A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming fills a full day on the water, with stops at Kalymnos, Plati and Pserimos. Day trips beyond the Dodecanese are collected on the home page of tours in Greece.
This page covers what the cruise is, how long it lasts, where it leaves from, the three islands, the sponge tradition, the swimming, the dolphins, the boats, the lunch, the season, the packing list and the questions travellers ask.
What is a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming is a day of sailing that begins at Kos town harbour. The boat calls at Kalymnos, Plati and Pserimos. Operators list swimming stops at the islands and a lunch during the day.
In a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming, the number counts the stops, not Kos itself. One operator says the trip visits the islands of Kalymnos, Plati and Pserimos. Another operator calls them three Dodecanese islands reached by wooden boat. One operator lists own time ashore on Kalymnos and Pserimos and a swimming hour at Plati.
Wikipedia lists Kos among the Dodecanese. The Greek islands of that group sit in the southeastern Aegean. Two islands of the Dodecanese are bigger than Kos: Rhodes and Karpathos. On the map Kos spans 42.1 by 11.5 kilometres. Wikivoyage places it close to the Turkish coast, and the main town and port carries the same name.
Wikipedia counts 15 big islands and 150 small ones in the Dodecanese. People live on 26 of them. The group sits close to the Anatolian coast. The name is Greek for twelve islands. Kos, Kalymnos and Pserimos all appear in its list of islands.
Wikipedia says Pserimos lies between Kalymnos and Kos and draws visitors with its remote location and beaches. It names a daily ferry and the itinerary of cruise boats as ways to reach the island. One operator calls Plati an uninhabited islet. A boat joins these islands in a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming.
Operators offer more than one style of this route. One listing page names three boat trip options for it: relax, party and pirate. The same page calls its 7-hour day a lazy day cruise. A relaxed day on the water is the idea behind a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming.
How long is a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
One operator lists a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming as a 7-hour day. The boat leaves at 10 in the morning and returns to the port of Kos at 5 in the afternoon. Each island stop lasts about an hour at that operator.
The 7-hour day follows a set order at that operator. After about an hour of sailing, the boat reaches Kalymnos, the first stop. Passengers have an hour of own time on the island. Lunch on board is served at a quarter to 1, while the boat sails on.
Plati is the second stop, with an hour of swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing. Pserimos is the last island, where passengers have about an hour of own time to explore, shop or swim. The boat leaves Pserimos at 4 in the afternoon and reaches the port of Kos at 5.
Other operators state different details. One sets the latest boarding time at half an hour ahead of the morning departure. Another operator calls the stop at Plati short. A third operator says the exact pickup time is advised on a voucher.
The length of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming therefore varies between operators. Only one of them lists its times hour by hour, and the others give fewer figures. A traveller compares the listed departure and return times before choosing a boat.
Weather also decides whether the day runs at all. One operator states that a cruise cancelled for bad weather gets a full refund. Listed times are the plan for a day that goes ahead.
Where does a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming leave from?
A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming leaves from the port of Kos town. One operator names the meeting point as the Kos port. The same operator lists the return to the port of Kos at the end of the day.
Wikipedia describes Kos town as the principal port of the island and its main centre of population. Wikipedia also mentions whitewashed buildings, hotels and restaurants in the town. The same article records a fortress of the fourteenth century at the mouth of the harbour. It credits the Knights Hospitaller with building it. Wikivoyage describes the castle as dominating the port.
Boarding comes early. One operator says the boat departs promptly and advises arriving early to get a good spot on board. Another operator sets the boarding deadline at half an hour before sailing in the morning. Anyone boarding a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming plans to be at the port early.
One operator lists a hotel transfer for hotels at Marmari, Tigaki and Lambi. Wikipedia lists Marmari and Tigaki as two of the island’s main villages. The same page lets a traveller whose hotel is not listed arrive at the tour point alone.
Another operator lists a transfer between the hotel and the harbour of Kos, there and back. Its itinerary opens with a hotel pickup. The excursion voucher states where to meet and the precise pickup time. At this operator, the Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming still boards at the harbour.
Which islands does a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming visit?
A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming visits Kalymnos, Plati and Pserimos, three islands of the Dodecanese. Two operators list Kalymnos as the first stop, Plati as the second and Pserimos as the last.
Kalymnos is the largest of the three, with an area of 109 square kilometres. Wikipedia puts it north of Kos, at a distance of 12 kilometres. The island runs 21 kilometres from end to end and reaches 13 kilometres at the widest point. Its landscape is mountainous, and its coastline is irregular, with sheltered coves.
Wikipedia describes Pserimos as a small island near the Turkish coast, lying between Kalymnos and Kos. Its article on Kalymnos gives Pserimos an area of 11 square kilometres and calls it inhabited. The article on Kos agrees, placing Kos south of Kalymnos and Pserimos.
Plati lies near Pserimos, and Wikipedia lists it as an uninhabited islet in the archipelago of Kalymnos. The municipality of Kalymnos includes both small islands. A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming therefore links one larger island with two smaller ones.
Two operator pages list the same order. Kalymnos is the first stop, and Plati is the second. Pserimos is the final stop. Since Wikipedia places Pserimos between Kalymnos and Kos, the last stop lies between the first stop and the home port.
Europe and Asia frame the Aegean, which Wikipedia calls an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean. Ancient writers explained its name in different ways, and one explanation ties it to land that is always in view. On a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming, the boat sails across this sea between the islands.
What does the Kalymnos stop add to a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
The Kalymnos stop adds a harbour village and shops to a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. Operators describe the landing in different ways, and the listing of the chosen tour gives the details.
One operator lists Vathy, which it calls a natural “fjord” with taverns and clear emerald water. It says Vathy has no beach, so swimmers dive from the pier. Another operator lists a sandy beach on Kalymnos. A third operator lists the harbour, the traditional alleys and a lunch in a tavern.
The operator with the sandy beach gives one hour of own time for a walk, local sweets and shopping. A third operator adds a sponge factory. Each Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming fills the Kalymnos stop in its own way.
Wikipedia places Kalymnos in the Dodecanese, between Kos in the south and Leros in the north. Less than 2 km of water separates it from Leros. Its length is 21 km, and its widest point measures 13 km. Only Kos and Rhodes have larger populations among the Dodecanese islands.
A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming meets a mountainous island, says Wikipedia. Two fertile valleys, Vathys and Pothia, grow olives, oranges and vines. Pothia sits on a bay in the south and serves as the capital and main port. Wikipedia also counts more than 4,600 climbing routes on the limestone.
Telendos sits roughly 1 km from the Kalymnos coast and belongs to it administratively. Wikipedia describes one steep, flat-topped mountain whose sides plunge into the sea. The only settlement stands on the flat southern tip, and there are no cars.
Why is Kalymnos known for sponges on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
Wikipedia calls Kalymnos the “Sponge-divers’ island”, because sponges were the main income of its people. Operators of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming list a sponge factory and shops on Kalymnos.
Sponge diving brought wealth to the island and made it known across the Mediterranean, Wikipedia says. Only 18% of the steep land was farmable, so trading, boat building and sponge fishing became the main work. Kalymnians worked sponge grounds from the waters of Pserimos to those off North Africa.
Early divers worked without equipment and used a harpoon. In Wikipedia’s account, a crew searched the sea bed with a cylindrical box that had a glass bottom. A diver then went overboard with a 15-kilogram stone on a rope, cut the sponge loose and netted it. Dives reached about 30 metres and lasted up to 5 minutes.
The work was dangerous. Greek divers began to wear surface-supplied suits, called scaphandro, and decompression sickness then caused very high death and injury rates. A nineteenth-century doctor counted thirty divers on Kalymnos in one year: two died and two were paralysed.
In the middle of the nineteen eighties a disease hit the eastern Mediterranean. Wikipedia says it destroyed a great number of sponges. Sponge diving remains a less common occupation. The yearly Sponge Week, one week after Easter, pays tribute to the “Kalymnian gold”. A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming touches the trade at the factory and shops.
A natural sponge is an animal. Wikipedia describes sponges as marine invertebrates of the phylum Porifera, “pore bearer”. The genera Hippospongia and Spongia have soft skeletons made wholly of fibre. Ancient Greek writings by Homer and Plato name the sponge as a bathing tool. Buying one on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming is a personal choice.
What is Plati on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
Plati is a small islet and the swim stop of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. One operator calls it a short stop with diving from the boat into crystal clear Aegean water. The islet is now uninhabited.
Two operators list Plati as the second stop of the day, after Kalymnos. Wikipedia says the islet lies near Pserimos. Its Kalymnos article places Plati inside the municipality of Kalymnos. Greek Wikipedia calls Plati a rocky islet, south-west of the north-western tip of Pserimos.
Operators list Plati for the water. On a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming, one operator says passengers dive from the boat. Another operator adds that passengers can also jump off the boat. It presents the jump as extra fun for the day.
One operator says the stop is short, yet long enough to swim over to the islet itself. Another operator lists swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing at Plati. It describes a small island whose clear water suits swimming and snorkelling.
A third operator names turquoise water and says passengers can dive and swim around the boat. Wikipedia’s list of the islands of Greece writes the islet as Plati Pserimou, under its Dodecanese heading. Operators describe Plati as the swimming stop of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming.
What is Pserimos on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
Pserimos is a small inhabited island between Kalymnos and Kos. It is the last stop of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. Operators list a beach with small tavernas, a church, a school and a panoramic view.
Wikipedia places Pserimos in the Dodecanese chain and calls it small. The island sits in the sea between Kalymnos and Kos, close to the Turkish shore. Pserimos is part of the municipality of Kalymnos. The Kalymnos article gives it an area of 11 square kilometres. Among the smaller Dodecanese islands, Pserimos counts as one of the largest.
People live on Pserimos. Wikipedia gives a population of 84 inhabitants. It names tourism as the main industry, with visitors drawn by the remote location and the beaches. Wikipedia counts taverns on the island, and these include places that offer accommodation. A daily ferry runs to the island from Pothia, on Kalymnos.
Two operators make Pserimos the last stop of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. Wikipedia also lists Pserimos among the stops of cruise boats in the area. One operator sets aside about sixty minutes for a stroll, the shops or a dip. Then the boat sails back to Kos.
One operator lists a stroll from the port to a beach that has small tavernas. It mentions a Greek coffee, a swim and locals who sell sponges, spices and flavourings. The same operator lists a walk to Panagia, the island church, and to the school. It adds stairs that lead up to a panoramic view of the island.
Another operator calls Pserimos a place for a quiet swim or a walk along the beach. It mentions local shops and places for a coffee. A third operator lists emerald water and a swim on the sandy beach. That beach swim belongs to the last stop of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming.
What swimming stops does a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming include?
A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming is built around the water. One operator lists a trip to Kalymnos, Plati and Pserimos with three swimming breaks, plus snorkelling and sunbathing.
Where guests swim changes from stop to stop. At Kalymnos, one operator lists a swim at a sandy beach. Another says the inlet at Vathy has no beach, but lists diving from the pier. At Pserimos, one operator names a sandy beach for the swim. Another describes the stop as a place to swim in peace or walk on the sand.
On a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming, the swim at Plati starts at the boat. One operator says guests dive and swim around it. Another adds a jump off the boat into the sea. A third operator lists diving from the boat into the Aegean.
The length of each swim depends on the operator. One operator lists one hour at Plati for swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing. It gives about an hour at Pserimos to explore, shop or swim. Another describes the Plati stop as brief, yet adds that guests have enough time to swim to the islet.
Snorkelling is the extra activity on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. One operator asks guests to bring their own gear if they have it. It lists chances to swim and snorkel in coves, gulfs and turquoise water through the day.
Wikipedia describes snorkelling as face-down swimming at the surface, with the swimmer taking air through a breathing tube. Goggles or a mask give a clear view. The article presents the sport as a way to watch sea life without scuba training. It adds that the sport appeals to every age, since little effort is involved.
Can travellers see dolphins on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
Dolphins appear in the listings of a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming, but no sighting is promised. One operator states that sightings are not guaranteed. Its captain sails to nearby fish farms to look for wild dolphins.
The search takes place on the first leg. The same operator says the captain points out highlights on the way to Kalymnos. He sails through the fish farms and tries to spot dolphins. It calls the chance to spot dolphins around Kos the highlight of the full-day tour.
Two other operators also mention dolphins. One lists a chance to see them, next to a barbecue on board. The other gives dolphins a heading of their own on its page. A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming therefore features dolphins at three operators. Only one of the three adds a note on sightings.
A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming sails among Dodecanese islands. Wikipedia describes that group as lying to the southeast of the Aegean Sea. It counts roughly fifteen kinds of whale, dolphin and porpoise reported in Greek waters. Common, striped and bottlenose dolphins are listed among those seen at the Alonnisos Marine Park, in the northern Aegean.
The park lies in the north. Its list shows what the Aegean holds, not what a boat meets off Kos. Wikipedia says dolphins frequently leap above the water. It says leaping while travelling saves energy, because the air has less friction.
What boats sail a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
Operators list two kinds of boat for a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. One is a two-decked wooden boat. The other is a larger vessel with two open decks. Both lists name sunbeds, a bar and toilets.
One operator lists a two-decked wooden boat with sunbeds, shaded seating areas, a kitchen, a stocked bar and toilets. Shaded sunbeds are named as well. A third operator also speaks of a wooden boat for its three islands.
Another operator runs a larger vessel on its Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. It lists two open decks with a personal sunbed for each guest. A large air-conditioned lounge offers a place to relax when the day turns hot. It also lists places to sit in comfort around the vessel.
That operator also lists toilets with showers and changing rooms on board. A swimmer can freshen up after a swim and change into a swimsuit there. Music plays on board, and Wi-Fi is included, as that operator lists them.
The same operator lists comprehensive travel insurance with its vessel and calls itself a family-run business. The two boats are not alike: one is larger, and each operator names its own features. Each operator’s own list tells a traveller what to expect on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming.
What lunch and drinks come with a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
The lunch on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming differs by operator. One lists souvlaki on board. Another lists a barbecue on board. A third lists a meal in a seaside tavern on Kalymnos. One operator calls bar drinks optional extras.
On its Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming, one operator lists pork or chicken souvlaki. It comes with salad and tzatziki. The vegetarian choice is beans and dolmades, again with salad and tzatziki. That operator serves the lunch on board after the Kalymnos stop, as a traditional Greek meal. Its ticket covers the boat tour and the lunch.
Another operator says its trip includes a barbecue on board. A third operator describes a traditional meal at a seaside tavern on Kalymnos, with local dishes. The three descriptions differ, so a traveller checks the lunch with the operator before the day.
Drinks on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming come from the bar on board. One operator lists local and imported soft and alcoholic drinks, plus homemade orange juice and happy hour cocktails. That operator calls snacks and drinks optional extras. Another operator lists cocktails and soft drinks at its bar.
Street food in Greece includes souvlaki, gyros and pitas, says Wikipedia. It calls souvlaki a Greek dish of grilled meat on a skewer. Tzatziki, it says, holds strained yogurt, olive oil, garlic, salt and cucumber. Wikipedia adds that tzatziki is served as a sauce for souvlaki.
Wikipedia lists dolmades as stuffed grape leaves. It calls the taverna widespread in Greece, serving home cooking to locals and tourists. It names the cooking of Rhodes and the other Dodecanese islands as one regional cuisine of the Aegean islands. Wikipedia also calls fish dishes common near the coast and on the islands.
When does a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming run?
One operator lists availability between late spring and October. Operators send the Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming out in the morning and back by late afternoon. The whole trip fits inside one day.
Another operator’s page says its captains rest through the winter. Kos has what Wikipedia calls a Mediterranean climate with hot summers. The same source adds that the sea keeps summer highs on the Aegean islands below those of arid climates. A Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming therefore sails in the warm months.
In summer, Wikipedia says, the top layer of Aegean water sits between 19 and 24 degrees Celsius. Swimmers float in that layer during the swim stops.
Greeks call the Etesian winds meltemia. Wikipedia describes them as strong, dry winds out of the north over the Aegean. It dates their blowing to the stretch of late spring until about mid-September. Under clear skies they arrive without warning, and their strength can climb to force 7 to 8.
That wind window sits inside the season one operator lists for a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. Operators set their own weather rules. One operator says a day trip cancelled for bad weather brings a full refund. Another operator’s terms reserve the right to cancel, postpone or change any activity in adverse weather.
One operator advises securing a spot at least one day in advance. The operator gives this advice for its Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming.
What do travellers pack for a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
One operator lists four items for a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. They are a swimsuit, sun cream, sunglasses and a towel. The same operator adds shoes for the islands, a camera and money for extra expenses.
Another operator’s page keeps the list short: the ticket and a swimsuit. The lists differ between operators, so a traveller reads the list that comes with the ticket. Packing for a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming starts with that page.
The first operator says the islands give plenty of time to explore, so shoes belong in the bag. It suggests a camera for pictures of the day. It also says to bring snorkelling equipment if a traveller owns it. Coves and gulfs along the route give room to swim and snorkel.
Sun cream matters on a day spent on deck and in the water. Wikipedia says sunscreen must be applied thoroughly and re-applied during the day, especially after being in the water. It notes that broad-spectrum sunscreens, covering both UVA and UVB radiation, have been recommended.
Wikipedia’s article on snorkelling lists rash vests and dive skins as cover against sunburn. One operator lists shaded seating areas on board, including shaded sunbeds.
One operator calls a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming suitable for travellers of every age. The same operator notes that shore landings and exploration need mobility. Each traveller judges whether staying on board is the better choice. Another operator’s form lists two young groups: ages 2 to 12 as children and ages 0 to 2 as infants.
What else do travellers ask about a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
Where can passengers buy a place for a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming on the spot?
One operator invites passengers to come straight to the boat for information, reservations and ticket purchase. The operator names the time for these visits: every afternoon after half past five.
Another operator lists instant confirmation among the essentials on its page. Each operator sets its own way to sell a place on a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming.
What happens if a passenger is late for the boat?
One operator asks a late passenger who holds a ticket to get in touch as soon as possible. The operator then helps to move the Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming to another date.
That operator adds that a passenger who picks no new date receives no refund. A refund stays open when the passenger informs the operator at least 24 hours before the boat departs. Another operator lists a full refund for cancelling up to 24 hours in advance.
Can travellers reserve sunbeds in advance or hold a private event on board?
One operator lists sunbeds among the services of its Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming. Guests choose and reserve their sunbeds in advance with that operator.
The same operator lists custom events as a service. The list runs from private celebrations to onboard activities. The operator says it tailors an event to the preferences of the group.
Which other day trips leave Kos besides a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
One operator lists a day trip to Bodrum and an excursion to the volcano of Nisyros. Wikipedia places Nisyros between Kos and Tilos and gives its caldera a width of 3 to 4 kilometres. In summer, it says, the village of Kardamena on Kos has daily trips to the island.
Bodrum is a Turkish harbour town that bore the ancient name Halicarnassus. Wikipedia adds that fishing and sponge diving carried its economy before tourism became the main industry. Its port runs ferries to nearby Greek islands, with Kos as the leading link. Wikivoyage calls a day trip either way easily possible.
What can travellers see in Kos town around a Kos 3 island cruise with lunch and swimming?
Wikipedia names the Asklepieion ruins as the place where Herodicus taught medicine to Hippocrates. Scholars think Hippocrates was born on Kos, it says. It notes a medical school of the Hellenistic age, but calls it unwarranted to say that Hippocrates founded it. Ancient writers, it adds, saw Kos as a port with strong defences.
Wikipedia also says the market place of ancient Kos counted among the largest markets of the ancient world. After the earthquake of nineteen thirty-three, the new city plan turned the old part of town into an archaeological park. The town also has a bar street, formed by a number of nightclubs.