Water taxi around the coves of Poros

The water taxis of Poros are small wooden boats, usually painted blue and white, that leave the town waterfront and cross to the beaches on the west coast. There is no published timetable, no booking and no ticket office. You agree the price out loud on the quay and the boat leaves when there are enough people.

It is a system that predates organised tourism and still works exactly the same way, and it is one of the things people like most about this island.

How it works in practice

You go down to the waterfront, near where the small boats moor, and you ask. There is always someone. You say where you are going (Neorio, Love Bay, Russian Bay) and they tell you the price and when it leaves.

Short runs, such as Neorio, have traditionally been in the region of 3 to 6 euros per person. Longer ones, out to Love Bay or Russian Bay, go up to 8 or 12 euros. Prices vary with the season, the number of passengers and the time of day, and it is worth agreeing them before you get in.

To come back you do the same from the beach: there are boats anchored or passing by, and you wave them down. In high season they come past constantly. Out of season, ask the skipper for his phone number when he drops you off.

You can also hire private trips of one or two hours along the coast, stopping at several coves. There the price is negotiated for the whole boat and runs between 60 and 120 euros depending on length and season.

Why it is worth it

Because arriving at these beaches by sea is a different thing. You see the wooded coast of Kalavria from the water, the pines dropping down to the shore, the hidden coves you cannot see from the road.

Because it saves you hiring a scooter, hunting for a parking space (which at Love Bay in August is genuinely miserable) and walking along roads with no verge.

And because, honestly, it is how people on this island have always got about.

Pain points

No fixed timetables. If you are a planner, this may frustrate you. The fix is to ask at the quay in the morning and get a sense of that day’s frequency.

Negotiated prices. There is no official tariff on display. Ask two or three skippers before getting in, especially in August.

Cash. Almost none of them take cards. Bring small notes.

No cover or shade on many boats. The trip is short, but at midday in July you feel it. Hat and sun cream.

They may not run in rough seas. That is rare in the Poros channel, which is very sheltered, but with a strong southerly some will suspend service to the more exposed beaches.

With small children: life jackets are not always available on the smaller boats. If you are travelling with babies, ask beforehand or take the bus.

The plan we recommend

Water taxi out to Russian Bay first thing, a ten-minute walk to Love Bay, swimming and snorkelling there, then walk or take a boat on to Neorio for fish at the water’s edge. Back to the harbour by water taxi in mid-afternoon.

It is a perfect half day, needs no vehicle hire and costs little more than 20 euros per person in transport.

And for the other half day, cross on the shuttle to Galatas and walk up to the lemon forest. Between the boats and the shuttle, on Poros almost everything is done by water, which is exactly how it should be on an island.