Small-Group Sailing, Private Speedboat or Fishing Trip: Which Kos Boat Day?
5 min read
If you want a full boat day with fewer people than the big cruises, book the small-group full-day sailing trip: €145 per person, 7 hours, 4.7 stars from 198 reviews, with meal, drinks and swim stops. For a group of up to six who want to choose the route, the private speedboat costs €240 per group. For a short, cheap morning, a 3-hour fishing trip from €46.50 per person is the pick.
Compared
| Option | Duration | From | Rating · reviews | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-group full-day sailing | 7 hours | €145 per person | 4.7 · 198 | Couples and friends wanting a long day |
| Private speedboat, no licence required | 3 – 6 hours | €240 per group of up to 6 | 4.6 · 178 | Groups who set their own pace |
| Fishing trip with a Greek fisherman’s family | 3 hours | €48 per person | 4.5 · 164 | A morning with a local crew |
| Captain Tasos fishing trip | 3 hours | €50 per person | 4.8 · 70 | Catching your own fish |
Sailing: the long day
The sailing trip is the only one of the four that is all-inclusive in its description: a day on the Aegean with a lunch on the water, drinks, and swimming and snorkelling in spots reachable only by boat. At €145 it costs several times what the large 7-hour cruises on Kos charge, and the money buys a smaller group rather than a longer programme. It is worth it if the crowded deck is what put you off the standard cruise; it is poor value if you mostly want a cheap day at sea. Our guide to which boat to choose for the three islands covers that cheaper end.
Check dates for the small-group sailing day
Speedboat: you decide
The speedboat is rented for 3 or 6 hours, and the listing names Kos, Kefalos, Therma and Pserimos as places to head for. No boating licence is needed. The price is for the boat, so a full group of six pays a fraction per head, while a couple pays all €240 themselves. That arithmetic decides it: it works for families and friends splitting the cost, and it rarely makes sense for two. The description does not say whether a skipper or fuel is included, so confirm on the booking page.
See availability for the private speedboat
Fishing: the short morning
Both fishing trips last 3 hours. The first is a traditional morning trip with Greek methods along the southern coastline, run by a fisherman’s family. The second, with Captain Tasos, is built around sustainable fishing and a catch you keep, and it has the higher rating, though on far fewer reviews. If you want the family-run morning, pick the first; if keeping your catch is the point, pick the second.
Check the fishing trip with a fisherman’s family
View the Captain Tasos fishing trip
Neither fishing trip is a swimming or sightseeing day. Anyone expecting islands and lunch should look at the sailing trip or the cruises on our boat trips page.
Our recommendation
Most travellers do best with the small-group sailing day if the budget stretches, because it is the best-reviewed of the long options and includes the meal. Book the speedboat only for a group of four to six, and the fishing trip when you want something different for a morning rather than a replacement for a beach day.
