Ios and Mykonos are the two islands in the Cyclades most associated with nights out, and plenty of travellers pair them: a few days of beach bars on Mylopotas and late nights in Chora on Ios, then the beach clubs, windmills and Little Venice sunsets of Mykonos. The two sit about 45 nautical miles apart, with Naxos and Paros in between, so the direct boat saves you a change of ship.
This is a summer route, not a year-round lifeline. Only high-speed boats sail it, run by Seajets and Golden Star Ferries, and Ferryhopper lists sailings from April to October only. Spring and October have the fewest boats, while June to September is when you can choose between operators. In last year's pattern, Seajets went from a single weekly run in April to a boat every day in September and October.
Ios is the easy end of the trip. Its harbour sits on the west coast, a couple of kilometres below Chora, and the ride down takes minutes. The work starts in Mykonos: you land at the new port in Tourlos, about 2.5 km from town, where the quay gets crowded when several fast boats arrive together. Sort out your transfer or hotel pickup before you sail, especially in July and August.
Book with the timetable in front of you. On the same summer day, one Seajets boat can make the run in an hour and a half while another calls at other islands and takes nearly three hours, so check the arrival time as well as the price. If your date has no direct sailing, the Naxos and Paros routes give you a two-step alternative.
