* General rule for data mobile in all Dodecanese: ensure you are not connected to Turkcell or any other Turkish operator while on international roaming. The proximity to Turkey causes often your mobile network to connect to the Turkish operator instead of the Greek one. As Turkey is not in the EU, the costs for using its mobile data with an EU sim card are extremely high, so make sure your roaming is off while in the Dodecanese with a Greek (or European) sim card.
Halki is a lovely little island one hour away from Rhodes. Despite having just 100 inhabitants it has proven to be a perfect destination for digital nomads thanks to its spotless wifi connections and mobile coverage. We have worked for a week there smoothly on days filled with meetings and calls… and afternoons on the beach right after.
How to get there
To get to Halki, you can fly to Rhodes and then take a ferry from Rhodes to Halki. In summer, ferries run every day, even multiple times a day. If you check your ferry tickets a long time in advance, you probably won’t be able to book them (or even see them at all, as the timetable is only published shortly before).
The island itself is mainly wild and its habitants only live in the port, which has a handful of houses and guesthouses. This part is beautiful and colorful.
Internet in Halki
Our house had a powerful wifi connection that allowed us to stay in calls all day flawlessly, but the mobile coverage was pretty good as well in the town and on all the beaches we visited.
What to see
Beaches
From the port, you can reach on foot two beautiful beaches: Pondamos and Ftenagia. You will be amazed by all the shades of blue on this sea! Be careful that even if we call them “beaches” they are not much of your typical beach: there is no sand, but just pebble stones and sunbeds with sun umbrellas.
Another beautiful beach that you can reach either on foot or by boat is Kania. This was definitely our favorite!
It’s a bit less than 30 mins walking, or 5 minutes by boat (5 euros round trip) and it has a small beach bar. The waters are crystal clear and the sea is always calm making it extra relaxing.
On the same island of Halki, you can reach by boat two more beaches: Areta and Trachia. The boat trip is 20 euro round trip and you visit either one or the other (cannot do two on the same trip as they are on opposite sides of the island). Areta has a lot of shadow and it’s under a cliff, while Trachia is on a little bay, and has little shadow but a gorgeous sea.
Just off of the Halki island, there is another little island, Alimia, that has some houses but it’s now uninhabited. You can visit it on a day trip and see its lovely beaches and roam a bit around the houses. We were also able to chill in a small area in the shadow with some chairs and tables.
No matter which day trip you will pick, your man for any of these expeditions will be Giannis, or his father Michalis, and you will find him at the port around 11 in the morning. You will not be able to decide where to go and he is the one that ultimately decides where to go depending on the wind and on what most people request 🙂
What to eat
For breakfast, your go-to place is the Dimitris bakery, where you will find great croissants (but they usually finish around 8.30 – 9 so go early) and other delicatessens.
There is a bunch of taverns with fresh food. Our favorite one was the Black sea (Μαυρη θαλασσα) where we were able to order a lobster in the morning and enjoy it with pasta and other side dishes in the evening. The little prawns and octopus were also delicious.
If you fancy cooking, note that around 8 or 9 in the morning (when you go pick your croissants!) there is a fisherman in the port and you can get a lot of fish for cheap and cook it at your place.
Last thought on Halki
Walkable, pretty, comfortable. Halki was a perfect choice to get a taste of Dodecanese islands for a week. With reliable internet and all the basic facilities you need, it allows you to unwind on a typical Dodecanese island with lovely houses and friendly people. We highly recommend it!
