Do not book this holiday - it is a cult
Do not book this holiday; it is a cult. Here is what they don’t want you to know:
• The overland crossing is exhausting, expensive and unnecessary; you can fly to the island from Athens
• Repeat Skyros "devotees" try to convince you all the time that the holiday is “amazing”
• Either be willing to join a group of strangers to talk about your feelings or else be made to feel bad for not joining in
• Don’t expect any time to yourself; it’s not going to happen. It looks like a holiday on the surface but it's not; they want you to "embrace" the "community" feel and you can't get 5 minutes peace without someone wanting to "show you around" or take you through what you missed at the morning's meeting.
• Un air-conditioned spaces and either jumping around or doing some "wacko" activities
• Steep jagged steps up to accommodation and animal noises throughout the night
• You are watched 24/7 and asked constantly if you are okay (not in a good way)
• If you’ve had enough of their nonsense and decide to leave, be prepared to face strong resistance. They don’t want you to leave and will do just about anything to stop you. Leaving the island felt like escaping – an enormous relief.
This wasn't the holiday I expected from the website and certainly did not represent good value for money. I felt uneasy throughout the whole experience, and the environment had a pressure-filled, cult-like feel.