The main points
- Milos: Tsigrado and Gerakas Beach Kayaking Tour, 3.5 hours on the volcanic south coast with a live guide in English and Greek.[1]
- From US$69 per person, reserve now and pay later, and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[1]
- Starts at the operator's kiosk on Fyriplaka beach and paddles east to Tsigrado and Gerakas beach.[2]
- Kleftiko is not on this paddle. It sits at the south west tip of the island, reached by boat or by hiking there on your own.[3]
- The season runs May through October, and the sea is 23-26°C (73-79°F) from July to September.[4][5]
| Kayak tour | Boat tours | Kleftiko hike | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it starts | Fyriplaka beach kiosk[2] | Adamantas, centre of the island[6] | Self organised walk[3] |
| Time out | 3.5 hours[1] | Full day, 6-8 hours, up to 12[7] | Your own pace |
| From price | from US$69[1] | from US$185[8] | You walk it on your own[3] |
| How you book | Reserve now, pay later[1] | Reserve now, pay later[8] | Arrange the hike yourself[3] |
We start from our kiosk at Fyriplaka beach and we head to the east, to Tsigrado and Gerakas beach, along the volcanic coastline of Milos.
Should you book the Milos kayaking tour?
Don't leave without
- Sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen for hours on open water
- A small dry bag for phone, keys and a light layer
- Shoes or sandals that can get wet for rocky landings
- Reef-safe sunscreen and a refillable water bottle
Sea Kayaking on Milos: What the Day Looks Like
Sea kayaking on Milos puts you at the foot of cliffs you would otherwise only see from a boat deck. The Milos: Tsigrado and Gerakas Beach Kayaking Tour leaves from the operator's kiosk at Fyriplaka beach and heads east, following the volcanic coastline towards Tsigrado and Gerakas beach.[2] The outing lasts 3.5 hours, with a live guide who speaks English and Greek.[1]
In a kayak you sit low, close to the rock, with almost nothing between you and the water. You can nose into a low cave mouth that a catamaran has to pass by, hear the swell boom inside, and pull over for a swim where the colour changes from turquoise to navy. The stops listed for this tour are Tsigrado Beach and Gerakas Beach.[1] It is human-paced paddling rather than a thrill ride.
One thing is worth knowing before you book: this paddle does not go to Kleftiko. The route runs east from Fyriplaka, while Kleftiko sits at the far south west of the island. If Kleftiko is the reason you are coming to Milos, plan a boat day for it as well, and keep the kayak trip for the coastal scenery on this side of the island.
Can You Kayak to Kleftiko? An Honest Answer
Not on this tour, and rarely on any kayak trip. Kleftiko is a cluster of white rock stacks, arches and sea caves at the south western tip of Milos, and the Milos: Tsigrado and Gerakas Beach Kayaking Tour explores the coast east of Fyriplaka instead.[2] Between the two lies a long stretch of open water, and boat trips are the usual way there. You do not need a boat tour to reach Kleftiko; hiking there on your own is possible too.[3]
The name comes from the Greek word for stolen. Kleftiko was used as a pirate hideout, and the name is said to come from the pirates who stole supplies from passing ships and hid them in its caves and coves.[9] That story is half the atmosphere of the place, whether you arrive by boat or on foot.
If you want both experiences, split the stay. One morning paddling the south coast from Fyriplaka, another day on the water out of Adamantas for Kleftiko and the islands beyond. Boat tours around Milos start from Adamantas, which sits in the centre of the island.[6]
Sea kayaks slip under cliffs and into low caves that larger boats pass by.
The Route: Fyriplaka, Tsigrado and Gerakas Beach
Kayaks launch at Fyriplaka beach, where the operator keeps a kiosk, and turn east along the volcanic coastline.[2] Milos has been a mineral island for a very long time: obsidian mining and trading began around 8000 BC, using the hard black volcanic stone found in the subsoil here.[10] That is the landscape you paddle past, with pale banded cliffs, boulders the size of cars and water shifting from turquoise to navy within a few strokes.
Tsigrado Beach and Gerakas Beach are the stops listed on the tour.[1] Tsigrado sits in a narrow cove under a high cliff, and Gerakas is a longer arc of sand and pebbles further east. You arrive by water rather than by the steep paths that lead down from the road above.
The Aegean around Milos in July to September is 23-26°C (73-79°F), described as ideal temperatures for long swims and snorkeling.[5] Earlier in the season the water feels bracing, and a rash vest or a thin neoprene top makes the swim stops more comfortable.
What the Kayaking Tour Costs and Who It Suits
The Milos: Tsigrado and Gerakas Beach Kayaking Tour starts from US$69 per person.[1] It runs 3.5 hours and is led by a live guide in English and Greek, and you can reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[1] For a half day on the water, it is an easy thing to slot into a week on the island.
It is rated 4.97 from 516 reviews, with the guide scored 5, transportation 4.9 and value for money 4.9.[1] Those are strong marks for a half-day activity, and the guide score is the standout.
The trip works for anyone comfortable in the water who can sit in a kayak for a few hours. You paddle with a guide who knows the coast, so ask about the day's wind and the best line past the cliffs. If you have not been in a sea kayak before, say so when you book and give yourself time to find a rhythm before the first headland.
from US$69
A live guide in English and Greek, 3.5 hours on the water, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before you go.[1]
When to Paddle: Season, Wind and Sea Conditions
Milos's sailing season runs from late spring through early autumn, specifically May through October.[4] The kayaking follows the same rhythm. The warmest water and the longest days sit in the middle of that window, and the shoulder months are quieter on the beaches. If your dates are fixed, book early and treat the paddle as a morning activity.
The Meltemi is the wind worth knowing about. It is a strong seasonal northerly that blows from late spring to early autumn and often peaks in July and August, and in the right conditions it creates an ideal sailing breeze for experienced crews.[11] On the south coast you are usually more sheltered, and the water is calmer in the morning than in the afternoon chop.
Sea temperatures around Milos in July to September are 23-26°C (73-79°F), which the sailing guides describe as ideal for long swims and snorkeling.[5] Outside that window, pack a thin neoprene top or a windproof layer for the paddle back.
If You Want Kleftiko and Polyaigos by Boat
Boat tours around Milos start from Adamantas, in the centre of the island.[6] From there, full-day cruises head west and north to the cliffs, caves and islands offshore. Glaronisia is a group of three small uninhabited volcanic islets off the north coast whose name means Seagull Islands and which are known for hexagonal basalt columns rising straight from the sea.[12] Polyaigos, the Aegean Sea's biggest uninhabited island, appears on many of the itineraries.[13]
Milos Boat Tour: Kleftiko & Polyaigos Swimming With Meals runs 10 hours and starts from US$185, with a rating of 4.82 from 282 reviews.[8] Its listed stops run from Klima and Arkoudes along the north coast to Sarakiniko Beach, Glaronisia, Pollonia, Poliegos, Thiorichia Beach, Gerakas Beach, Kleftiko Caves, Sykia Cave and Vani Beach.[8]
Shorter alternatives exist. From Milos: Guided Day Cruise to Kleftiko With Lunch takes 9.5 hours and starts from US$152.[14] The Milos: Half-Day Speedboat Cruise to Kleftiko with Snorkeling takes 5 hours and starts from US$155.[15] Both call at Kleftiko Caves, and the speedboat trip also stops at Sykia Cave, the sea cave whose roof collapsed and left an open top showing the Aegean sky.[16]
Practical Planning: Getting There, Gear and Booking
The kayak tour meets at Fyriplaka beach, where the operator has a kiosk on the south coast.[2] Adamantas, in the centre of the island, is the port town where boat tours start.[6] From there it is a short drive south to the beach, and an early start leaves the rest of the day free for Plaka or the west coast.
Klima village, about 5 kilometres from the port of Adamas, is known for its multi-coloured fishing houses and makes a good stop on the way back.[17] For the paddle itself, bring water, a hat, high-factor sunscreen and a dry bag for your phone and keys, and wear shoes that can get wet.
Book ahead for high summer, when the island is busy and the wind decides the schedule. You can reserve the kayak tour now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, which makes it easy to shift the date if the Meltemi blows harder than expected.[1]
From prices for trips around Kleftiko
From prices in US dollars as listed on GetYourGuide.[1][8][15][18]
Compare from prices per person
From prices in US dollars for one adult, as listed on GetYourGuide.[1][8][15][18]
When to go kayaking on Milos
How to plan your paddle
Book the kayak tour
Milos: Tsigrado and Gerakas Beach Kayaking Tour runs 3.5 hours from US$69, with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.[1]
Get to Fyriplaka beach
The tour starts from the operator's kiosk at Fyriplaka beach on the south coast.[2]
Pack light and dry
Bring water, a hat, sun protection and a dry bag. Shoes you can get wet make rocky landings easier.
Paddle east with the guide
The route follows the volcanic coastline east to Tsigrado and Gerakas beach.[2]
Add a Kleftiko boat day
For the caves and arches at Kleftiko, book a boat trip from Adamantas on another day.[6]
Paddle the volcanic coast from Fyriplaka to Gerakas
from US$69
