HALKI
The island of Halki (also known as Chalki) is also known as the Island of the Goddesses, which it's not a wonder, ´cause it's such an incredibly rugged and beautiful island. Halki is less than an hour's ferry ride from Skala Kamirous and over an hour from the capital of Rhodes. From Skala Kamirous, ferries run morning and evening and the schedule is very convenient for day visitors as well as those staying overnight on the island. The port town of Emboria on Halki may remind visitors to Symi of something similar, with its colourful houses built tightly into the hillside and a promenade that looks a little like a horseshoe.
There are several accommodation providers on the Halki, and by booking in advance you can manage to get a villa or studio right on the beachfront, which is right on the turquoise sea. The carefully renovated houses are tastefully decorated and almost all are available for rent to tourists. The quiet times on the island are from May to early June and from mid-September to the end of October, the end of the season. Day trippers are served by Ftenagia's beautiful little beach about a kilometer from the port. The route to the beach leads through colourful houses and narrow alleys, and there is also a cosy taverna with shade at the end of the beach. On the other side of the island are some enchantingly beautiful, natural beaches, where you can buy a boat trip from the harbour.
Halki has very few facilities for longer stays, but for those who want time and space to themselves, it is the ideal destination. There are now only a couple of hundred people living on the island all year round. Halki used to be one of the five sponge-producing islands in Greece, but there are no longer any sponges growing in the sea around Halki. Apart from restaurants and kiosks, the island has only a few souvenir shops and a small clothing store. For an exhilarating hike, the mountain slopes are home to Kastro, a fortress with a history dating back to antiquity 400 years BC. A couple of hours hike away is the old monastic ruins of Agion Ioannis, also accessible by bus. The island of Halki is located between Rhodes and Tilos and is therefore popular with island-hopping enthusiasts.
