A Rhodes kayak tour paddles the east coast past sea caves, rock arches and empty bays that the road does not reach. Plan the rest of the trip with Greece Tours.
What routes does a Rhodes kayak tour follow?
The east coast between Faliraki and Traganou past Anthony Quinn Bay and Ladiko, the coast south of Archangelos past red-sand beaches and Haraki Castle to Kalathos Bay, and the bays of Lindos under the acropolis to St Paul’s Bay.
Many of the east coast beaches are remote or inaccessible by car or on foot.
Routes pass rock formations, small sea caves, natural arches, sandy beaches reached only from the sea and medieval castles.
What is the Pirates Route?
A 5-hour sea kayak tour with 2.5 to 3 hours of paddling from Kathara Beach in Faliraki along the east coast of Rhodes, visiting three of the island’s best beaches, sea caves and rock formations, with snorkeling, optional cliff jumping and a Greek picnic lunch.
Guests who skip the pick-up meet at Kathara Beach at 08:00. A BCU-certified guide leads the tour, with a snorkeling mask and tube supplied.
One reviewer’s route ran from Faliraki to Anthony Quinn Bay, Ladiko beach and the coastal caves to Traganou Beach.
The operator, Trekking Hellas, also runs sunrise and sunset options.
What is the lunch on the Pirates Route?
A light, vegetarian Greek picnic of salad, dolmades, cheese, juice and bread with fruit afterwards, served on one of the locals’ favourite beaches after the snorkeling stop.
The picnic follows the swim and snorkel.
Guests bring their own water bottle, since the operator is eliminating plastic bottles.
Hungry guests bring an extra snack.
How fit do you need to be for a Rhodes kayak tour?
One reviewer recovering from knee surgery found the 5-hour route challenging but manageable with the guides’ support.
The guides are skilled kayakers who share tips during the tour.
What is the minimum age for a Rhodes kayak tour?
What is the footsteps of pirates route?
A route starting from a sandy beach midway down the east coast of Rhodes, heading south toward Lindos between two rocky islets, into a bay formed by a sea cave, past two red-sand beaches below Archangelos, Agia Agathi and Haraki Castle, to the fishing port at Kalathos Bay.
The red-sand beaches are hard to reach by land and make the stop for a swim and a Greek salad.
Before Agia Agathi the group snorkels a small bay with a cave to swim through.
What is the Red Sand Beach tour?
The red-sand beaches sit on the coast below Archangelos.
Haraki, or Charaki, is a small fishing village with 130 residents in 2021.
It faces Lindos across a large bay.
What is Haraki Castle?
The route then ends in the fishing port at the start of Kalathos Bay.
From there Lindos and its acropolis shimmer in the distance.
Rhodes Roads describes the medieval castles of this coast as impenetrable from the sea.
What is the Lindos kayak route?
A tour from the main beach of Lindos around the rocky inlets of the bay under the acropolis and the temple of Athena, south to St Paul’s Bay through a narrow channel, then back for a swim and snorkel below the tomb of Kleoboulos, ending with ouzo and mezes.
St Paul’s Bay forms a natural harbour, with a chapel to St Paul that couples choose for weddings.
The white houses of Lindos shine above the bay.
Kleoboulos ruled Lindos in the 6th century BC and was one of the Seven Sages of Greece.
What is Lindos?
An archaeological site and fishing village on the east coast of Rhodes, about 40 kilometres south of the city of Rhodes, whose acropolis carries the Doric temple of Athena Lindia from about 300 BC and a 14th-century fortress of the Knights of St John.
A relief of a Rhodian trireme from about 180 BC is cut into the rock at the foot of the acropolis steps.
Lindos was one of the six Dorian cities of the Dorian Hexapolis.
By the 8th century BC it was a major trading centre.
What is Faliraki?
The fishing harbour of St Apostolos fills in the morning as boats unload and day cruisers leave for Lindos.
Faliraki has the largest water park in Greece.
It lies in the municipal unit of Kallithea.
What does a Rhodes Roads kayak day look like?
A coach pick-up at the hotel between 08:00 and 08:45, paddling from about 09:20 in Perception Horizon and Essence sea kayaks, a Greek snack before the return leg, and arrival back at the hotel at about 16:30.
Guests receive safety gear and waterproof bags.
Isolated beaches on the routes are refuges for wild birds and wild goats.
What is included on a Rhodes kayak tour?
Sea kayaks and safety gear matched to each guest, a certified guide, snorkeling equipment, dry bags and backpacks, and a Greek picnic or snack, with hotel transfers on request or included depending on the operator.
Rhodes Roads includes a coach pick-up.
The Lindos route ends with a glass of ouzo and small Greek mezes.
What do you bring on a Rhodes kayak tour?
A swimsuit, a towel, a small bag, your own water bottle, a hat, sunglasses and sunblock, and a spare pair of shoes you do not mind getting wet.
Shoes that slip on and off help at the landings.
Sunscreen matters, since the water reflects the sun.
Everything else is supplied on the tour.
Can you snorkel on a Rhodes kayak tour?
The Lindos route ends with a swim and snorkel in Lindos Bay.
The snorkeling side sits at Rhodes snorkeling.
What is the cancellation policy?
Book the date and pick-up together.
Transfers need a day’s notice.
What is Rhodes?
The largest of the Dodecanese islands and the ninth largest island in the Mediterranean, with 125,113 people in 2022, called the Island of the Sun after the sun god Helios and ruled by the Knights of St John from 1310 to 1522.
The medieval Old Town of Rhodes is a World Heritage Site.
The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The island page sits at Rhodes.
How do you book a Rhodes kayak tour?
Book online through the operator, GetYourGuide or Viator, choose the route and the start point in Faliraki, Haraki or Lindos, check the minimum age, and request a hotel transfer at least a day ahead where it is not included.
Sunrise and sunset options run on request.
The rest of the island sits at Things to do in Rhodes.
Where does a Rhodes kayak tour paddle?
Along the east coast between Ladiko and Traganou, where sea caves cut into the cliffs, and around the headlands near Kallithea and Anthony Quinn bay.
The east coast is sheltered from the meltemi that hits the western side.
Ladiko bay sits under a pine-covered headland.
The caves at Traganou are entered when the sea is flat.
What does a Rhodes kayak tour see from the water?
Rock arches, caves, pine slopes running down to the shore and small beaches that the road does not reach.
Anthony Quinn bay is a narrow inlet with rock on both sides.
The water sits clear over pale stone in the coves.
The coast towards Lindos rises into higher cliffs.
How long is a Rhodes kayak tour?
Three to four hours for a half-day route and a full day for the longer coastal runs, with swimming stops between legs.
Legs run about an hour of paddling.
Groups land on beaches for rest and swimming.
Full-day trips break on shore for food.
Do you need experience for a Rhodes kayak tour?
No. The guide briefs the group before launch, the kayaks are stable, and beginners paddle doubles.
Life jackets are worn for the whole trip.
The group stays together and the pace follows the slowest boat.
Children paddle in a double with an adult.
When does a Rhodes kayak tour run?
From spring to autumn, with morning launches in summer before the wind builds in the afternoon.
The eastern coast stays calmer than the west through the season.
Trips move or cancel when the sea gets up.
The water is warmest from late summer into October.
What do you take on a Rhodes kayak tour?
Swimwear, a hat, sunscreen, water and shoes that can get wet, with dry bags supplied for phones and cameras.
Shade is scarce on the water.
A light top keeps the sun off during the long legs.
Loose items are stowed in the hatches.
Does a Rhodes kayak tour suit families?
Yes on the sheltered bays, where legs are short and the beaches sit close together.
The cave routes suit stronger paddlers and calm days.
Guides carry water and snacks.
Stops are timed so nobody paddles more than an hour without a break.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a kayak tour in Rhodes?
How long is the Pirates Route?
5 hours in total, with 2.5 to 3 hours of paddling.
Where do Rhodes kayak tours start?
At Kathara Beach in Faliraki, at Haraki, and at the main beach of Lindos.