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ncrockclimber
Jun 16, 2008, 6:05 PM
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My wife and I are planning a trip to Kalymnos in spring 2009. We are using frequent flyer miles, and therefore plan on making our flight reservations as early as possible. We have done a TON of research on the internet, but are looking for additional input from people who have been there. Specifically, we would appreciate input on the following issues:
Timing – I have heard that spring and fall are the best times to go. We are planning on a spring (February or March) trip. Is that too early? Are hotels, restaurants and other “tourist” services available at that time? Some hotels that advertise on the internet seem to be closed in the winter / early spring. We do not mind roughing it or renting a studio (if cheap), and look forward to traveling in the “off season,” but just want to make sure that we will be able to find somewhere to stay.
Where to stay - Armeos, Masouri, and Myrties seem to be the towns that are most popular, with Masouri leading the way. Should I try to book online, or just find something when I get there? Any suggestions from folks who have been? Cost per night? Best location?
Transportation on island – thinking about renting a scooter. Have rented cars in Europe with an American drivers license. Will that be all I need in Kalymnos? Is scooter a good idea?
Climbing shop – Is there one there? Where can I go to get beta?
Guidebook – What is the best / most current version to purchase? Where to buy?
Other Sources - can anyone suggest good european forums that might have info on Kalymnos.
ANY INPUT that you have to offer would be appreciated. Although timing, accommodations and transportation are my big issues, I am really open to advise on ANY subject from anyone that has been there.
Thanks in advance for the help!
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snowey
Jun 16, 2008, 7:03 PM
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I don't know much about the timing though I have heard that Kalymnos is becoming more and more a year round place. I don't know much about the other places so I will only be talking about Massouri.
If I were to go again I would definitely stay in Massouri as everything is in walking distance and you can get by without any form of transportation. You should just find something when you get there. I think I paid 15 euros a night for a two bed room room all by myself. If you want a sea view it costs a bit extra. If I were you I would insist on not having a sea view in order to save some money. I found that I spent nearly zero time in my room.
You can rent scooters once you are in massouri. I would suggest taking a cab to Massouri from the port/airport, walking around until you find a place to stay, go climbing for a few days in the nearby sectors (e.g. Grand Grotta, Spartacus, Odyssey Jurrasic Park, etc...) and then after you get your bearings rent a scooter for a couple of days to go to the places that are a bit further.
There are two climbing shops in Massouri. One on either end of town. You can buy a climbing guide there or in any tourist shop throughout Massouri. Prepare to spend ~40 euros on a beautiful full color book. Its a new guide book by Ari Theodoropolus (spelling?).
Other advice.
* If you are staying in Massouri, pick a snack bar and stick to it for drinks, snacks, etc... They are all family run and its really nice being a local someplace, even if its only for a week.
* Bring a snorkel to play with in the sea. When the sun hits the walls, people usually retire to the swimming pools and swimming holes.
* I don't know about early season but I was there in October and it was really nice having a pool at the place in which I was staying. Again for afternoon relaxation.
* Order a Frappe' on a warm afternoon (cold coffee drink).
You can see my mini TR with lots of pics here:
http://pullharder.org/...-pinching-in-greaks/
(This post was edited by snowey on Jun 16, 2008, 7:05 PM)
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nthusiastj
Jun 16, 2008, 7:20 PM
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Timing-
My GF and I were there in March. We were one of 3 couples climbing there at the time. We were told that we were there really early. Only one of the many resturants there were open. It was like a ghost town. The people that were there were super nice and some old lady fixed us a free breakfast since there were no places open to get food.
It was really cold and it rained 8 of the 10 days we were there.
-I would see about going later unless you hear from elsewhere that it will be "in" season.
Stay in Masouri. It's right at the base of all the cliffs.
I don't remember what we paid. We were the only people in our hotel and the owner opened it just for us.
We found our place on Hostels.com I think.
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ncrockclimber
Jun 17, 2008, 2:17 PM
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Thanks for both the replies! They are VERY helpful!
If anyone else has info on timing, I would really appreciate it! How early is too early in the year? When do things on the island start to open? I am now thinking that March might be too early, but would appreciate any input on April. Has anyone been there in that month? I like being off the beaten path, but would like to be able to buy b-fast in the morning! Also, any additional "first-hand" accounts / general advice would be appreciated.
Again, thanks for the replies!
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Gmburns2000
Jun 17, 2008, 2:41 PM
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I don't have experience with Kalymnos per se, but my experience with travelling to Greece is that May is when things start to get going. Most travellers go to the islands when it is too warm inland, and the water on the islands doesn't heat up until later in the summer. Late May through June are pretty enjoyable, with July and August being warm / hot and crowded. September is often a rainy month, but not always.
One myth about Greece is that it is a tropical paradise and warm year-round. This is not necessarily true, as their winters can be cool / cold. Kalymnos is pretty far south, so it may be warmer there earlier in the season (and later, too), but it is still an island and probably doesn't warm up as quickly as the mainland does. My recommendation would be for late spring / early summer for decent conditions and open facilities.
I imagine that the local business cycle is still based on summer beach goers who want warm water and warm sun, and they have not yet adjusted to the climbers' preferences of cooler weather. That is just speculation, though, as one person noted that it is becoming more of a year-round destination. Still, I think it is safest to assume they are still banking on summer tourists and aren't completely open for business until the summer gets going.
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Gript
Jun 17, 2008, 4:13 PM
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My husband and I have been to Kalymnos twice and plan to go again April 09. (FYI - Feb / March might be a bit early.) We climbed in late April both trips and it was cool enough to climb all day but still warm enought to enjoy the pool/beach.
Stayed at the following studio:
http://www.fatolitis.gr/accommodation.html
Definitely call ahead and make reservations if you plan to stay in Massouri.
These studios are directly across the road from Steve and Sue's cafe - Glaros Snack Bar (where you can obtain all updated route info.)
It's also walking distance to Mike's Bikes so you can rent a scooter when you get there.
PM me if you would like more info. I'd be happy to share. Kalymnos is the most magical place I have ever visited!!! I can't wait to get back there!!!!
Also check out
http://www.rockfax.com/areas/area.php?id=10
for guide book and other info.
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brianinslc
Jun 17, 2008, 5:09 PM
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ncrockclimber wrote: I am now thinking that March might be too early, but would appreciate any input on April. Has anyone been there in that month?
Went in mid April 2006 and had a great, great trip. That was before you could fly to the island, and, we flew from Athens to Kos then boat to Kalymnos.
We rented a big studio room from Lambrinos. Highly recommended.
http://www.oreivatein.com/oreivatein/climb/kalymnos/lambrinos.htm
Let them know when you arrive and they'll arrange a ride to the hotel. Beats gettin' gringo'd on a taxi ride.
I think most of the rooms are seaside, which, I'd highly recommend. Eatin' breakfast in the morning before climbing, out on the deck, over looking the ocean is a pretty nice way to start the day. Ditto post climbing whilst having a beer and showering up to head to dinner in town. Groceries are a short walk.
You can fill up on water from a spigot in town too, for free. Very good.
Yeah, climb for a few days, then rent a scooter to see more of the island. Most "sectors" have the routes and grades on site, as well as little posts to indicate which trail to take to which crag. Very user friendly. You almost don't need a guidebook. You can get one in town, or, buy one prior to your trip. I think you can even get a photocopy of individual crags in town for free too (we heard, but, we had a guidebook so didn't bother).
Aris' guidebook is very good, and, I think there's a pretty new version out there now.
http://www.oreivatein.com/oreivatein/climb/kalymnos/e_guide2008.htm
We were there for a week and climbed at a different crag every day. Great stuff.
-Brian in SLC
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ncrockclimber
Jun 19, 2008, 12:30 AM
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Thanks for all the great info! If anyone else has advice to pass along, I would love to hear it.
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bothomsen
Nov 12, 2008, 12:43 AM
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Hi
I, my girlfriend, our son(4ye) and my climbing partner are also planing to go to kalymnos the 4. april 2009, and stay for 14 days.
so we would also love, if everybody who has any info ( hope for varm whether indeed) - bring it on :-)
Regards
Bo - Skandinavia
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qtm
Nov 12, 2008, 5:38 AM
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Kalymnos is a fantastic destination, too bad it isn't closer to the US.
We went in the fall, can't say what the weather is like in the spring. In September, the mornings were chilly, midday scorching, and evenings cold.
You *could* walk to the crag, or take a bus, but a scooter makes it much easier to get around. Really, it would have been miserable walking to the even the nearest crag in the heat. Some of really nice walls are quite far, so having a scooter is necessary. It also allows you to hide/chase the sun much easier.
Bring a rope bag, which will fit in front of you between your feet, and a backpack for your passenger to hold food and water. I had an international drivers license (like $15 from AAA) but don't think I needed it, just a US license IIRC. We rented a 50cc scooter; and it was barely powerful enough to get the two of us up some hills (but not the one at Akti beach, my gf walked up that one). Next time I'll rent a bigger scooter.
The road through Massouri is one way, at least for cars, the scooters seem to go both ways, makes for a much shorter trip back to Armeos. We stayed at Lambrinos in Armeos, it was nice with the balcony overlooking the water. I've heard similar things about other places, they're probably much the same. There wasn't much to do in Armeos, so we'd head to Massouri for dinner. There was a lot of construction going on so there might be more to do now. Couple of good places to eat in Massouri, as well as an internet cafe. If you've never been on a scooter or driven in europe, take care driving through Pothia, it's a little crazy.
The "Climber's Nest" in Armeos, used to carry updated route info, I don't know if they still do.
We were in Athens for a wedding, so we flew direct into Kalymnos and back out through Athens (with an overnight layover). There are direct flights into Kos from places in Europe, but didn't make sense for us. Thought about the ferry, but it really doesn't save much money if you get a room, and does waste a lot of time. We'll look at flying into Kos or Bodrum from maybe Frankfurt, London or Paris next time, or might go through Athens direct to Kalymnos, all depends on how the connections line up, try not to get another overnight layover.
Bring a rope tarp. I've only ever washed my rope once, and that was after coming home from Kalymnos. There are goats EVERYWHERE, thus goat droppings EVERYWHERE. Use a rope tarp, and try not to put the rope in your mouth. For the trip home, bring a few plastic bags to store your dirty clothes and shoes. Bring a big bar of soap, the water is salty so it takes a lot to get a good lather and it disappears fast. You can hand wash clothes and hang them out and they should be mostly dry by morning, although it's a little stiff from the salt. Oh yeah, the hot water is heated by solar panels on the roof, there probably won't be any hot water in the morning, nor if you get back late and everyone else has hit the showers.
Ask if your studio has a kitchenette, fridge, hotplate, pots, pans, utensils, mugs. We ate cereal and drank frappes in the morning, packed sandwiches for lunch and ate out every night, but some people like to cook.
There's spring water in Massouri, but bottled water is cheap enough. The convenience stores seem to have anything you might need. We drank a lot of water, it was just so dry.
Oh yeah, bring some sharp tweezers! There several types of spiny shrubs growing on the approach trails, it's easy to sit, fall, grab one, nothing worse than having thorny spines embedded in the skin.
The beaches are stone and pebbles; they have lounge chairs you can rent or just bring a thick towel or buy a cheap mat in town if you want to relax in the sun.
Fantastic rock, well protected routes. Awesome weather. Great food at reasonable prices. Friendly store owners (we chatted with Mr. Souvlaki every day). Sucks that it's just so far way.
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munky
Nov 12, 2008, 5:59 AM
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Does anyone now what the average flight from Athens or Istanbul would go for?
I'm living in Kosovo presently and have been thinking about this trip for my wife and I for some time. I can get into Thessoliniki fairly quickly, but Athens is a ways off. I can fly to Istanbul for around 200E. Its either Kalymnos to clip bolts on tufa, Herakleia to boulder in a granite fortress, or Paklenicia to climb 400meter bolted routes. I'm checking out Meteora in 2 weeks so I'll post up and let ya all know how that is.
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jaablink
Nov 12, 2008, 2:04 PM
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You can drive around the entire island in about an hour. Fall, winter, and spring are good climbing. Get the guide book, and additional climbs are on sheets that can be obtained at the 2 local gear shops(there have been many routs added since the last printing). In the guide book is the number for Stephenos… he owns the climbing house. When we were there it was full so we stayed in a near by town at a hotel owned by his cousin. 25E a night gets you a big studio apartment with kitchen, pool, family restaurant and a beautiful view. We rented a car for 25E a day and hit up as many crags as we could in 10 days. A motorbike is about 15e a day….
\
We took the metro from Athens Airport to the Port , then a ship overnight and slept in a cabin and showered and whatnot. If you book with someone on the island they will pick you up at the port in Kalymnos and take you there when you check out. They are all very friendly and will help you in any way they can.
(Munky)
A flight from Athens is about 180E and it goes to Kos, you need to catch a ferry to Kalymnos and it takes an hour.
Also keep in mind most of the climbing on the island is in the 5.10 to 5.12 range, not to much easier stuff and much more hard stuff 13 14 15 if you want to test your limits...and the grades are pretty on (most German/French graded).. If you think something is sandbagged soft/hard you can contest it at the gear shop and they will look into it and correct it…. The face climbs are sharp and picky, the tufas are where you want to play the friction is good, pumpy, and you can pull all day without burning prints. Some of the sea cliff climbing is great on softened rock Dolphin bay.
Hope this helped some. I can get you numbers for contacts if you want . Just send me a message. ..
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bothomsen
Nov 12, 2008, 11:26 PM
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jaablink wrote: In the guide book is the number for Stephenos… he owns the climbing house.
what is this house? an "stay over" for climbers? but why specificly for climbers?
and where is it? can you post the tel. number for Stephenos? as i would maybe like to reserve some space before we arrive.
the gradings are perfect - have just climbed my first 5.11d a week ago :-) hope to do a 5.12 in april at kal. :-)
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jaablink
Nov 13, 2008, 1:12 AM
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The island, from Fall to Spring is all climbers (everyone caters to the climbers(very very climber friendly)). The island is an international destination for many. The climbing house is just the name of the establishment it is in Massouri and most climbers stay in that town because you can walk to the most developed crags from your hotel. We stayed in another location less populated, Panormos and rented a small car to go around to different crags around the island. It was cheaper to stay where we were and we had a pool ,much larger room with a fully equipped kitchen and dinette.
Owners name is : Noma Dellaporta
http://www.kalymnosholidays.com/angelostudios/
Angelos Studios , Panormos , Kalymnos 011-30-22430-48145 mobile: 011-30-6977-198149
For Stefonos: http://www.kalymnos-stefanos.gr/
If you need any help with anything you can PM me. I am fluent in the language, if you run into any linguistic problems and need someone to translate.
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bothomsen
Nov 13, 2008, 2:48 AM
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thanks for your quick reply, you have been very helpfull, and your offer is greatfull. i will have that in mind when i(we) reach furthere in the planing.
regards
Bo - Skandinavia
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