Rhodes Town Boat Trip to Symi Island and St George Bay: Is It Worth It?
So, dreaming of escaping the everyday bustle of Rhodes Town and heading out onto the crystal-clear Aegean Sea? A boat trip to Symi Island and St. George Bay sounds, too it’s almost, like a pretty great idea, right? Well, these excursions are, basically, super popular with visitors, that actually, want a slice of authentic Greek island life and a swim in some postcard-worthy waters. Very, very beautiful!. This, I would say, detailed review explores every aspect of the trip, and really, helps you decide if it’s the right adventure for you. A little bit, a day trip, or more or less, an escape?
What to Expect on the Rhodes to Symi Boat Trip
So, what can you realistically expect once you step aboard the boat in Rhodes Town? The experience, arguably, could be broken down into several parts. A little, nearly all tours, tend to start early. Expect, anyway, a departure from Mandraki Harbour probably somewhere between 8:30 and 9:30 AM. This really, allows for a full day of exploring, and a first glimpse, like your, into the sunrise over the Aegean. Now, isn’t that a nice way to kick things off?.
The Voyage to Symi
Anyway, after setting sail, it usually takes somewhere between 1.5 to 2 hours to get to Symi. I mean, that, more or less, depends a bit on the boat. Often, some operators even use smaller, quicker vessels than others. As I was saying, the boat ride, tends to be very pleasant, you know? And actually, if you get lucky, sometimes dolphins will even playfully follow the boat. That’s the stuff that actually, makes these kinds of trips really memorable.
Exploring Symi Town (Gialos)
Once you reach Symi, you often have approximately 3 to 4 hours of free time to explore Symi Town, often referred to as Gialos. So, picture this, the harbor opens up to reveal a cascade of colorful buildings that cling to the hillsides. Pretty picture, yeah? The island actually, offers an, arguably, could be, inviting scene. Very narrow streets lined with shops that sell everything from natural sponges to local herbs. And seriously, too, it’s almost, wonderful!. Oh, and you can’t leave without sampling some Symi shrimp – tiny, very succulent shrimp often served pan-fried. Yummy.
St. George Bay: Swimming in Paradise
After Symi, the boat trip, usually, heads to St. George Bay (also known as Agios Georgios Disalonas). Usually, it’s the perfect spot to end the day!. Imagine yourself swimming in waters so clear that you feel you’re virtually, floating in air. Surrounded, anyway, by towering cliffs. I mean, very beautiful! A bit of a paradise. The bay, for instance, gives you around an hour to swim, sunbathe, and relax. It, basically, often gets pretty busy with tourist boats but the overall experience usually makes up for it.
The Pros and Cons of a Rhodes to Symi Boat Trip
Alright, so now for the moment of, anyway, truth! Just a little bit, let’s weigh the pros and cons to help you decide whether this boat trip actually, lines up with your interests and priorities. Are you into swimming, relaxation, and generally, pleasant views?
The Upsides: Why You Should Go
Here’s why this trip often scores pretty highly for a lot of people:
- Incredible Scenery: You get breathtaking views of the islands, coastlines, and the Aegean Sea. This, very few times, disappoints.
- Exploring Symi: Symi is just really beautiful! You get to experience its colorful town, quaint shops, and local flavors in a rather authentic way.
- Swimming in Crystal-Clear Waters: St. George Bay’s water is usually, totally something special, you know?
- Relaxation: A very slow day out on the water often can be really restorative, especially, given that, you are doing tons of sightseeing.
The Downsides: What to Consider
Basically, now here are some factors you actually, might want to consider before booking:
- Crowds: These trips are, often, pretty popular, and this tends to mean, of course, that Symi Town and St. George Bay actually, can get really crowded, mostly during peak season.
- Limited Time: Given that, with just 3-4 hours in Symi and 1 hour at St. George Bay, arguably, it can feel rather rushed if you actually, want to really explore deeply.
- Weather Dependent: If there are pretty strong winds or bad weather, and like your, most boat trips can get canceled. So you’re always, I would say, rolling the dice on mother nature.
- Cost: These trips actually, range, for instance, from €30 to €60 per person, so, for instance, if you’re on a pretty tight budget, I want to say that it actually, might feel a little, just a little, pricey.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Boat Trip
Now, if you’ve decided to go for it, there actually, are several ways you could do to pretty much make sure you have a fantastic day. Do these next items.
What to Bring
Packing smart really helps!:
- Swimsuit and towel: Totally obvious, right? For, very relaxing dips in that wonderful water.
- Sunscreen and Hat: Because the sun can be incredibly harsh. Obviously.
- Comfortable Shoes: I mean, you will do a ton of walking on uneven paths and stairs in Symi. Pretty common.
- Water and Snacks: It, definitely, helps to stay hydrated and keep hunger at bay. Obviously.
- Camera: Because, for example, you’ll want to capture all the absolutely pretty amazing scenery! A great time!.
Choosing the Right Boat Tour Operator
Arguably, not all boat tours have the same experience, actually:
- Read Reviews: Seriously, see what other travellers said about the boat tour you, might be, tending to book. As a matter of fact, look for clues on their customer service, the cleanliness of the boat, and adherence to schedules.
- Compare Itineraries: Actually, do all of the tours include the exact, exactly same stops? So you see which matches your interest. What do you fancy?.
- Check the Boat Size: Smaller boats, mostly, tend to offer a really intimate experience, on the other hand, I mean, large boats sometimes can feel much more crowded but are usually, typically more stable in case, you know, of pretty choppy waters. I mean that’s just it!.
- Consider Included Amenities: Actually, does the price include drinks, meals, or snorkeling equipment? The more items you have on the go, I mean the bigger you can spend!
Making the Most of Your Time in Symi
To optimize your time, I want to say that doing this next step makes it great for you.
- Explore Beyond the Harbor: A quick exploration really can be quite worth it if you venture away from the crowded waterfront in Symi Town!. So you explore the backstreets. Now, if that doesn’t spell amazing, I don’t know what will!.
- Eat Local: Now, avoid the tourist traps on the main drag by venturing just a little bit further. Some of the little tavernas, like your, in the backstreets offer often an, often more authentic cuisine at often better prices. Try the Symi Shrimp. You really have to!.
- Visit the Church of Panagia: Very cool! A beautiful church that tends to be just a short walk from the main part of town with gorgeous frescoes.
Alternative Options for Visiting Symi
Sometimes, you, like your, decide a boat trip might be that great, alright? So if you really rather, basically, want to visit Symi and avoid any of the group boat tours, you can pick alternative ways of, basically, getting to Symi, okay? Let’s do it.
Ferry from Rhodes
Actually, you could take a scheduled ferry from Rhodes Town directly to Symi. Doing that, just a little, let you be free and control what you want to do!. And you have, for example, as much time you want to spend. Pretty convenient, yeah? Just right, maybe.
Private Boat Charter
Basically, if your group is of, basically, fair size and it really doesn’t hurt your pocket that much, arguably, booking a private boat just a little, let’s you a ton of personalization of the day’s activities. All you want!. To make it much more yours!
Is the Rhodes to Symi Boat Trip Worth It?
Actually, at the end of the day, I would say it depends what your interests are when assessing if the Rhodes to Symi boat tour makes it to the bucket list. Basically, if you basically prioritize, seriously, incredible beauty, swimming in crazy-beautiful waters, and an opportunity in seeing, I would say, at least some other Greek island, arguably, this trip really is actually worth it!. But it just depends how much you dislike a good crowd.