Kyo Goes Island-Hopping (aka Kyo Does The Maldives)

[SQFAN]

Thanks Kyo.... very sorely tempted and as others alluded, more like a 'couply' place.

[Allegro25]

Great Report!

It makes me wish to go again, i was there last summer at the Conrad Rangali Island.
I did EK LGW-DXB-MLE, unfortunatly from AMS that was the quickest option featuring F or C. If it were in SQ (AMS-SIN-MLE) it would take 12 hrs longer.

Did you notice that at the MLE lounge no booze is served? And that the information brochures found there are of a lot of different airlines. I spotted Qatar, Bangkok Airways, SQ and others...

[Kyo]

Did you notice that at the MLE lounge no booze is served? And that the information brochures found there are of a lot of different airlines. I spotted Qatar, Bangkok Airways, SQ and others...

Funny you should mention that - as a matter of fact, I did notice it and here's the closest thing you'll get to booze (additionally, I noticed the last time I was there that even this was no longer available):



Thanks for all the comments, everyone, hope you can all visit one day!

[9V-SIA]

Belated thanks for TR.

Nice pictures as usual.

I especially like your efforts to orientate the readers to the airport.

I can't believe that, after flying all that way, you didn't stay a few days...

[N_Architect]

N_Architect: Would you be able to recommend a Greek island within easy reach of IST for an overnight (2-days, 1 night) stay (and able to be back by morning *say, 10-11am* the following day back in IST)? Your pictures of Patmos island in particular have slowly been tempting me to visit your fine country and I finally might succumb sooner rather than later.

Apologies for the late reply, just seen your question...

First of all, Patmos island does not have an airport, so it is that easy to get there, unless you're in Piraeus and take the ferry (10-hr journey with no stops, approx. 3 times per week). Exactly for this reason though, and also for the fact that the island is full of churches, monasteries and is actually managed and controlled by the Church, the island does not get flooded by tourists.

I do not know what flights are available from IST to any of the Greek islands in the Aegean sea. This would be your best choice. Otherwise you'd have to fly to ATH, then go to Piraeus and take a boat or ferry to any island.

Now, with respect to the islands themselves, depends on what you like. If you choose an island like Mykonos, for example, you'll get the 'glamorous' night life (which in actual reality is anything but glamorous), the cafes with all the 'high society' celebrities, you won't even be able to walk through the small streets and alleys if you visit in July/Aug (too crowded), anything is dearly expensive (accommodation, food, etc.), and so on.

If you opt for crazy partying but for younger ages, a very nice island is Ios, but that's still not an easily accessible island.

Paros island is a good choice, it is 3hrs from Piraeus by fast ferry (catamaran). Prices are reasonable, people are reasonable, and it neither too small nor too big of a place to see in a day (it takes about an hour and a half to go round the island by car, if you don't make any stops).

Bottom line: If there are direct flights from IST, fly directly to Paros or Santorini, or even Crete. If not, another option is to go to Salonica, instead of ATH. From there you can visit the beautiful three-legged peninsula of Chalkidiki.

The above is just a very short intro, hope it helps to the extent possible.

[jhm]

Great advice from N_Architect!

I'd just like to add that if you do go all the way to Piraeus from IST, you of course don't really have much time to go to an island. Given that, consider also somewhere like Hydra or one of the other Saronic islands which are very close to Piraeus (about 1-2 hours by fast ferry).

If you go to Crete (where I once spent Greek Easter), I'd suggest flying to Chania which (certainly when I went) is IMO much nicer than Heraklion.

Another possibility you can think about and although it's not a Greek island as such but for a Greek flavour, you could try Cyprus ? AFAIK, there are no flights from Turkey to the south and only to the north controlled by Turkey; but you can now cross over from the north to the south.

[phaleesy]

.....

[Kyo]

Hi there!

Why the dot dot dots?

[HUGE AL]

Yeah, that's still a dangerous thing to be posting on here. You might even get censored.

[SQflyergirl]

Yeah, that's still a dangerous thing to be posting on here. You might even #### ##### #########

Nuff said

[Kyo]

Maybe phaleesy is in MLE busy hopping from one dot to the next...