Many travelers are starting to include Milos in their Greek Cyclades itinerary, and it’s easy to see why! This island is unique for so many reasons, including its rich history and local villages. However, the biggest draw to Milos is the incredible beaches and swimming spots! Join us on a Milos Greece boat tour to the world-famous Kleftiko beach caves. We’ll share our full-day experience, best swimming spots, and some tips for your own visit.
Why You Should Take a Milos Boat Tour
Our first trip to Milos was actually back in 2019. We took the ferry from Santorini and had just three days to explore. Not having much time, we stayed the fun port town of Adamas and spent an afternoon at Moon Beach.
In the years that followed this always stuck out to us as one of our biggest travel regrets in Greece! That’s because there are so many amazing swimming spots on Milos. Here’s all our favorite beaches on Milos and how to get to them.
Our tour stopped at Kleftiko beach and circled the entire island. It was honestly one of the best days we had in the Greek Cyclades. We are so glad we decided to take a boat trip on this visit.
Milos Weather Warning
One thing to note is that the weather has to be perfect for the boats to sail. If possible, book your tour for one of the first days you are on the island in case it gets pushed back a day or two.
We have several friends who planned to go to Kleftiko beach on their last day but the weather was too windy so their trip got canceled.
Understanding Milos Island
It may not look like it when arriving in the small port of Adamas, but Milos is massive! There is so much to do and see on this island and it can be overwhelming. Whether you’re a history buff, adventure lover, or just looking for some relaxing time at the beach, Milos has it all!
Many travelers rent a car, ATV, or scooter to see the sights. While some of the most desirable beaches can be reached by vehicle (here’s our guide to renting a car), you will get a completely different perspective from the water.
This is why we highly recommend a boat tour on Milos! Not only is it a completely unique way to see the island, but it’s the only way to get to the famous Kleftiko beach and sea caves.
→ 16 Fun Things to do in Milos Greece: The Island of Adventure!
Preparing For Your Milos Boat Tour
There are a few things you should know before heading out on your Milos boat tour. First of all, the full day boat trips range from 6-8 hours long and can even go up to 12 depending on the sea conditions.
We weren’t lying when we told you there’s a lot to see! For this reason, make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen, water, and clothes too cover up from the sun.
It gets crazy hot on Milos, especially in the peak summer months of July and August. Most Milos boat tours will provide snorkeling gear for you but be sure to double-check this. You’ll definitely want some goggles when you get to the famous Kleftiko Milos caves.
We were kind of confused when our boat company told us to pack warm layers with how hot it was. Yet, even in the summer, it can get quite chilly on the boat due to the wind. We were happy we brought our jackets on the way back to port after sunset!
Finding the Best Milos Boat Tour
We traveled to Milos in early May so it wasn’t necessary to book our boat ahead. Outside of the peak summer months you can easily walk around and find a tour at one of the Adamas storefronts. Still, from June to August we highly recommend booking in advance!
After talking with a few different companies we decided to go with Thalassitra Sailing. We thought their trip sounded the most fun and the price was definitely right! Below are some other popular Milos boat tours to check out:
What is Kleftiko Beach in Milos?
You may be wondering what makes Kleftiko beach such a unique destination… Well, it’s not really a beach at all! Kleftiko is a large cove surrounded by massive rock formations and crystal clear water.
The special thing about the giant rocks is that they’re filled with wild caves! Some you are able to swim inside, while others your Milos boat tour will take you through to explore.
History of Kleftiko Milos
Legend has it, that Kleftiko beach was once a hideout for pirates. They would wait for unsuspecting boats passing by to steal and raid for their spoils.
Although pirates terrorized the Greek islands for thousands of years, we were surprised to find out the ones in Kleftiko were well-liked by the people of Milos Island at one time.
They would share their riches with the island’s inhabitants and a pirate captain would even marry a woman from Milos. Funny enough, our boat was named “Leloudo” after this very woman! Be sure to visit the ancient town of Plaka to experience more of the incredible history on Milos.
Kleftiko Greece Tip: Kleftiko Milos is not to be mistaken for the famous Greek lamb dish. Be sure to try a traditional Kleftiko meal at some point during your time on the islands.
Exploring the Kleftiko Milos Caves
Our larger boat also brought a smaller dinghy trailing behind it specifically for the caves. The Kleftiko beach caves are just too small for a big Milos boat!
We went on 2 separate trips which they divided up by language. This is also when our guide explained the history of Kleftiko Greece and the infamous pirates.
It was so wild to enter these caves in our boat! After our short 15-minute cave tour, we returned to the bigger ship for some swimming. Our favorite part of the tour was jumping off the boat and floating through the Kleftiko Milos caves.
Food On Our Milos Boat Tour
An important thing to think about when choosing your Milos tour is the food! Considering some are over 10 hours long you are definitely going to need something to eat along the way. Fortunately, we were served a delicious light breakfast and a full spread for lunch.
The cook started preparing the night before and we literally heard him cooking the entire morning up until lunch was served. You could tell he put his heart and soul into the meal and it definitely showed!
When the food was brought out we couldn’t believe our eyes… All of our favorite traditional Greek food set before us! Greek salad, tabouli, moussaka, rice with cuttlefish, and so much more. This was honestly one of our favorite meals we had our entire time in the Cyclades!
The lunch included wine and there was a cooler with beer, water, and soda we could help ourselves to. There are some more party-style cruises to Kleftiko Milos if you’re into that, but one this was perfect for us.
More Than Just Kleftiko Greece
We focused on Kleftiko for much of this article but you should know there was so much more we saw on this Milos boat tour! There were actually 4 major swim spots we stopped at along the way.
Our tour also stopped at different rock formations, an old sulfur mine, and explained all about the history of the island.
Since Milos is so incredibly big, much of the time is spent just cruising around the beautiful coastline. In the late afternoon, there was nothing better than enjoying an ice-cold beer as we sat on the sailboat overlooking the island of Milos.
If you don’t have time or would just rather do a shorter trip, there are plenty of other options. Take a half-day cruise or you can even rent your own boat to drive out to Kleftiko Milos!
Have any questions on Kleftiko Greece or want to share your own favorite things to do in Milos? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
PIN FOR LATER ↓
Explore all our Greece articles to help plan your trip! We cover everything from general travel tips to amazing destinations such as Santorini, Paros, Rhodes, Karpathos, Crete, Milos & more beautiful islands!
Greece Travel Planning
When island hopping use FerriesinGreece to compare different routes, prices, and companies.
Flights: We always check Skyscanner and Kayak to search for cheap flights. That’s how we got from Crete to Athens for under $50 USD!
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Rental Car: You can book a rental car for around $20 a day in Greece! We use Discover Cars to explore the larger islands with a vehicle.
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for thousands of activities in Greece. You can find everything from visiting the Acropolis in Athens to wine tasting in Santorini, and a boat tour in Milos.
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without protection. We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
