The main points
- You can stay aboard at every swim stop and still see Kleftiko, Sikia Cave and the Polyaigos coast. Crews anchor in calm water and help anyone who does want to get in.
- Babies, toddlers, school-age children and teenagers all fit this route, with a few practical adjustments to shade, food, supervision and how long everyone spends in the sun.
- Some Milos cruises are listed as wheelchair accessible[1]. Ask before booking about steps, gangways, shaded seats and whether the crew can help you on and off.
- The Kleftiko and Polyaigos tour booked from this site lasts 10 hours[2], and boat tours around Milos start from Adamantas in the centre of the island[3].
- Say who cannot swim, who gets seasick and what food you avoid. The tour listed here has an English-speaking live guide[2], so nothing has to be guessed.
- Top choice Kleftiko & Polyaigos, meals from US$185 Duration10 hours[2]Rating4.82 from 282 reviews[2]GuideEnglish[2]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours in advance[2] Check availability
- Guided cruise to Kleftiko from US$152 Duration9.5 hours[4]Rating4.96 from 781 reviews[4]GuideEnglish, French, Greek[4]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours in advance[4] See this tour
- Half-day speedboat cruise from US$155 Duration5 hours[5]Rating4.93 from 648 reviews[5]GuideEnglish[5]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours in advance[5] See this tour
Polyaigos, the Aegean Sea's biggest uninhabited island, is only accessible by boat.
Who this Milos boat day suits
Check before booking
- Check whether boarding involves steps or a ladder, and ask if the crew can help you on and off.
- Tell the operator the ages of any children and who in the group cannot swim.
- Compare from prices across the Milos boat tours before you settle on a date.
- Look for free cancellation when your travel dates may still move.
On the day
- Hats, long sleeves and sun cream, with a shaded seat claimed early.
- Water in a refillable bottle. The sea is warm, the deck in the sun is not.
- Shoes with grip for a wet deck, and a dry bag for phones and medication.
- Keep your booking reference handy and confirm the meeting point at the port.
What the day physically asks of you
A Milos boat day is long, salty and mostly unhurried. You step aboard in the morning, the boat pulls out of the port, and the hours pass in a rhythm of cruising, anchoring and swimming. The Kleftiko and Polyaigos tour listed on this site runs 10 hours[2], and full-day boat trips of this kind are described by one Kleftiko guide as ranging from 6-8 hours and sometimes up to 12, depending on the sea conditions[6]. Around Milos, boat tours start from Adamantas, in the centre of the island[3]. Nothing on the itinerary is compulsory except being on the boat.
What it asks of you is patience and balance rather than fitness. After the walk along the port and the first steps down to the deck, you sit, you chat, you watch white rock towers slide past. The real demands come when you move: getting up for a swim, crossing a wet deck, climbing a ladder back aboard, or picking your way to the bow for a photograph. Steady shoes with grip help more than any amount of training, and a free hand on the rail is worth more than speed.
Swimming ability, honestly
You do not have to swim to enjoy this coast. On a typical cruise the boat anchors in a bay, the swim stop is announced, and anyone who wants to can stay aboard with a book and the view. Swimming happens off the back of the boat, in deep clear water, within sight of the crew. The Aegean around Milos in July to September sits at 23-26°C (73-79°F), which local sailing guides describe as ideal temperatures for long swims and snorkeling[7]. If you swim a little, that is enough. If you swim well, you will not want to get out.
Be honest with yourself and with the crew about what you can do. A weak swimmer is fine. Someone who has never floated in deep water should say so at the briefing, so a life jacket can be found before the first stop rather than during it. A buoyancy aid floats you and lets you watch the fish through a mask without working for it. And remember that a boat is not the only way to see Kleftiko: while most visitors arrive by sea, you can also organise your own hike to Kleftiko Beach[8].
White rock stacks and clear water on the crossing to Kleftiko.
Milos with kids, from babies to teenagers
Milos with a baby is entirely possible, but it changes the shape of the day. A 10-hour cruise[2] and a nap schedule do not always agree, so many families split up: one adult takes the boat, the other stays ashore with the smallest child, and they swap on another day. If you do bring a baby, think about shade, a hat, a sling rather than a pushchair, and milk and food you know they will eat. Ask the operator what they can store and warm before you book.
Milos with a toddler is a different proposition, because toddlers want to move. The deck is hot, the water is deep, and the rail is the most interesting thing on the boat, so plan for constant supervision and take turns to relax. School-age children usually love the day: the swimming, the caves, the fish, the other children and the food. Teenagers get snorkelling, cliff scenery and a full day out on the water. Bring more water than you think you need, and something to do during the long motor between stops.
Getting aboard and moving around
If walking is difficult, the useful question is not whether you can swim but whether you can step into a boat and find a comfortable place to sit. Some Milos cruises are listed as wheelchair accessible, including a Kleftiko cruise with meal, drinks and photos at Sykia[1]. Boarding details differ from boat to boat; read each listing before you choose. Gangways, ladders and the gap between quay and deck vary from vessel to vessel.
Ask before booking about the boarding point, the number of steps, whether there is a shaded seat, and whether the crew can help you on and off. A catamaran with a wide, flat deck and a cabin is generally easier than a low speedboat where you swing a leg over the side. Bring shoes with grip, keep one hand free, and use the midday swim stop as your rest time. Sitting out a swim with a cold drink and the cliffs in front of you is a perfectly good way to spend an afternoon.
from US$185
The Kleftiko and Polyaigos tour with meals that this site books runs 10 hours and is rated 4.82 from 282 reviews.[2]
What is actually in the water
The water off this coast is clear enough to see the bottom in the shallower bays, and the life is small and friendly: wrasses and bream, the occasional octopus, sea urchins on the rocks, and shells and pebbles where the swell sorts them. The headline sights are above the waterline as much as under it. Glaronisia is a group of three small uninhabited volcanic islets off the north coast of Milos, named for seagulls, and famous for hexagonal basalt columns that rise straight out of the sea[9]. A mask and snorkel earns its place in your bag.
Polyaigos, the Aegean's biggest uninhabited island[10], is the wild, quiet half of the day, all pale rock, dry hills and empty coves. Sikia Cave was once completely covered, and its roof has since collapsed, leaving a sea cave with an open top that shows the blue Aegean sky[11]. Kleftiko itself takes its name from the Greek word for stolen, because pirates used its caves and coves to hide supplies taken from passing ships[12]. Ask before touching anything on the rocks, and never stand on the urchins.
Older travellers and the pace of the day
The biggest thing that decides whether the day is enjoyable is where you sit. Shade, a backrest and a spot near the head are worth claiming early, because a full day on the water is a lot of sun. The tour listed here runs 10 hours[2], which is a long time to be upright if your knees or back complain. A catamaran with a shaded cockpit and a cabin below is a gentler place to spend it than an open deck.
Practicalities that help: a wide-brimmed hat, a light long-sleeved layer, plenty of water, sun cream you reapply, and any medication in a dry bag rather than a pocket. Take the swim stops in your stride and use the anchor time to sit in the shade. Book a tour with free cancellation: on the tour listed here you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[2], and you can reserve now and pay later[2].
Telling the operator what you need
Crews on these boats are used to mixed groups, and they can only help with what they know about. Before you book, send a short message: who is coming, the ages of any children, who cannot swim, who has trouble with steps, who gets seasick, and what food you cannot eat. That is the moment to ask about life jackets in small sizes, shaded seats, boarding assistance, and how much walking is involved between the port and the boat.
On the day, repeat the important bits at the briefing. The tour listed here has a live guide who speaks English[2], so nothing has to be mimed. Mention if anyone in your group is a non-swimmer who still wants to get in the water with a float, and mention anyone who will stay aboard. If the wind is up, the guide will adjust the route, and a shorter, calmer stop somewhere along the coast is a good outcome rather than a disappointment.
How long these Milos boat days last
From prices for Milos boat days
From prices in US dollars as listed on these GetYourGuide tours. No separate child rate is published, so the same from price is shown in both columns:[1][2][4][5]
When to sail with children or a slower group
Getting ready for the boat
Say who is coming
Tell the operator the ages of any children, who cannot swim and who needs help with steps. Crews can plan for what they know about.
Ask about gear
Life jackets, small masks, a shaded seat, a cabin to sit in: ask before you book, not at the quay.
Pack for sun and salt
Hat, long sleeves, water, sun cream, a dry bag. Shoes with grip beat loose sandals on a wet deck.
Keep the day flexible
The tour listed here offers free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[2].
Repeat it at the briefing
On board, tell the crew again who swims, who does not and who has trouble moving around. A quiet word at the start saves a scramble later.
Ready to take the family out to Kleftiko and Polyaigos?
from US$185Reserve now & pay later
