Author: itdev

“Can I really drive a boat with no licence?” It is the question we hear most — and the answer in Greece is a clear yes. Boats with engines up to 30 hp can legally be rented and driven without any boating licence. That single rule turns a Milos holiday into a sea-exploration holiday, even if you have never held a tiller in your life.

Which boats qualify?

At Polaris Rent, two of our three boats are licence-free:

• Compass 150cc — nimble and easy, ideal for couples and small families, from €170 per half day.
• Compass 165cc — more space and more comfort for up to 5–6 people, from €250 per half day.
• Compass 7s — our flagship for the long routes (Kleftiko, Polyaigos); this one requires a licence or one of our skippers.

How the briefing works

Before you set off, we spend 15–20 minutes together on board covering everything that matters:

1. Starting, steering and mooring the boat — with you at the controls.
2. Reading the day’s wind and sea, and which areas to enjoy or avoid.
3. The chart: fuel range, safe anchorages, swim stops and no-go zones.
4. Safety kit: life jackets, VHF/phone contact, what to do if anything feels wrong.

By the time you leave the bay, first-timers consistently tell us it feels far easier than driving a car.

Where can you go?

Licence-free boats comfortably cover the Kimolos channel (sea caves, Prassa, Goupa) and the east coast of Milos (Sarakiniko from the sea, Papafragas, Pachena). On calm days there is no shortage of empty coves — see our pick of beaches you can only reach by boat and the route comparison.

What it costs

• Half day: from €170 (Compass 150cc)
• Full day: ask for current rates — fuel is calculated on actual use, so you only pay for what you burn.
• Included: safety equipment, briefing, mask & snorkel, local route advice on the day.

Safety, honestly

Milos is a volcanic island with a serious coastline, and we treat it with respect. If the meltemi blows hard, we will tell you plainly which routes are off the table — or move your booking. No licence does not mean no rules: it means the boat is small and forgiving enough that a careful adult can master it in one briefing.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any experience at all?

None. The briefing assumes zero experience. If you can drive a scooter, you can drive a 30 hp boat.

Can I take a licence-free boat to Kleftiko?

We do not recommend it — the west coast run is long and exposed. For Kleftiko choose the Compass 7s with a skipper, or a day cruise. The good news: the licence-free routes are just as beautiful.

What is the minimum age?

The driver must be an adult (18+). Children are welcome aboard with life jackets, which we provide in all sizes.

What happens if the weather is bad on my day?

We rebook you free of charge or refund you. Nobody goes out in weather we would not take our own families out in.

Ready to be captain for a day? Check availability — summer dates fill fast.

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: half day or full day, and which route? Here is the honest breakdown we give our own guests.

Half-day trips (4–5 hours)

Perfect if you want a taste of the coastline without committing the whole day — or if you are travelling with young children.

Route A: Kimolos channel

From Pollonia, cross to Kimolos: the Karras sea cave, the syrmata of Goupa, a long swim at Prassa’s shallow turquoise, and a coffee at Psathi if you like. Short hops, sheltered water, huge reward-per-mile.

Route B: East coast of Milos

Sarakiniko’s lunar rocks from the sea, the mining ghost-jetties of Thiorichia, and swim stops at Pachena and Papafragas’ cave mouths. Ideal on days with a south wind.

Full-day trips (7–9 hours)

Route C: The Kleftiko run (west coast)

The classic. Down the roadless west coast past Arkoudes, into Sykia’s collapsed cave-lagoon, then two unhurried hours among Kleftiko’s arches and caves before returning. This is the route the postcards are printed from — see the complete Kleftiko guide.

Route D: Kimolos & Polyaigos

Our connoisseur’s pick and the route almost no one else offers: circle Kimolos, then cross to uninhabited Polyaigos for the blue caves and the clearest water in the Cyclades. Details in our Kimolos island guide.

Half-day vs full-day at a glance

• Time on the water: 4–5 hrs vs 7–9 hrs
• Swim stops: 2–3 vs 4–6
• Kleftiko: full day only (it is simply too far for half a day)
• Best for families with small kids: half day, Kimolos channel
• Budget: our boats start from €170 per half day

Rent your own or join a cruise?

Organised cruises are great if you want lunch cooked for you and zero decisions. Renting your own boat means your schedule: leave before the fleet, stay longer where you love, skip what you don’t. Two of our three boats need no licence at all — and with the Compass 7s you can do every route on this page.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the boat trip to Kleftiko from Adamas?

About 1.5–2 hours each way with a motor boat — which is why Kleftiko is a full-day commitment, not a half-day one.

What should I bring on a Milos boat trip?

Sunscreen, hat, water, snacks, swimwear, a light windbreaker and your camera. Mask and snorkel come with our boats.

What if the weather turns windy?

Routes swap sides: the east coast and the Kimolos channel are sheltered from the prevailing north wind (meltemi). We advise every guest on the best route for the day’s forecast.

Undecided? Send us your dates and we will match the route to the weather and your crew.

Milos claims more than 70 beaches — the most of any Cycladic island. Volcanic minerals paint them white, red, ochre and grey, and the coastline hides arches, caves and coves that look designed by a set decorator. Here is the secret, though: the very best of them cannot be reached by car at all.

This is our local guide to the beaches of Milos (and its neighbours) that you will only ever see from the deck of a boat.

1. Kleftiko

The postcard of Milos: white pinnacles, arches and pirate caves at the island’s southwest tip. No road, no trail to the water — boat only. Go in the morning for the best light and the calmest sea. Read our full Kleftiko guide for routes and tips.

2. Sykia Cave

A sea cave whose roof collapsed centuries ago, creating an open-air lagoon with a small pebble beach inside. Sunbeams hit the emerald water through the opening around midday. Small boats can slip right in.

3. Gerakas

On the wild south coast, a secluded strip of sand beneath crumbling volcanic cliffs. You will likely share it only with the seagulls it is named after.

4. Kalogries & the west coast

The entire western shore of Milos is roadless wilderness — a sequence of empty coves, red-and-white cliffs and the sea stacks of Arkoudes (“the Bears”) guarding the entrance to Milos bay.

5. Tsigrado (easier by sea)

Technically reachable on land — if you are happy descending a rope-and-ladder chute in a cliff crack. From the water you simply anchor and swim in. Next door, Firiplaka looks its dramatic best from the sea too.

6. Poliegos (Polyaigos) beaches

The largest uninhabited island of the Aegean sits just east of Kimolos: no houses, no roads, only goats and the clearest water many of our guests have ever swum in. The white cliffs of Manolonisia and the “blue caves” are the highlights of a full-day trip.

7. Monastiria, Kimolos

A wild chalk-white cove on the north side of Kimolos, facing the islet of Agios Andreas. Part of our favourite Kimolos boat route.

How to visit them

Rent a small motor boat and string 3–5 of these beaches into one unforgettable day. Two of our boats — the Compass 150cc and Compass 165cc — require no licence: after a short briefing you are your own captain. For the full west-coast run to Kleftiko or a Polyaigos day, the Compass 7s is the comfortable choice.

Frequently asked questions

Which Milos beaches are not accessible by car?

Kleftiko, Sykia cave, Gerakas, the west-coast coves and everything on Polyaigos are boat-only. Tsigrado is far easier by sea than by its cliff ladder.

What is the best way to see the beaches of Milos?

From the water. A boat lets you visit several beaches in a day, escape the crowds, and see the volcanic coastline — the island’s true masterpiece — from the angle it was meant to be seen.

When is the best season?

May to October. June and September give warm sea, settled weather and fewer people.

Questions about routes or conditions? Ask our team — we are on the water every day.

Kleftiko is the image that made Milos famous: colossal white volcanic cliffs rising out of turquoise water, pierced by arches and sea caves. It sits on the remote southwest tip of the island and — here is the essential fact — it can only be reached from the sea. No road leads there.

What is Kleftiko?

Kleftiko (sometimes called the “Sea Meteora” of Milos) is a cluster of white rock formations sculpted by wind and waves over millennia. The name comes from kleftes — thieves — because for centuries pirates hid their ships inside its coves and caves, ambushing merchant vessels passing between the islands. Today the only invaders are swimmers and snorkellers.

How to get to Kleftiko

You have two options, and both involve a boat:

1. Rent your own boat

The most flexible way. You set the pace, stay as long as you like and stop at every beach that catches your eye on the way. From Adamas the trip along the west coast takes roughly 1.5–2 hours each way depending on the boat and the weather, passing Arkoudes, Sykia cave and the wild western shoreline. Our Compass 7s makes the run comfortably; on calm days experienced drivers also do it with the Compass 165cc. Ask us about conditions on the day — we never send guests west in unsuitable weather.

2. Join a day cruise

Traditional sailing boats and catamarans run daily trips from Adamas in season, usually with lunch on board and 1–2 hours of swimming at Kleftiko itself.

What you will see

• The arches — swim or paddle through natural stone gateways.
• The pirate caves — bring a mask; the play of light inside is unreal.
• Sykia cave — on the way, a collapsed sea cave with an open roof, like a hidden lagoon.
• Snorkelling — visibility often exceeds 20 metres over white rock and seagrass.

Best time to visit

Morning. The light on the white rock is at its best before noon, the sea is usually calmer, and you beat the main wave of day-trip boats that arrive around midday. June and September offer the perfect combination of warm sea and fewer visitors.

Practical tips

• There are no facilities — no beach bar, no shade, no mooring jetty. Bring water, snacks and a hat.
• Pack mask and snorkel (we provide them with our boats).
• Swim shoes help when exploring the caves.
• Check the wind: Kleftiko is exposed to the south. Your rental team will advise — on windy days the east-coast and Kimolos routes are the smart alternative.

Frequently asked questions

Can you reach Kleftiko by car or on foot?

No. There is no road access; a rough hiking trail exists but ends on the cliffs high above the water. The only real way to experience Kleftiko is by boat.

How long is the boat trip from Adamas to Kleftiko?

Around 1.5–2 hours each way with a small motor boat, or a full-day itinerary with a sailing cruise.

Is Kleftiko suitable for children?

Yes — in calm weather the coves are sheltered and shallow enough for confident young swimmers, and kids love the caves.

Ready for the icon of Milos?

Tell us your dates and we will suggest the right boat and route for the forecast. Get in touch — and see the cliffs that pirates once called home.

Just one nautical mile northeast of Milos lies Kimolos, one of the last truly unspoiled islands of the Cyclades. No crowds, no big resorts — just chalk-white cliffs, turquoise coves and fishing villages where time moves slower. Most visitors to Milos never make it here, and that is exactly why you should.

At Polaris Rent we are the only boat rental company operating in both Milos and Kimolos, so this guide comes from the people who know these waters best.

Why visit Kimolos?

Kimolos is what Milos was twenty years ago. The island is small — about 36 square kilometres — with fewer than 1,000 permanent residents. Its name comes from kimolia (chalk in Greek), after the bright white chalk deposits that colour its cliffs. What makes it special:

• Beaches without the crowds — even in August you can find a quiet cove.
• Authentic village life in Chorio, with its medieval Kastro quarter.
• Spectacular sea caves and rock formations best seen from the water.
• Polyaigos next door — the largest uninhabited island of the Aegean, with some of the clearest water in Greece.

The best beaches in Kimolos

Prassa (Agios Georgios)

The most famous beach on the island: fine white sand and shallow, electric-blue water thanks to the chalky seabed. There is a small canteen in summer, but arrive by boat and you can anchor just off the sand.

Bonatsa

A long, family-friendly sandy beach on the south coast, looking straight across the channel to Milos.

Goupa & Karras

A tiny fishing settlement with syrmata — boat garages carved into the rock — and a swimming spot between sculpted rocks. The nearby sea cave of Karras is a highlight of any boat trip around the island.

Monastiria

Wild and reachable only on foot or by boat, beneath the islet of Agios Andreas. If you want the “deserted island” feeling, this is it.

Chorio: the island’s only village

Two kilometres uphill from the port of Psathi, Chorio hides a fortified medieval core (the Kastro), whitewashed alleys, family tavernas and the church of Panagia Odigitria. Come in the evening after a day at sea — the sunset from the upper village is superb.

Exploring Kimolos by boat

Kimolos reveals its best side from the water. A typical route circles the island in half a day:

1. Psathi port — departure point.
2. Goupa & the Karras cave — photograph the syrmata from the sea.
3. Prassa — swim stop in shallow turquoise water.
4. Monastiria & Agios Andreas islet — snorkelling over volcanic rock.
5. Bonatsa & Kalamitsi — a relaxed final swim before returning.

With a full day you can add Polyaigos: its famous “blue caves” and the beaches of Manolonisia offer water so clear the boat seems to float on air.

How to get to Kimolos

• By ferry: small local ferries connect Pollonia (Milos) with Psathi in about 20 minutes.
• By rental boat: the flexible option — cross the channel yourself and explore every cove at your own pace. Our Compass 150cc and Compass 165cc need no boat licence, while the Compass 7s covers the full Milos–Kimolos–Polyaigos triangle with ease.

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit Kimolos as a day trip from Milos?

Yes — it is one of the best day trips in the Cyclades. The crossing from Pollonia takes only 20–30 minutes, so you have a full day for beaches, the village and the sea caves.

Do I need a licence to rent a boat for Kimolos?

No. Boats up to 30 hp can be rented in Greece without any licence after a short briefing. Two of our three boats fall in this category.

Is Kimolos worth visiting?

Absolutely. If you value quiet beaches, genuine island character and swimming spots you will have almost to yourself, Kimolos is arguably the highlight of a Milos holiday.

Plan your Kimolos adventure

Polaris Rent operates from both islands and our team will map the best route for the day’s weather. Contact us to book your boat, or browse our fleet to find the one that fits your crew.