Head to the islet of Chalki for a peaceful setting and a landscape that is completely different from what you’ll see on the larger and much better-known island of Rhodes, from where most regular ferries depart.

Beaches with crystal-clear water

Chalki has three easily accessible beaches, all within a 15-minute walk of the harbour.

Compared to the beaches on Rhodes, they are significantly smaller and much more unspoilt. As all the beaches are situated in shallow-water coves, the sea is always calm with no waves, creating excellent conditions for swimming and snorkelling.

Find accommodation near the beach

These are the 3 most popular beaches on Chalki:

• Pondamos
• Ftenagia
• Kania

All beaches have restaurants and sun lounger hire (prices are the same everywhere – 12 eur for a set of two sun loungers and a parasol for the whole day).

Nature – majestic, arid mountains

Chalki has a mystical, very hilly landscape that, at first glance, appears utterly arid.

In the valleys and on the mountain slopes, however, you’ll find many small fields, olive groves and large numbers of grazing goats.

You’d be hard-pressed to find well-marked hiking trails on Chalki, but we can definitely recommend a walk along the traffic-free road to Chalki Castle or even further on to the monastery of Agios Ioannis (a full-day trip covering a total of 16 km).

Boat trips

In the harbour, there are several stalls run by local travel agencies offering boat trips to hard-to-reach beaches, snorkelling trips or excursions to the nearby uninhabited islet of Alimia.

The local water taxi, Giannis Express, operates the most frequent services, offering regular routes:

• 3 times a day to Kania Beach for 5 eur / return
• 1–2 times a day to the island of Alimia for 25 eur / return
• Once a day to the secluded beaches of Areta and Trachia for 20 eur / return

Cruises always depart from Chalki harbour in the morning and return in the afternoon, giving you 3–4 hours on the beaches.

Sights and history

The islet of Chalki doesn’t have many sights, but the main one – the 14th-century Chalki Castle of the Knights of St John – is definitely worth a visit.

You’ll practically have the castle all to yourself the whole time, as most tourists head to Chalki just for the beaches. The views are absolutely breathtaking, and we’d recommend a visit to the castle for them alone.

You can find detailed information on our page about Chalki Castle.