Feature Image: Mural from a Vathy wall

East Coast here we come

The western coastline of Kalymnos has the best beaches and attracts the crowds of day-trippers and holiday-makers, but we decided to explore the less-trodden path on the opposite side of the island. This eastern coastline of Kalymnos is the view we can see from the coastline we can see from our Turkish home, and when we visit our local Migros supermarket in Gumusluk Turkey.

Getting to Vathy (aka Vathi and Vathis)

There’s one main road leading out of the port town of Pothia. It loops the island and is short enough to see during a day trip. But we were only planning on going as far as Vathy and then retracing our steps along the same route.

Renting a Scooter

We rented a scooter from Maria Rentals, located at the end of the harbour pier. It’s one of the first rental places you pass when you get off the ferry. There’s a row of three rental places, and Maria’s is the smallest. It had one lonely little scooter left to rent. It was 15 euros for the day but we negotiated 10 euro because we only needed it for six hours as we had to get back to catch the ferry back to Turgutreis.

Our bike  spluttered around the harbour road and out of town, and soon realized why this was the only one left to rent. If you closed your eyes as we drove past, you’d think we were riding a hair dryer.

From Pothia to Vathy

Heading out of Pothia on the coastal road you’ll travel past industrial sized building. Your nostrils will perk up as you drive past a sewage farm, and twitch again as you smell the burning embers of the city dump. This ride is a feast for the senses—not always good.

There is bay after bay of fish farms and the biggest bay with electric blue waters is overlooked by a church and graveyard that we thought had it’s own elaborate pizza on the other side of the road. (On the way back, we realised it was a cremation oven).

This road gradually climbs as you follow it around the coast with a large drop to the sea. A goat herd clustered at the bend, huddled under the shade of olive trees and a rusty mini van. The road winds, and is windier along this stretch of the island but there’s hardly any traffic, so you can enjoy the open road and the views of Turkey in the distance.

Exploring Rina Bay

The road to Vathy’s Rina Bay leads you past the harbor before you descend the coast road and double back on yourself to take the rural road to the harbor lined with small fishing boats and water taxis.

There are just four restaurants overlooking the village square, all of which have a birds eye view of the harbor that looks like a small Norwegian Fijord because of it’s steep rock walls on each side.

We walked past the restaurant with the biggest pink bougainvillea dripping off it’s roof, to climb stone steps on the other side of the boatyard to view the basilica. It was closed, but the climb was worth it for the view.

On the way back down, we accepted a free water taxi ride to a secluded beach further north, with the proviso we would return to the restaurant to have lunch.

Taxi Boat to the Beach

It was a tights squeeze for eight of us on the boat and when we got to the bay we had to clamber off the boat into the rocks to billy-goat our way to a white pebble beach. Our boat companions weren’t as nimble as us and returned to Rina instead. We called back to the captain “pick us up in two hours” and headed to the beach.

No loud music. No sun beds. Just the shade of short plump trees sheltering Greek families from the heat. More and more water taxis showed up, and the beach started to get crowded.

Our once quiet spot became crowded with a large Greek family with three generations. Grandpa and his brothers (or friends) donned diving gear and weight belts and waded into the water with spear guns—in search of octopus. Naked toddlers squealed across the rocky beach to the water’s edge, with nothing but a smile and water wings.

It took us a while to get comfy on the pebble beach. And just as I closed my eyes, a man squatted between Red and I and offered us a beer each. “A consolation prize for ruining your peace and invading your quiet time” he said in a thick Greek accent.

The mother of the squealing children looked back at us “If you thought you would have a quiet day at the beach—you were wrong. Have a beer to soften the edges.”

Two snorkel swims and a small beer later and our little orange water taxi returned. He couldn’t moor where he’d dropped us off, so he pulled up along side the day boat, and we unceremoniously clambered over the railings to drop into our bobbing chariot.

Lunch at Rina Harbor

Back at the harbor we ate a lunch of Greek salad, tuna salad and a mushroom omelette. And a black coffee frappe without sugar or milk for me. They’re my new Greek obsession, and I don’t miss an opportunity to sit for a while and sip one slowly.

Lunch cost us 19.50 euros.

Back to Pothia

We headed up to the coast road at 3pm and reached Pothia within 40 minutes. That included a few photo opportunity stops, and a fill up of petrol—it took 3 Euros to top up the tank.

We spotted a secluded beach between Pothia and Vathy. A narrow roads lead downhill from the coastal road to a small sandy beach with one building. It looked more of less deserted except for one swimmer, a pair of kayakers, and two yachts moored further out in the bay. Next time we’re heading there for our day out.

We stopped at the supermarket and cleaned them out of our favorite coffee. Bought 4 double packs of feta and two blocks of Parmesan, and a backup supply of Greek oregano. Then dropped the bike back at Maria rentals.

With half an hour to spare before we had to board the ferry back to Turgutreis we stopped at Love Cafe for another iced coffee frappe. It’s a unpretentious hole in the wall, and just the type of non-touristy place we gravitate towards.

We chatted with the owner about our Greek cheese obsession, and she told us about a yogurt and cheese shop down the road that leads away from the Mayor’s building (the one with the dome). So next time in we’re Kalymnos, we’re visiting there for our cheese fix.

Next door was a sign advertising rooms for rent, in a tall thin building with small balconies overlooking the harbor. As with a lot of rental properties in Kalymnos they only have a telephone number and no web or Facebook presence.

Just along the harbor at the bend and opposite the sponge boat is a small traditional cafe with pork souvlakia for about 3 euro. We didn’t eat there, but it’s on the list for next time.

Not a flash tourist place. But another hole in the wall with a lovely view and tables overlooking the harbor.

Vathy, Vathi, Vathis as a Day Trip

You can reach Kaymnos on a day-trip ferry from Bodrum and Turgutreis. We were on the Yesil Marmaris ferry which only runs on a Saturday during the summer months, but there are other ferry companies running day trips to Kalymnos. The average day trip price is 25-30 Euro, but we bought an AdaKart season pass from Yesil Marmaris for 99 Euro, which gives us unlimited trips from Bodrum and Turgutreis to Kos, Kalymnos, Rhodes, Symi, Leros, and Patmos. Valid from June 1st to September 30th (Bargain of the Century).

I can’t believe that this is the first year I’ve ever been to Greece. It’s shot to the top of my popularity stakes. Even though we’ve been visiting during the peak summer months, the islands haven’t been swamped with tourists, and the locals have been full of grace and charm (and English). I’m coming back. How quick’s too soon?

Pin this image:

I can’t believe it took me until 2019 to tread on Greek soil, especially since it’s only a 15 minute ferry ride from our nearest Turkish ferry port! Well I’m making up for lost time, and here’s my blog posts about exploring Greece:

• Popping my Greek Cherry with Kalymnos
• Day trip to Vathy on the Greek Island of Kalymnos
• Catching the Mastichari Ferry from Kos to Kalymnos
• Getting to know Kalymnos Beaches
• Discover the Tranquility of Telendos
• Visiting Symi for their Famous Red Shrimp
• Exploring Leros on Two Wheels

And coming soon:

• Overnight Trip to Symi
• Afternoon in Rhodes