Friday, August 15, 2026 | Chania hostel
I added a quick stay in Milos to my Greek odyssey, an island that has intrigued me by its white cliffs and reputation as a quieter but growing tourist destination. I arrived a little delayed from Naxos by ferry, and after checking in at my walkable hotel (the most expensive lodging of my entire trip at $143 a night), I ran out for a quick bite at 10pm. I was surprised to find the area of Adamas around the port totally hopping with people out dining and walking around. I found a takeaway gyro that was delicious and cheap, then conked out to maximize my 2 full days on the island.
Two days wasn’t enough time for me to get a good feel for the vibe of Milos. It was beautiful, for sure, as are all the Greek islands. I spoke to some very nice locals: my hotel staff and a shop worker who also wanted to solo travel more. I thought Milos was a little fancier of an island compared to Naxos, but it still had a somewhat chill vibe.
My first day was spent sailing on a yacht, a $150 splurge that entailed lots of lounging on a sunny boat deck with young couples. I really enjoyed the difficult windy sailing section that required the sail to come out and getting splashed. Although it was a little uncomfortable, I thought about how I could be sitting at home wishing I was having an adventure like this one. The scenery where we stopped was awesome; I loved snorkeling through a cave in Kleftiko and seeing the colorful fishing village of Klima. It was a little too much sun for me though, and I found the group wasn’t the most open to a solo traveler being amongst them.
The second day I took an excursion via a short public bus to Sarakiniko beach, an Instagram-famous white cliffside rock formation that drew me to the island. It is popular for a reason; I loved it! Rather than feeling like a beach destination, it was more of a small hike and exploration area, though many people were sunbathing and there was a small beach area where it was calm enough to swim. There was a cave, places to climb, and really interesting white and creamy rock formations. When the winds are calm people often cliff jump around the area, but it was much too dangerous to do that when I visited. Instead I got to stare into tide pools and unruly waves crashing into the different rock formations. After a bit the bright sun exposure was overwhelming me again, so I took the next bus back 2 hours after arriving. Waiting under the one shady tree near the bus stop, a street cat very aggressively played with me and other travelers, trying to get any food it could get its paws on.
The rest of my time in Milos was spent eating more delicious food and wandering the area, with some rest time and an early night. I grumpily woke to my alarm at 1:30am on my last day, got myself out to the port, and hopped onto my 3am boat to Crete. I snoozed awkwardly across some chairs next to snoring people sprawled across the floor and all around me. Despite the annoying travel time, I was ready to settle into a new destination for a little more time.
travels.of.tara 