Milos · Month comparison

October vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs October at #5. The single best month — full boat schedule, half the price, no August chaos.

October light over Plaka castle and Milos bay

October

#5 of 12 months

Strong option

First half still beach-viable; second half the island starts visibly closing down.

  • First two weeks: 23°C, sea still 22°C, last Kleftiko boats running with 4-5 guests
  • Hotel rates 60% below August across the board
Kleftiko sea caves and turquoise water in May

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

The single best month — full boat schedule, half the price, no August chaos.

  • Kleftiko boat tours run daily by late May — typically 8-12 guests not 40
  • Sarakiniko before 09:30 still belongs to you for sunrise shots
FactorOctoberMay
Weather score
7
9
Value score
8
7
Crowd score
8
8
Events score
4
5
Atmosphere
8
10
Avg high temp23°C23°C
Monthly rain45mm15mm
Daily sunshine8hrs10hrs

October trade-offs

  • Boat tours stop entirely by Oct 25th; ferry schedule cuts to 3-4 weekly
  • Beach tavernas at Paleochori and Provatas close mid-month

May trade-offs

  • Sea temperature 19-20°C — comfortable swimming but cooler than July's 24°C
  • Meltemi northerly wind starts kicking up — some north-coast beaches choppy
Scores compare months within Milos. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →