Water sports and leisure activities Dodecanese

This diving school operates with professionalism and offers an impeccable, warm and responsible service since 1996. All the necessary diving equipment is provided for each sea trip, but it is also possible to dive with your own equipment. The instructors have all the official guarantees (PADI, CMAS, SSI): you can trust George and his team! In summer, departures are made every day at 9am on board the Armonia: the sites vary according to the weather and the customers' experience.

Beginners and advanced divers alike can take advantage of the island's warm, clear waters, 30-metre visibility and variety of dive spots, thanks to Rhodes Diving Academy. This establishment, a branch of the Lepia dive center, is more focused on learning and developing diving skills. It is PADI-certified and the staff are trained to welcome disabled divers. The team is young, passionate and friendly.

Kefalos Bay is home to one of the best windsurfing spots on Kos. In recent years, wingfoil has also developed here: you'll find navigation details in our special report at the beginning of this guide. There's also a reference address for professional lessons and courses and/or for renting quality equipment. There's also a kitesurfing spot at Kohilari, on the north coast of the Kefalos peninsula, though it's less well-known than Psalidi.

Kefalos Windsurfing (+30 697 762 0316 - www.kefaloswindsurfing.com): individual or group lessons.

Diving is the historical queen of aquatic practices in Kalymnos: the marine fauna is particularly rich and the seabed is covered with shipwrecked vessels from all periods. Diving is highly regulated: any archaeological findings must be reported to the authorities. Legislation is being reviewed to facilitate the creation of underwater museums in the island's waters. A club to note, south of Pothia:

Kalymnos Diving Club (+30 693 875 5896 - kalymnosdiving.com) : PADI training, outings and equipment rental.

This is the queen activity of Leros: not surprising when you consider the tragic history of this strategic base during the Second World War. The seabed is littered with shipwrecks of ships that were torpedoed and sunk during the hard battle of Leros, as well as warplanes. The most famous case is the destroyer Queen Olga, which is a unique diving site today. A club to note for your outings, PADI training and equipment rental:

Hydrovius Diving Centre (+30 22470 26025 - www.hydrovius.gr) located in Krithoni

The long beach of Theologos is exposed to the meltemi and offers unique conditions for windsurfing, kitesurfing and wingfoiling. The spot is ideal for beginners looking for a flat ride. Freeride and slalom experts can wait for the wind to pick up in the afternoon. There are two professional addresses for training and equipment hire:

WetSkillz (+30 6944 222 689 - wetskillz.com).

Surf & Kite Theologos (+30 224 108 2203 - www.surftheologos.com)

The beaches near the city centre are almost impassable in the summer because they are overcrowded. This is particularly the case of the seafront that runs northwards along the town, in the Lambi area where hotels and deckchairs follow one another. Towards the south-east of Kos-city, the beaches are a little less crowded:

Psalidi, perfect for kitesurfing but beware of crowds too (3 km away)

Aghios Fokas, famous for its clear waters but avoid the resorts section (8 km away)

Embros Therma with its source of sulphurous water that heats up to 40 °C and its beautiful landscapes (12 km away)

The Psalidi spot on the north-eastern tip of the island is one of Greece's most famous for windsurfing, kitesurfing and now wingfoiling. These are actually two separate spots, just 1 km apart. We have detailed the sailing conditions in the special report at the beginning of this guide. Numerous clubs have set up shop here, but we've chosen a friendly, serious address that's well known among professionals:

Windzone (+30 6939117475 or +30 6979723193 - windzone-kos.gr)offers equipment and courses for all three sports.

Managed by an expert team of marine biologists, Blutopia offers since 1995 a complete discovery of the fauna and flora of the Aegean Sea through diving in crystal clear waters. From diving for beginners, in shallow waters, to proposals for the more expert in the open sea among caves and wrecks. Blutopia is a center with a strong commitment to the environment. It also offers educational trips to the marine reserve where you can visit a fish farm, discover the ecosystem that develops around it and the unique benefits of aquaculture, its nutritional value for people and its contribution to the protection of the sea. Don't miss the opportunity to take advantage of the day trips and visit the Alimia and Chalki islands.

In Grikos itself, you can swim on a small, busy beach before walking along the enormous bay to the rock that closes it off on a sandy isthmus. It is said to possess magnetic healing powers. The bay of Petra extends across the isthmus: good swimmers should head for the islet of Tragonissi (beware of currents!). Walkers will prefer the path dotted with wild coves that continues south to the shipyard. It's a magnificent, unspoilt walk in this corner of Patmos, between sea and sky.

The bays of Ixia and Ialyssos offer ideal riding conditions, with spots of varying difficulty. Kremasti is more suited to kitesurfing, while the bay of Ialyssos is geared towards windsurfing and wingfoil (the spot hosted the European wingfoil championships in 2022). Two professional addresses to remember for your lessons and equipment hire:

Windsurfers' World: +30 22410 24995 - windsurfersworld.gr

ProCenter Rhodos: +30 22410 96177 - www.procenter-rhodos.com