Kos Island
Kos sits bang in the middle of the Dodecanese chain of Greek islands that hug the Turkish coast. Kos island is about 45km long while its width varies from 2km to 11km. This is a hugely popular resort with the British and it is a Greek island that has gone for mass-market tourism is a very big way.
In point of size Kos is the third island in Greece after Rodos and Karpatos
The coast of Kos is swept by magnificent sandy beaches and the island has some of the most interesting archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. But avoiding the tat can be demanding. It's large part ruin and a large part ruination, thanks to the package tourism that has annihilated much of the Greek culture. Nevertheless, the island still has much to offer the more discerning visitor.
The combination of sand and sightseeing give Kos a uniquely broad appeal, though most visitors will probably prefer island beaches to Greek history. And, for an all-in beach holiday Kos must be considered one of the best of the Greek islands.
It's unfortunate that isolated hotel complexes are now a more characteristic feature than villages or resorts, especially around Kos Town, along the northern coast and around Kardamena. But the island is too big to seem overcrowded and there are many empty coastal areas to be enjoyed by those who prefer to get away from the holiday crowds...
A long, thin island - almost 64km end to end - Kos is also mostly flat and low-lying. In general the scenery is not outstanding by Greek standards. The main scenic interest is found in the more mountainous south of the island while the north is a flat, featureless and rather monotonous plain.
Kos been one of the most popular package holiday destinations for many years. Tourist numbers are up seven per cent since 2000 at around 700,000, swamping the local population of 22,000. British visitor numbers hover around the 217,000 mark.
Kos town and Kardamena are the two biggest resorts but hotels have sprung up behind most beaches and some, especially along the flat northern coastline have been built in some pretty desolate spots.
The flat plains have made cycling uniquely popular on Kos and there are some 5,000 cycles for hire at the height of the season.
Excursions are popular and plentiful on Kos, not only around and across the island but to neighbouring islands such as Pserimos and also to Turkey.
