A boat trip is not one of the things to do in Milos, it is the thing to do. The island’s greatest sights face the sea, and several of them, Kleftiko above all, cannot be reached any other way. The real question is not whether to go but how: half day or full day, which route, and your own boat or a seat on a cruise. This is the honest breakdown we give our own guests at the dock, with times, swim stops, prices and the wind rules that decide the day.
Key Takeaways
- Our boats leave from Agia Kiriaki beach on the south coast, 20 to 30 minutes from Kleftiko by fast boat. A half day (5 hours, 09:00 to 14:00 or 14:30 to 19:30) covers the south coast coves, or Kleftiko and Sykia in the 165cc or 7s. Two to three swim stops.
- Full day (10:00 to 19:00) is for Kimolos, Polyaigos, the far west coast, or Kleftiko with no clock. Four to six swim stops. Pick-up at Pollonia or Psathi can be arranged in advance for the north-east routes.
- Self-drive prices: Compass 150cc (no licence) 180 € half day, 250 € full day; Compass 165cc (licence or skipper) 250 € and 450 €. Skippered all-inclusive Compass 7s 550 € and 950 €. Fuel is extra on all.
- Group cruises to Kleftiko run 80 to 150 € per person; a private boat shared by five or six usually costs less per head.
- Wind decides the route, not the brochure. North wind (meltemi): south coast and Kimolos channel. South wind: north coast. Morning is always calmer than afternoon.
Contents
Half day or full day: the short answer
Half day if you want a relaxed taste of the coastline, are travelling with small children, it is your first time at the wheel, or you want Kleftiko and Sykia without the rest. Full day if Kimolos or Polyaigos is on your list, if you want Kleftiko plus the roadless west coast, or you simply do not want to watch the clock. The reason Kleftiko fits a half day with us is geography: our base at Agia Kiriaki is on the south coast, 20 to 30 minutes from the arches, whereas the cruises from Adamas need 1.5 to 2 hours each way.
Half-day routes
Route A: the south coast coves
Straight from our platform at Agia Kiriaki: Provatas and Firiplaka with its coloured cliffs to the east, tiny Tsigrado (anchor and swim in, no rope ladder), and Gerontas with its stone arch and the best snorkeling within ten minutes of the base. Three or four swim stops, all within 15 minutes of each other, sheltered from the north wind. The classic first-timer route in the no-licence Compass 150cc.
Route A+: Kleftiko and Sykia in a half day
In the Compass 165cc or Compass 7s, Kleftiko is 20 to 30 minutes west of Agia Kiriaki. Leave at 9, two hours among the arches before the cruise boats arrive, Sykia cave on the way round, Gerontas for a last swim, back by 2. On a calm morning the 150cc can do it too (40 to 50 minutes each way); we decide at the dock.
Route B: the Kimolos channel (Pollonia pick-up)
If you arrange in advance for us to deliver the boat to Pollonia port, or to Psathi on Kimolos, the channel is a half-day route: the Karras sea cave, the painted boat garages of Goupa, a long swim in the shallow turquoise at Prassa, and a coffee at Psathi if you like. Short hops, sheltered water, huge reward per mile. Details in our Kimolos island guide.
Route C: Paleochori and the south-east (south wind days)
East from Agia Kiriaki past Provatas to Paleochori, where hot springs bubble through the sand in the shallows, then on towards the cliffs of Agia Kiriaki’s eastern neighbours. Ten to twenty minutes between stops, and the best option when a south wind makes Kleftiko uncomfortable.
Full-day routes
Route D: Kleftiko, Sykia and the west coast
The classic, with no clock. Kleftiko in 20 to 30 minutes, two unhurried hours among the arches, tunnels and pirate caves, into the collapsed cave-lagoon of Sykia, then on up the roadless west coast to Kalogries and the empty coves towards Arkoudes, and a last swim at Gerontas on the way home. This is the route the postcards are printed from. Full details, costs and timing in the complete Kleftiko guide, and the caves themselves in the sea caves of Milos.
Boat: Compass 7s with our captain, or Compass 165cc with a licence. The 150cc does Kleftiko and Sykia on a calm morning but not the full west coast.
Route E: Kimolos and Polyaigos
Our connoisseur’s pick and the route almost nobody else offers. From Agia Kiriaki it is 45 to 60 minutes around the east coast to Kimolos, or 15 minutes if we deliver the boat to Pollonia. Circle Kimolos (Goupa, Prassa, Monastiria, the west coast coves), then cross to uninhabited Polyaigos for the Blue Bay, the coloured cliffs, the sea caves and lunch at Mersini. The clearest water in the Cyclades, and you will share it with goats.
Boat: Compass 7s, or Compass 165cc with licence or skipper.
Route F: the north coast
Papafragas from the sea, the basalt columns of Glaronisia, Sarakiniko’s white rocks from the water, the mining jetties of Thiorichia. Best with a Pollonia pick-up, and usually combined with a Kimolos or Polyaigos leg.
Side by side
| Compare | Half day | Full day |
|---|---|---|
| Hours on the water | 5 | 9 |
| Swim stops | 2 to 3 | 4 to 6 |
| Kleftiko and Sykia | Yes, in the 165cc or 7s (150cc on calm mornings) | Yes, plus the west coast |
| Kimolos circuit / Polyaigos | Channel only, with Pollonia pick-up | Yes |
| Best for | Families with small kids, first-time drivers, afternoon people | Kleftiko, Polyaigos, photographers, groups |
| Compass 150cc (no licence) | Ideal | South coast only |
| Compass 165cc | Yes | Yes, licence or skipper |
| Compass 7s | Yes | Ideal |
| From | 180 € | 250 € |
Rent your own boat or join a cruise?
Organised cruises (sailing boats, catamarans and speedboats, almost all from Adamas) are right if you want lunch cooked for you, zero decisions and zero responsibility. You share the boat with 20 to 50 people, leave when the schedule says and swim where the captain stops.
Renting your own boat means your schedule: leave before the fleet, stay longer where you love it, skip what you do not. Two of our boats are self-drive, and the no-licence Compass 150cc means anyone can be captain for a day; see renting a boat in Milos without a licence.
The skippered Compass 7s sits between the two: private, flexible, but with a captain who knows every cave entrance and an all-inclusive package (drinks, snacks, wine, snorkeling gear, towels, GoPro footage). For groups of five to seven it is often the best value of the three.
Our guide to which boat to rent in Milos compares all three in detail.
Prices in 2026
| Option | Half day | Full day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compass 150cc, self-drive, no licence | 180 € | 250 € | 5 people, fuel extra |
| Compass 165cc, self-drive with licence | 250 € | 450 € | 6 people, fuel extra, skipper available |
| Compass 7s, skippered all-inclusive | 550 € | 950 € | 7 guests, fuel and VAT extra, food and drinks included |
| Group sailing cruise to Kleftiko | 80 to 150 € per person | Lunch usually included | |
| Group speedboat to Kleftiko | 60 to 100 € per person | Shorter swim |
Prices are flat from May to October. Fuel is charged on actual use at the end of the day.
How the wind picks your route
The meltemi, the dry north wind of the Aegean summer, builds through the afternoon from June to early September. It decides more than any brochure:
- North wind (normal summer): south coast coves and the Kimolos channel are sheltered. Kleftiko is possible in the morning if the forecast is light, with an early return.
- Strong north wind: south coast coves only, morning slot. Kleftiko is off.
- South wind (less common): the south coast gets lumpy; Paleochori and the east, or the north coast with a Pollonia pick-up. Kleftiko is off.
- Calm: anything goes. This is the Polyaigos day.
We advise every guest on the morning of the rental and we swap routes, reschedule or refund rather than send anyone out in weather we would not take our own families into.
What to bring
Sunscreen (reef-safe), hat, rash vest, water, snacks, swimwear, a light windbreaker for the ride back, swim shoes for the pebble coves, a dry bag for phones, and your camera. Mask and snorkel are on board the 7s; bring your own or ask us for the self-drive boats. Life vests for children are provided in all sizes.
Undecided?
Send us your dates and crew and we will match the route to the forecast: Compass 150cc for the coves, Compass 165cc for range, Compass 7s for the all-inclusive day. Contact us. Our 3, 5 and 7-day Milos itinerary shows where each boat day fits.
FAQs
What is the best boat tour in Milos?
For a private day, the skippered Compass 7s to Kleftiko and Sykia, or to Kimolos and Polyaigos on a calm day. For a group option, the morning sailing cruises from Adamas with lunch. The best tour is always the one that matches the day’s wind, and from our base at Agia Kiriaki, Kleftiko is 20 to 30 minutes away rather than two hours.
Is Milos boat tour worth it?
Yes, more than on almost any other Greek island, because a third of the coastline including Kleftiko has no road access. A boat day is the only way to see the island’s best sights, and the water clarity is exceptional.
How long is a half day boat tour?
Our half-day slots are five hours: 09:00 to 14:00 or 14:30 to 19:30. Group speedboat tours are typically four to five hours including the transfers.
What is the best half-day boat tour on Milos?
From our base at Agia Kiriaki: the south coast coves (Firiplaka, Tsigrado, Gerontas) in a self-drive boat, or Kleftiko and Sykia in the 165cc or 7s, 20 to 30 minutes away. With a Pollonia pick-up, the Kimolos channel. All are sheltered, close and packed with swim stops.
How long does it take to sail around Milos?
Milos has about 125 km of coastline. A full circuit in a fast motorboat is 5 to 7 hours of driving in calm weather, which leaves little time to swim, so most people pick a side. Under sail it is a two-day trip.
Can you do a day trip from Milos to Kimolos?
Yes, by ferry from Pollonia (10 to 25 minutes) or in a rental boat. A Compass 165cc or 7s from Agia Kiriaki makes it a full-day circuit (45 to 60 minutes each way); with a Pollonia pick-up arranged in advance, the channel is a half-day route.
What should I bring on a Milos boat trip?
Reef-safe sunscreen, hat, water, snacks, swimwear, a windbreaker, swim shoes, a dry bag and your camera. Snorkeling gear is included on the Compass 7s. Everything else, including life vests, is on board.
Sources
- Polaris Rent boat pages, Compass 150cc, 165cc and 7s price lists
- Hellenic National Meteorological Service, marine forecasts: https://www.emy.gr/
- Greeka, Milos travel guide: https://www.greeka.com/cyclades/milos/
Ready to explore Milos by boat?
Rent the no-licence Compass 150cc or book a skippered boat, and discover Kleftiko, Polyaigos and the beaches only the sea can reach.
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