Getting there

By Air

There is a short airstrip at Kalymnos, but most time the wind is so strong, that it is impossible to alight there. That's why Kalymnos had the biggest racetrack on the world for teenage-car-drivers until 2006. Now domestic flights are landing at this little island airport. Kos is the closest island with an international airport (airport identity code KGS). Nevertheless you will reach Kalymnos faster than many hotels at Kos, because the airport is really close to the harbour named Mastichari (harbour code MXR), wherefrom you only need 45 min for crossing to Kalymnos (harbour code KAY).

Following Airlines can be recommended:
Direct flights to Kos are available from most major UK-airports for £100-£200. It is also easy to reach Kalymnos by aircraft/ferry from Samos (2,5 - 7 h by ferry), Rhodes (3-5 h) and Athens/Piraeus (1-3 times daily, from 5 hours with the NEL- Lines high-speed boat, up to 13 h by car ferry with stops at Patmos and Leros). You can see, the lengths of the journey heavily depends on the type of ferry you choose.

From Kos to Kalymnos / Vathys

If you have a good timing of flight- and ferry schedule, you can reach Kalymnos within 60 min. incl. Taxi to Mastichari harbour. If the timing is not perfect, don't worry ! Mastichari has one of the best beaches of Kos ( Turn left at the harbour). Take your swimsuit on and start your holidays. If you eat or drink something at a taverna, they will take care of your luggage while you take a bath, if you ask them. And if you couldn't reach the last ferry, don't worry : Mastichari Bay hotel (the owner is my cousin) is the best hotel at Mastichari. Indulge yourself in comfort for a night.

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Once you have landed, take the Olympic-Airways-bus (The ferry is still waiting for the bus) or a taxi to Mastichari harbour ( approx. 12 Euros/ 10 min, price depending on your luggage quantity, etc. ). Mastichari has the easiest, fastest and cheapest connection to Kalymnos by the A.N.E.M. ferry “Olympios Apollon” (2005: 3,50 Euro) within 45 min. The ferry travels three times daily all-the-year and is mostly on schedule and reliable. Tickets you only can get 30 min before departure at the harbour, reservation is neither necessary nor possible.

Tip:Write down the phone number of the taxi-agency at the airport, to call a taxi for your way back to the airport. Often there is no taxi waiting at Mastichari. Mostly you will get a reservation number, so that nobody else can enter your taxi. Or ask at a taverna to call a taxi for you after having a small meal or drink.

Additional there are up to 15 connections from Kos town (all kinds of ferries). But the bus/taxi ride to Kos town takes longer time and is more expensive also the crossing to Kalymnos. At Pothia harbour I will pick you up, if you like. Give me a call, which ferry you take, I’m waiting for you IN FRONT OF the port gate.

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From other islands with international airport to Kalymnos

It is also easy to reach Kalymnos by aircraft/ferry from Samos (2,5 - 7 h daily by ferry), Rhodes (3 h) and Athens/Piraeus (1-3 times daily up to 13 h depending on weather) You can see, the lengths of the journey heavily depends on the type of ferry you choose.

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Ferries

Due to the fact that Kalymnos is the most important communications junction of the Dodecanes and it is close to the international airports of Samos, Rhodos and Kos, it is an ideal place to start or finish your island-hopping-tour or to shift the direction of it. Oftentimes more ferries are leaving Kalymnos than Kos. All islands are at close quarters, therefore the ride time from island to island is quit short.

There are:

Regular big car ferries (Dane, Blue star, etc.). Due to the long distances they ride, they are often pretty delayed, but they are the means of transportation that rides at nearly every weather.
Flying dolphin boats (by Kiriacoulis). They are fast, but very old and in bad condition. So they often fail, and can’t leave the harbour at more than 6 wind forces (they were built for Russian lakes) .
SeaBus (Click here for Dodekanisos Express Catamaran timetable). They are modern, in very good condition, on time and as fast as the flying boats and can drive at as more wind forces as them. Sadly they have only a very few of them, but a new one is planned. For longer distances it is worthwhile to align your schedule with it.

Following islands are easy to reach by ferry:

in the north: Patmos, Leros, Lipsos, Arki and Samos
in the west: halfway to Cyclades, Astipalea
in the east: Bodrum/turkey with excellent shopping possibilities
in the south: Kos, Nisyros, Telos, Agthonisi and Symi, Rhodes is reachable up to 15 times daily.
In the southwest: Karpathos and Kassos
Also reachable: Fourni, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and with varying degrees of regularity.
And as a matter of course: Piraeus up to 2 times daily

Splendidly constructed and singular in completeness and reliability is the anglophone information desk for greek domestic ferries www.gtp.gr

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