Halki or Chalki is a bare and rocky island just west of the larger island of Rhodes. I myself have never been there but I have heard of people that have visited the island and liked it very much. There are almost no tourists in Halki, so if you like it quiet then you came to the right place. Halki is a bit of an "up market" island, not cheap, just as for instance Folegandros or Symi. The houses in the port of Halki (Nimborio) look a bit like the houses in Symi (in style). In Chalki, they are often white with red roofs and they look a little Italian or Venetian, and some houses have a pastel color or a brighter color. It resembles the port of Symi (which includes a freestanding bell tower, just like here), only the port of Nimborio is a lot smaller. The big houses show that the island must have been very prosperous. It was also prosperous in earlier times, given the large number of coins that have been foud on Halki by archaeologists.

Halki or Chalki has a surface area of 28 km2 and is home to only 300 people. Chalki or Halki means "copper" (like the metal) and the island is named after the mines that were here. It is a dry island that has no own water supply. All the water is brought from the island of Rhodes and the tapwater is diluted with seawater, making it taste very salty. The electricity comes in by cables under the sea from Rhodes. If there is a power failure it can sometimes take several hours before it gets fixed. Chalki had many residents but at one point it didn't have much to offer anymore, especially after around 1900 when the sponges in the sea were affected by a disease, and the sponge fishermen lost their jobs. Many of them went away to try their luck in America. Of the 8000 people who once lived on the island not many are left.

The port town where the ferries arrive is called Nimborio and this is the only village on the island of any size. The port is shaped like a horseshoe around the bay of Nimborio are Venetian and neo-classical mansions. On the hill behind it are three derelict windmills. Some of the houses in the village have turned to ruins, but in recent years, more and more houses are being renovated and restored. Many of the restored houses are now holiday villas. These are mainly owned by wealthy Brits who have settled on the island. Of all the houses you see in Nimborio perhaps only one third is occupied by the people who live on the island. Many of the inhabitants of the island still have a traditional job and live for example from fishing. Nimborio does have a bakery, a supermarket and there are taverns, but there is no bank (although recently there seems to be an ATM machine in the harbor next to the information stand). If you want to visit the island and be sure the best would be to bring some money. There is no public transport on Halki (no buses) and there is only one taxi. The number of cars on the island, is negligible.