The island of Kos
Kos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, and it is the third largest island of the Dodecanese (Twelve Islands). It is in front of the Turkish coast, northwest of Rhodes and southeast of Samos. There are good ferry links between Kos and other Greek islands. The island is 40 km by 8 km wide. It has both fertile plains and barren mountain. On the coast of Kos live different types of sea turtles, including the protected Caretta turtle. Although Kos is an island, there is relatively little fish for sale. Long time fishing around Kos took place with dynamite. The explosions gave the fish anaesthesia and made them float to the surface making it a simple catch. Although this is an effective way of fishing this so badly damaged the fishing grounds that the fish around Kos seriously declined. On Kos there are several memorials to the physician Hippocrates, and for the god of medicine from the Greek pantheon: Asklepios, which would have been the teacher of Hippocrates. Famous is the tree of Hippocrates in the capital Kos. There is also a Hippocratisch museum dedicated to him. There are also several archaeological sites in or near the city, including a Roman amphitheatre and a gymnasium. The capital Kos Town is the tourist and cultural center of the island. Close to the port it is a 14th-century castle, which was built in 1315 by the Knights of St. John of Rhodes. In the centre of Kos Town is an old marketplace, an agora. Some of the larger sites on the island include Kos City, Kefalos, Kardamena, Tigaki, Antimachia, Mastihari, Marmari and Pyli. Smaller places are Zia, Zipari, Platani, Lagoudi and Asfendiou. In the Dikeosgebergte lies the village of Zia. The island has an international airport where many charter flights arrive. Tourism is a major source of income for Kos. Kos is a very suitable area for both young and old. The beaches of Kos Town in comparison with many other Greek Islands are excellent. Kos also has a vibrant nightlife. The Big Barstreet is the place to be during the summer months, though this or for the younger tourists. The nationality of the tourists consists of mainly Scandinavians and Dutch. The rest of Kos island is quite fertile and Kos has the best water supply of all the islands in the Dodecanese group. The bus services are good and plenty but because of the number of tourists the busses also tend to get packed. Kos is a good starting point for the island hoppers because it has good and many connections by ferry to neighbouring islands. There are boats and ferries leaving from Kos Town, Kardamena, Mastihari and Kamari. Amongst the destinations are Piraeus, Nissiros, Rhodes, Lesvos, Chios, Syros, Mykonos, Pserimos, Leros and Kalymnos.

Kos Town
Kos Town lies on the northeast coast of the island and overlooks the mainland of Turkey. There is a beach and there are ancient remains and a nice nature. Kos Town would have had a lot of things going for it if it wasn't a place of mass tourism. Some people like the shops, the restaurants and the nightlife, but as for me: I like more the quiet places. Lots of the centre of the town has been rebuild in an Italian style after an earthquake in 1933. The town has wide boulevards, ruin-topped hills and much of the town centre is only accessible for pedestrians. The stretch of coastline between Lambi - Kos Town - Agios Fokas is a hotel strip and the place of a large number of good sand beaches that are packed with tourists laying on their sun beds under their umbrellas. The northern part of the island of Kos is relatively flat and therefore it is a popular place for cycling around (as I also have done).

Kardamena and other villages
The village of Kardamena is also one of the major tourist resorts of the island of Kos, almost putting Kos Town in the shade for its numbers of disco's, taverna's and Hotels. Kardamena is mostly a newly built place with no historical centre and it consists mainly of hotels. The village comes with a crowded beach and a harbour with excursion boats. Mastihari is the largest village on the north coast. It has a good sand beach and is a bit more quiet than Kardamena. The best beach is on the west of the village centre and most of the large hotels are on the east side. Another small settlement on the north coast, Tigaki, is a popular alternative for the beaches Kos Town. It has a very large beach that is popular with the windsurfers. The more attractive destinations on Kos are harder to get to. The best beaches are situated near the village of Kefalas, 45 km away from Kos Town. Kefalas is the ancient capital of Kos. This part of the island is the most fertile and quieter than the rest of the island. The area is relatively unspoilt. The largest beach can be found in Kamari. Besides a large sand beach there are also remains from an ancient agora (market place) in this village. Closeby Agios Stefanos Beach is the site of an early basilica and another good beach. In front of the village lays the islet of Agios Nikolaos with its chapel. To the east are another couple of beaches that can be reached by boat or bus stops along the main road: Paradise, Sunny and Magic Beach.