing Sea Kayaking in Greece