Tilos or Nisyros for a stay in May?
 

We are well advanced in planning our 6 weeks in Greece and for the Dodecanese leg still have to decide one destination . We plan to overnight Blue Star ferry from Piraeus and can disembark at either Kos or Rhodes. From Rhodes (which we've been to before) we can (1) ferry to Symi for 3 nights then Nisyros 2 nights - and on to Kos .Tilos doesn't fit into this plan.
Alternatively,(2) there's 3 nights Symi, 3 nights Tilos and skip Nisyros , as this doesn't fit the ferry schedules.
(3) If we disembark at Kos we could go on to Tilos 3 nights , Symi 2 nights and no Nisyros.

The complex ferry system in Dodecanese in May won't allow alternatives (that we can find anyway). We would go on to Patmos ,Kalymnos and Astypalea etc....

We are not great hikers or partyers (in mid 60's) but enjoy renting a scooter ,villages and ruins and it may still be a bit cool to swim much. Symi fits in either way but there's a decision to be made between Tilos or Nisyros....
Hope someone knowledgeable out there can help us....

Nisyros is famous for it's vulcano. Tilos has some good not signmarked hiking trails, 2 good and some other beaches (but the seawater will stil be cold).
If you travel on a Monday, you can take the direct Tilos - Nisyros - Astipalea ferry and can thus avoid to sleep twice at Pothia.

I hear you might be able to cross from Kos to Nisyros easily enough , so if that's so, I can see us going for a day or two .

Nisyros is the best option, in my personal opinion. The volcano is a great sight you may want to see

There are small daily boats between Kardamena (Kos) and Mandraki (Nisyros) indeed: http://www.gtp.gr/RoutesResults.asp?...NISMAD,11520,8

Thanks. We were hoping to stay a night at Nisyros and it now looks possible with a 15.30hr. return trip.
Kos town would have been possibly more convenient but seems a visit to Kardamena is required....

Both of the islands are really relaxing and have great natural beauties. I particularly liked nature in Tilos, you can see rabbits at night, sea birds swimming next to you and if you are lucky some eagles on the sky up high.

@Johanna234 i dont think that the sea birds and the eagles are good enough to give a place ahead as a vacation destionation.. In every Greek Island there are seabird(actually in every port in the world!) and if you want to see eagles on the sky without even trying your luck you are going to southern Crete. Tilos is a good place. But I think there are not many activities to do there.