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The beautiful Greek islands, synonymous with the pursuit of wisdom, the birthplace of democracy the evolvement of language, a country drenched in historical profundity. Great builders, great thinkers, (great lamb!) . . . and then there’s IOS.  Part of a group of islands in the Mediterranean known as the Cyclades, Ios is about a 7 hour ferry ride from Athens, and an hour’s ferry from Santorini.  Ios has a predominantly rocky coastline with a profusion of olive trees, charmingly topped with windmills overlooking the turquoise Aegan sea. Though relatively mild all year round, the meltemmie winds can be brutal in high season, sending beach chairs flying, and even capsizing small watercraft. But the waters are clear, deep and inviting, perfect forsnorkeling or cliff-diving in the cool depths of one of the many surrounding coves. Upon arrival by sea, one is greeted by the charming twinkle of Yialos (port) lights nestled serenely among  craggy cliffs. Upon arrival at the docks, however, all guise of peacefulness evaporates as throngs of smiling Greeks and workers (tourists who are annually employed) surround  you, each heralding why their hostel, hotel or bed & breakfast is the best, cleanest and most reasonably priced accommodation on the island.

Deceptive tranquility on arrival from airport

If you want to stay out of the chaotic wildness that inevitably grips the island annually, it is best to stay where you are at one of the more upscale hotels on the Port, but if you’re up for the adventure that is vintage Ios, grab a sambucca and hang onto your burro! Ios is a notorious party island, considered one of the biggest and most popular bashes of them all. The island in high season virtually teams  with scantily clad collegiates, graduates, yachtspeople and tourists who flock to the tiny island each year from every country known to man (and even a few that aren’t!).

The village center in Chora, is where it all starts, and it doesn’t even get GOING until midnight where the remarkably  peaceful and clean nucleus transforms into an all night rave filled with music, cocktails and dancing.  There is a bar, club, pub or cocktail lounge for every eclectic preference, including pop, techno and retro, to cafes featuring solo guitarists and late night saxophonists. The only thing we couldn’t find was a piano, but I wonder if we just didn’t look hard enough.  From dancing atop the concrete tables (built exactly for that purpose), at ‘Sweet Irish Dreams’ to pulling on those knee-high glossies for a ‘go-go’ at Scorpions, Ios is a frat fair that lasts till well past dawn.

You’ll also find every cocktail ever fermented.  Try the flamer – a potent mix of vodka, Bailey’s,
sambucca and curacao set aflame in a martini glass, and either bravely, or stupidly, downed in one slurp with a straw. At Flames, where it’s virtually patented, they’ll give you a free shot of sambucca if you toss it standing straight (careful, you won’t be for long!) There are also questionable cocktails in the form of hard-liquor rumored to be a lesser form of gasoline, called Bamba. These drinks are sold extremely cheap with a fast result, but the ensuing hangover is not worth the savings.

Many locals and workers advise on drinking bottled liquor only. If you arise one morning wondering which of Aristotle’s classifications you are; plant, mineral or animal, the unanimous day-after cure is a power mix of Red Bull energy drink and Amstel  beer.  Impossible to list the islands variety of establishments, it is best to wander about on foot, and be drawn in by whatever melody or tantalizing view catches your fancy. 
 

The view from Harmony

For real sustenance, a delightful array of cuisine from around the world can be sampled on Ios.  A popular place for Mexican, Harmony’s boasts a spectacular view of Mylopotas beach where one can stretch out on a hammocks with a cool berry marg and indulge in spicy favorites, or  ‘Pinnochio’s’ for scrumptious Italian with mix & match sauces and pasta, and a delightful selection of imported Italian wines.  There is authentic Greek fare around every corner, from freshly caught calamari to the famous Greek Salads topped with melt-in-your-mouth feta and piquant kalamata olives. For  more recreational dining, the ‘Fun Pub’ shows the latest videos with complimentary popcorn and peanuts for snacking.  There’s even a gym to work off all of those scrumptious kebabs with modern equipment and aerobics classes. But why be stuck indoors when you can utilize mother nature’s treadmill?

Mylopotas, the main beach, has a variety of water-sports; wind-surfing, water-skiing, banana boats, paddle-boats and kayaks. Very popular are the tube rides pulled behind a speed boat with hair-raising twists and whips through the waves. The ‘Hell Ride’ which incorporates uber-inflated tubes are not for the faint of heart. Working on Mylopotas directing watersports, I saw many a young maverick return a  quivering wreck, fingers clutched to the holding ropes. Don’t inhale.  Rent snorkel and fins for an amazing underwater profusion of  life and color, or simply hang out and sun bathe on the rocks.
 

There are an abundance of beaches including Psathi, Valmas and Kolitzani.  Take a day to rent a moped, or travel by bus to these untouched and pristine havens. Accommodation is relatively cheap and easy to locate, especially if you arrive shortly before high season. It is lucky to snag a three or four bedroom house which the locals rent annually at reasonable prices if you  plan to stay and work the duration of the season. You can pay hostel prices (anywhere from $8 - $25 per night), but be warned the prices tend to rise with the temperature in preparation of the tourist season.  Camping is available on the island, but the sites can be loud and noisy, full of rambunctious night-owls. Far-Out Camping  is popular with the twenty-something crowd, has two swimming pools, basketball and volleyball courts and a twenty-four hour bar.

The infamous ‘Hell Ride’, innocuous enough, until you’re flying over the crests.

You can definitely find work on the island, but the Port area only employs those with European status. Start looking early, the madness begins in early June when the Auzzies, Kiwi’s and North Americans are the first to arrive. The island becomes a living classified ad with every kind of job imaginable from retail, hospitality, and water-sports, to standing dockside soliciting new-comers for accommodation.  An employee’s  utopia where experience counts for little, it’s all in the timing. It matters not if you’ve never bartended, can’t count cash past your toes or have the fashion sense of a dart, they’re all for the taking. It does help, though, if you’re burly for a doorman position, or buxomy for a hostess to charm tourists into clubs for imbibing and jiving.

The next wave of fun-loving assemblage are the Swedes. Usually arriving in a boisterous and friendly pack, they find employment quickly and easily. This inundation is then followed by every other ethnicity imaginable. The jobs become tight around the end of July, then a few positions re-open as natural burn-out, renewed wanderlust, and, for some, mild alcohol poisoning takes its toll. There are pharmacies and weary doctors used to treating everything; dehydration, sunstroke, and jellyfish stings, they’ve seen it all. As many structures are white-washed with a less expensive form of paint some say contains asbestos, travelers with breathing difficulties should take note. But there are medications available for this common island ailment.
 

Over 300 church’s to explore on this ‘treasure’ island

Work wages vary depending on the position; directing watersports on Mylopotas, I pulled in about 3500 drachmas a day, but received raises of up to 5500D, equivalent to $30 - $40. You can earn more in a position that offers tips, such as waitressing, bartending or hostessing.  My friend Aleks worked in a dress shop without a set wage, but did very well on the 20% commission the store offered in tandem with free accommodation. There are also opportunities for musicians, singers, and dee-jays. Businesses can be rented for a season, like Castle Corner, a kiosk which supplied the workers with bacon baps and egg sandwiches. In August, things start to wind down.  The villagers, hiding peacefully in the hills or visiting friends on neighboring islands, return to reclaim their blue and white abodes. One by one the shacks on the beach shut down like recalcitrant clams, and the club songs fade earlier and earlier.  They bleary-eyed workers take their few drachma’s to exchange for Turkish or Italian lira trading addresses and phone numbers and head to the ferries. But fear not, the island is an experience that gets into your newly thinned blood, and many individuals return year after year to drink in the untamed phenomenon that is Ios.

For further information, check out these sites:

www.iospartyisland.com
www.iosgreece.com