Friday, November 15, 2013

Offbeat destinations - Greek Islands

Well, for a desi traveller, the itinerary to Europe is mostly very templated. It's mostly Western Europe that attracts most desis but there are some true gems in other parts as well which don't get covered by package tours and travel mags. One such region is the pack of Greek Islands.

Greece is known for all the wrong reasons of late but tourism at Greek Islands has always been a top draw especially for the Western travellers. It has a lot to do with the Mediterranean climate and the vibe of these islands which appeals to the party animals.


Now, you need not cover all islands at one go but depending on your objective and budget you can choose a couple of islands. Islands like Mykonos and Rhodes attract lot of Scandinavians and are therefore relatively expensive. Same is the case with Santorini which is essentially a honeymoon destination. So single/stag travellers need not waste money on it. May to September is the ideal time for these islands. If you do not want too much tourist crowd then better go in May-June as the summer holidays are yet to start in Europe. July-Aug will be full of tourists from all parts of the world

Remember, Greek Islands are located at the South East corner of Europe and are therefore near to both Turkey and Italy. Thankfully, you have RyanAir flying to most of these islands, so check the connections before you plan your itinerary. If Greek Islands is your only destination then start off with Athens. You can spend a day for ancient Greek architecture in mainland Greece and subsequently move to Greek Islands each of which is an hour's flight away from Athens. There are also ferries that can take you to the islands but take about 7-8 hours. Bad idea if you suffer from sea-sickness.

Islands like Corfu, Kos, Naxos, etc are relatively cheaper and attract mostly British travellers. You will find lot of young crowd on these islands who normally come to just get wasted. You can come across some of the most wildest parties on these islands. The Pink Palace resort in Corfu is the most famous or infamous destination for party animals as it has the whole host of activities to offer for revellers. One should try Quad-bike safari, para-sailing, booze-cruise, etc.

Eating/drinking, etc is quite inexpensive in this region but make sure you drink only bottled water. Greek people are very warm and nice and if you can befriend a local then you can have a nice time chatting with them. 
So, if you are looking to stay off the beaten track then this is these islands are the place to be. But if you are one of those sober, 'play-safe' kind of travellers then better stick to the postcard destinations.

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