A Kos pirate cruise is a day at sea on a pirate-style ship from Kos town or Kardamena, with swimming stops and lunch on board. The 3-island cruise sails to Kalymnos, Pserimos and Plati, and the Kardamena cruise visits three bays. Greece Tours lists the cruises that leave from Kos.
This page covers the departure points, the 3-island and 3-bay routes, life on board, lunch, the beaches, the Barco de Pirata, children, the season, what to bring and the pirate history of Kos. The tours below are checked on GetYourGuide.
What is a Kos pirate cruise?
A Kos pirate cruise is a themed day trip on a boat dressed as a pirate ship, with a crew in pirate outfits, swim stops and a lunch served on board. Boats leave Kos Town for three islands or Kardamena for three bays.
The pirate theme shapes the whole trip. On a Kos pirate cruise the ship is themed inside and out for photographs, the crew stay on hand to help guests, and the entertainment team leads a pirate adventure for children while adults join in or relax on deck. Each route adds swim stops in clear water and time ashore or at anchor.
Kos pirate cruises run on two main routes. The Kos Town route is a Kos 3-island cruise to Pserimos, Kalymnos and Plati, and the Kardamena route visits three bays on the island’s south-west coast. The boats carry their own names, among them the Barco De Pirata, the Pirate of Kos and the Maria Magdalini. Listings for both routes include a meal and free cancellation.
Where does a Kos pirate cruise depart from?
A Kos pirate cruise departs from one of two harbours: Kos Harbour in Kos Town for the three-island route, or Kardamena harbour on the south coast for the three-bay route. Hotel transfers from the resorts reach the Kos Town departures on selected tours.
In Kos Town, the Kos pirate cruise boats leave from the main port, where a fortress built by the Knights Hospitaller in 1315 stands at the harbour entrance. The Barco De Pirata boards at Kos Harbour, and its operator advises guests to arrive at the start of boarding for a smoother check-in and a better choice of seats, because the boat cannot wait past its departure time.
On the south coast, Kardamena, a former fishing village 7 km from the island’s airport at Antimachia, is the base for the three-bay Kos pirate cruise. That trip has no hotel pick-up, and guests arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before departure. For the Kos Town route, optional paid transfers run from Kardamena, Mastichari, Marmari and Tigkaki, and one tour includes a return hotel transfer.
What is the 3-island Kos pirate cruise to Kalymnos, Pserimos and Plati?
The 3-island Kos pirate cruise is a full-day trip from Kos Town that stops at Pserimos for a swim, Kalymnos for sightseeing in the sponge divers’ harbour and the islet of Plati for a second swim, with lunch served on board between stops.
The stop order on a Kos pirate cruise changes between listings: one sails to Pserimos first and serves lunch before Kalymnos, and another reaches Kalymnos first and serves lunch before Pserimos. Pserimos lies between Kalymnos and Kos, covers 11 square kilometres and had 84 inhabitants at the 2021 census; for a shorter Pserimos day trip from Kos, a 4-hour boat pairs the island with the Blue Lagoon.
On Kalymnos, 12 km north of Kos, the Kos pirate cruise stops in Pothia, the capital of what is billed as the Sponge-divers’ island, where guests see the historic sponge warehouses or ride an optional 20-minute train through the town. Kalymnian divers once harvested sponges as close as Pserimos and as far as North Africa. Guests who want longer book a full Kalymnos day trip from Kos.
What is the Kardamena 3-bay Kos pirate cruise?
The Kardamena 3-bay Kos pirate cruise is a 6.5-hour trip on the pirate ship Maria Magdalini from Kardamena harbour to three bays, Kefalos, Agios Stefanos and Paradise Beach, with beach time at each stop and a Greek BBQ lunch served back on board.
Sail Away Kos, a cruise agency in Kardamena, sells this Kos pirate cruise with 1.5 hours at Kefalos, where guests walk the harbour and waterfront or explore the beaches, 1 hour at Agios Stefanos for swimming or diving, and 1.5 hours on the golden sand of Paradise Beach. The ticket covers the boat ride and the Greek BBQ lunch.
Two GetYourGuide listings sell this trip on the Maria Magdalini. One names the bays as Kefalos Beach, Camel Bay and Bubble Beach, and the other as Kefalos Beach, Kastri Island and Paradise Beach. Both listings include the meal and offer free cancellation, and the boat returns to Kardamena harbour at the end of the day.
What happens on board a Kos pirate cruise?
On board a Kos pirate cruise, a crew in pirate outfits runs the entertainment, guests sunbathe between islands and eat a freshly prepared lunch, and at each swim stop swimmers slide, jump or climb down the side of the boat into the water.
The Pirate of Kos is a three-decked wooden pirate boat that can host up to 250 passengers, and each deck has its own mood, from sunbathing on top to a laid-back setting and a cooler spot downstairs. Facilities on board include toilets, changing rooms and fresh-water showers, and the captain anchors close to shore at the islands.
On arrival, the crew welcome guests and explain the facilities, and the Pirate of Kos ticket includes an English-speaking guide and onboard animation. The Barco De Pirata trip adds a waterslide for the swim stops, and its listing is marked wheelchair accessible. Between islands, guests on a Kos pirate cruise watch the water for dolphins.
Is lunch included on a Kos pirate cruise?
Yes, lunch is included on both Kos pirate cruise routes: the Kos Town boats serve a Greek lunch or a barbecue, and the Kardamena boat serves a Greek BBQ, each with a vegetarian choice. Drinks are not included in the ticket on any boat.
Lunch on a Kos pirate cruise is served on board rather than ashore. On the Kos Town route it follows the first island stop, and on the Kardamena route guests return to the boat for the BBQ after time at the bays. Menus differ by boat, and the Pirate of Kos promises dishes for all dietary preferences:
- Barco De Pirata: a Greek lunch with chicken souvlaki or a vegetarian dish.
- Pirate of Kos: a barbecue of souvlaki, chicken, pork or fish, with Greek salad, pita, beans and dolmadaki, plus vegetarian and gluten-free dishes on request.
- Maria Magdalini from Kardamena: a Greek BBQ with vegetarian and gluten-free options.
On a Kos pirate cruise, drinks sit outside the meal deal: the Barco De Pirata does not let guests bring their own drinks aboard, the Pirate of Kos runs a bar stocked with refreshments, and both Sail Away Kos trips, from Kos Town and from Kardamena, list snacks and drinks as optional extras.
How long does a Kos pirate cruise last?
A Kos pirate cruise lasts a full day: 7 to 7.5 hours on the Kos Town 3-island route and 6.5 hours on the Kardamena 3-bay route. A shorter pirate trip from Kardamena to St. Antonios and Yali lasts 4 hours 30 minutes.
On the Kos Town route, a Kos pirate cruise timetable gives 50 minutes on Pserimos, 1 hour 30 minutes on Kalymnos and 1 hour at Plati, with lunch and the crossings filling the rest of the day. A second listing gives between 45 minutes and an hour and a half on each island, so the time at each stop differs between listings.
Hotel transfers lengthen the day at both ends: on the Pirate of Kos trip, a vehicle collects guests from Kardamena hotels before boarding at Kos Harbour and drops them back at their hotel after the return. The GetYourGuide listings close bookings 30 minutes to 1 hour before departure, so same-day plans still work.
Which beaches and bays does a Kos pirate cruise stop at?
A Kos pirate cruise from Kos Harbour stops at the sandy village beach of Pserimos and the islet of Plati, and the pirate boats from Kardamena visit Kefalos Beach, Agios Stefanos, Kastri Island, Paradise Beach, Bubble Beach and Camel Bay.
Pserimos is a small island between Kalymnos and Kos, and tourism is its main industry. Sailaway Kos gives its passengers 50 minutes there to swim or browse the local shops and cafés. Plati, the last stop of the Kos pirate cruise, gets 1 hour, and Barco Tours guests dive straight from the boat.
Kefalos Beach lies on the Bay of Kamari below Kefalos town, where the resorts of Kamari, Kampos and Onia follow the bay and the ruins of the early Christian Basilica of Agios Stefanos stand at Kamari. Our Kos beaches page covers the island’s other shores.
What is the Barco de Pirata Kos pirate cruise?
The Barco de Pirata Kos pirate cruise is the full-day trip of Barco Tours, a Kos Harbour operator in Kos Town, sailing its pirate ship across the Dodecanese to Pserimos, Kalymnos and Plati with a freshly prepared Greek lunch on board.
Barco Tours runs two day ships from one harbour: Barco de Pirata and the Kos Pearl, which stops for swims at Vathi, Pserimos and the Blue Lagoon. Booking a seat on the Kos pirate cruise works in three steps: pick a sailing, choose your spot on the real deck plan, then pay by card or Apple Pay, and a QR boarding pass arrives by email.
The same ship hosts the Magic Sunset Party Cruise on Tuesdays and Fridays, an adults-only evening for over-18s with onboard DJs and a welcome drink; see our Kos sunset cruise page for evening sailings. GetYourGuide lists the day trip as wheelchair accessible, and travellers weighing boat types can compare a Kos catamaran cruise.
Is a Kos pirate cruise good for children?
Yes, a Kos pirate cruise suits children: Barco Tours labels Barco de Pirata a family pirate ship, GetYourGuide describes its trip as a pirate adventure for all ages, and Sailaway Kos runs its pirate-themed cruises from Kos Port for family fun.
On the Pirate of Kos, kids join the costumed crew for a pirate adventure while adults take part or unwind. At Plati, Sailaway Kos passengers use the onboard water slide, climb down the boat’s side or jump in, and the Barco de Pirata Kos pirate cruise is sold on GetYourGuide with lunch and a waterslide.
Child tickets on the Pirate of Kos cover ages 3 to 11, with a separate infant category for ages 0 to 2. The three-deck boat holds up to 250 passengers, with sun on the top deck and shade on the lower levels. For more family ideas, see Kos with kids.
What do you need to bring on a Kos pirate cruise?
Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a camera on a Kos pirate cruise, the list Barco Tours gives for Barco de Pirata, plus a clear photo of your passport or driving licence, which the local port authority requires before departure.
Carry cash as well: Barco Tours includes no drinks on its day cruises, and packages for the Pirate of Kos advise cash for drinks or ice creams. Sailaway Kos lists the optional 20-minute train ride through Pothia on Kalymnos as an extra on its Kos pirate cruise.
Arrive early for a Kos pirate cruise. Add these extras to the bag:
- A waterproof case for a phone or camera
- Snorkelling gear for the underwater world off Plati
- The QR boarding pass that Barco Tours sends by email
- Your hotel name and room number for Sailaway Kos transfers
When is the season for a Kos pirate cruise?
The Kos pirate cruise season runs from late spring to the end of November: the Pirate of Kos sails every day in that window, Sailaway Kos runs its two pirate-themed adventures from Kos Port daily through the summer, and GetYourGuide lists departures in late October.
The meltemi, the strong, dry north wind of the Aegean, blows in spells from late spring to mid-September. It peaks in the afternoon, rises in clear weather without warning and can reach force 7 to 8 on the Beaufort scale, so check the daily sea-conditions forecast that Barco Tours posts in Beaufort before a Kos pirate cruise.
Four GetYourGuide listings for a Kos pirate cruise take bookings until 1 hour before departure, or 30 minutes on one Kardamena bay cruise, and all carry free cancellation. Kos has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, and the northerly meltemi tempers the summer heat of the region.
What pirate history lies behind a Kos pirate cruise?
A Kos pirate cruise departs from an island with real pirate history: Turkish corsairs raided Kos from the 14th century onwards, and the Knights Hospitaller, who knew the island as Lango, built the castle of Nerantzia at the entrance to its harbour.
Corsairs raided Kos centuries before the first Kos pirate cruise, as early as the Roman era. During the raids of Yıldırım Bayezid between 1391 and 1396, two towers went up in the southeast and southwest sections of the castle, and in 1455 Hamza Bey led the first serious Ottoman attack, destroying the Andimacheia Castle. The Knights, based on Rhodes, fought Barbary pirates through the 15th century.
The castle of Nerantzia takes its name from the bitter-orange trees planted across Kos in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Its older inner enclosure is rectangular with 4 tall corner towers behind a wide moat, and with the Castle of St Peter at Bodrum it controlled the sea passage to the Holy Land. Plan a visit with our castle of Nerantzia page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim on a Kos pirate cruise?
Yes. Every Barco de Pirata ticket includes swimming stops at Pserimos and Plati, GetYourGuide invites guests on the Kalymnos, Pserimos and Plati pirate adventure to dive into crystal-clear water, and a Kos pirate cruise from Kardamena on the Maria Magdalini stops for swims at three bays.
Does a Kos pirate cruise include hotel pick-up?
It depends on the boat. Packages for the Pirate of Kos include a hotel transfer both ways from Kardamena hotels, GetYourGuide lists pick-up on its Kalymnos, Pserimos and Plati pirate adventure, and Sailaway Kos offers transfers from Kardamena, Mastichari, Marmari and Tigaki. Its 3-bay cruise from Kardamena has no hotel pick-up.
Is a Kos pirate cruise suitable for people who get seasick?
Yes, with precautions. Seasickness comes from the rocking motion of a boat, and the greatest contributor is retreating below decks, so stay on the open deck and focus on the horizon. Antihistamines such as dimenhydrinate work better taken before symptoms begin, and the meltemi blows strongest in the afternoon.
Is there a bar on a Kos pirate cruise?
Yes. The Pirate of Kos carries a bar well stocked with refreshments, Sailaway Kos sells snacks and drinks from its onboard bar, and Barco de Pirata runs two fully stocked bars on its sunset party cruise. Barco Tours guests cannot bring their own drinks aboard.