KOS island, Greece, sits bang in the middle of the Dodecanese chain of Greek islands that hug the Turkish coastline between Rhodes and Patmos. Kos holidays are hugely popular with the British package tour firms.
The island of Kos is one of the best Greek Islands for a typical beach holiday and Kos was one of the first Greek islands to go for mass-market tourism in a big way with many Kos hotels built on beaches along the long, sandy coastlines to the east and south.
Kos is long and thin, about 45km by 11km and Kos, unlike many other Greek islands, is mostly flat and low-lying, especially in the north and west. As a result, much of the scenery on Kos is not outstanding by Greek standards. Kos island does get more mountainous in the south and east but much of the north of the island is made up of a featureless plain.
The lack of hills has helped to make cycling a very popular Kos holiday activity and there are no end of bicycle rental outlets and even some dedicated cycling roads between the big hotels.
As well as the nightlife of Kos Town and a plethora of beach resorts, Kos also offers the discerning tourist some of the best archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. For many though, it is the long sandy beaches that make a holiday to Kos so appealing. to so many visitors.
The coast of Kos is swept by some magnificent sandy beaches, especially in the south, and the island has some of the most interesting archaeological sites in the whole Mediterranean.
The low-lying east Kos is good on ruins but good on ruination too thanks to the growth of cheap package tourism in the 60's and 70's, most notably on the east coast. Avoiding the tat can be demanding.
Kos island still has much to offer the discerning visitor, particularly away from the east and north coasts. Excursions to neighbouring islands are popular and plentiful and there are any number of daily sea crossings to nearby Turkey for touring ancient sites and for shopping.
Kos been a popular package holiday destinations for many years. The combination of sand and sightseeing give Kos a uniquely broad appeal and, for an all-in beach holiday, Kos must be up there with the best of the Greek holiday islands. Those looking for more peaceful resorts and hotels in Kos should head west.
Kos airport, in the centre of the island, handles 2m passengers annually, mainly European charter flights. There are also regular scheduled domestic flights to Athens and Rhodes.
Kos lies on main Dodecanese ferry route from Rhodes - Athens. There are daily boats to many local islands as well as regular ferries to Turkey.
Kos roads are good and taxis plentiful. Buses go to all the main resorts.
Kos beaches are a favourite of British package tour firms with the most commercialised on the east coast and the sandiest in the south.
The north of Kos island is flat and beaches are fewer and quieter than the rest of the island. Cycling and horse riding are popular.
South coast beaches on Kos have endless stretches of sand, especially in the south-west, but the seawater is noticeably cooler than in the north.
Kos is the third largest in the Dodecanese island chain that follows the Turkish coast and about half-way between Rhodes in the south and Samos in the north.
Kos has about 30,500 inhabitants and is long and narrow 290 sq km, 64km long and just 2km at its narrowest point. Kos is relatively flat with two low mountains.
The Kos holiday season runs from May to October. Summers are hot and dry and rainfall almost non-existent.
