Halki (Chalki) Yacht Charter Guide

At just 11 square miles and with less than 500 permanent residents, sleepy Halki (or Chalki) is the smallest inhabited island of the Dodecanese group. The community was once divided into two areas - Nimborio and Chorio - but Chorio has since been abandoned so just one settlement remains. This means just a handful of vehicles can be found on its one road, leaving the serenity of life barely interrupted.

With its horseshoe-shaped bay and red-topped Venetian architecture, the main port and town Nimborio is a picturesque setting in which to spend an afternoon. Cafes and traditional Greek tavernas line the bay, and its Church of Agion Nikolaos is well-worth a visit for its beautiful Hoklakia pebble mosaic yard. These intricate mosaics are created from black, red and white sea pebbles painstakingly arranged into patterns, a method also found on islands such as Symi, Rhodes and Nissyros Island.

Known as the Island of Peace and Friendship, Halki’s harbour front clock goes some way to represent the pace of life on the island. It has, for as long as the island's inhabitants can remember, been stuck on 4:20 so chimes its song just twice a day. In Halki you feel as though you are visiting extended family, and days just float by in a haze of sunshine, delicious Greek coffee and pancakes dripped in local honey.

There are two small main beaches on the island as well as a sprinkling of deserted coves which only those travelling by luxury charter yacht can access. The walk to Pondamos beach is worth it for the scenery alone, with a meandering landscape of olive trees and prickly pears giving way to spectacular views across the glittering blue ocean. If you enjoy exploring the wild outdoors then take some time to walk Halki’s stunning mountainous interior and you’ll be rewarded with views you’ll remember for a lifetime.