diff --git a/Point_set_3/include/CGAL/Point_set_3/IO/PLY.h b/Point_set_3/include/CGAL/Point_set_3/IO/PLY.h
index 725d15ff120..76daf4494ab 100644
--- a/Point_set_3/include/CGAL/Point_set_3/IO/PLY.h
+++ b/Point_set_3/include/CGAL/Point_set_3/IO/PLY.h
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ bool write_PLY(std::ostream& os,
       if(okay)
       {
         os << "property char " << prop[i] << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Char_property_printer<Index,Int8_map>(pmap));
+        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Index,Int8_map>(pmap));
         continue;
       }
     }
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ bool write_PLY(std::ostream& os,
       if(okay)
       {
         os << "property uchar " << prop[i] << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Char_property_printer<Index,Uint8_map>(pmap));
+        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Index,Uint8_map>(pmap));
         continue;
       }
     }
diff --git a/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY/PLY_writer.h b/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY/PLY_writer.h
index 2e8bbad3a89..be015411a56 100644
--- a/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY/PLY_writer.h
+++ b/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY/PLY_writer.h
@@ -275,25 +275,37 @@ public:
   }
 };
 
-template <typename Index, typename PropertyMap>
-class Char_property_printer
+template <typename Index,
+          typename PropertyMap,
+          typename VectorType = typename boost::property_traits<PropertyMap>::value_type,
+          typename ElementType = typename VectorType::value_type>
+class Simple_property_vector_printer
   : public Abstract_property_printer<Index>
 {
-  typedef typename boost::property_traits<PropertyMap>::value_type Type;
-
   PropertyMap m_pmap;
-
 public:
-  Char_property_printer(const PropertyMap& pmap) : m_pmap(pmap) { }
+  Simple_property_vector_printer(const PropertyMap& pmap) : m_pmap(pmap) { }
 
   virtual void print(std::ostream& stream, const Index& index)
   {
+    const VectorType& vec = get(m_pmap, index);
     if(get_mode(stream) == CGAL::IO::ASCII)
-      stream << int(get(m_pmap, index));
+    {
+      stream << vec.size();
+      for(const ElementType& v : vec)
+      {
+        stream << " " << v;
+      }
+    }
     else
     {
-      Type t = get(m_pmap, index);
-      stream.write(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&t), sizeof(t));
+      unsigned char size = (unsigned char)(vec.size());
+      stream.write(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&size), sizeof(size));
+      for(const ElementType& v : vec)
+      {
+        ElementType t = ElementType(v);
+        stream.write(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&t), sizeof(t));
+      }
     }
   }
 };
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/IO/PLY.h b/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/IO/PLY.h
index 1e59286bd01..544abd94230 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/IO/PLY.h
+++ b/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/IO/PLY.h
@@ -145,10 +145,10 @@ public:
     const std::string& name = property->name();
     if(name == "vertex_indices" || name == "vertex_index")
     {
-      CGAL_assertion(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_list<boost::int32_t>*>(property)
-                     || dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_list<boost::uint32_t>*>(property));
+      CGAL_assertion(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_list<std::int32_t>*>(property)
+                     || dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_list<std::uint32_t>*>(property));
       m_index_tag  = name;
-      m_use_int32_t = dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_list<boost::int32_t>*>(property);
+      m_use_int32_t = dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_list<std::int32_t>*>(property);
       return true;
     }
     if(name == "red" ||
@@ -205,10 +205,42 @@ public:
     instantiate_properties<Halfedge_index>(element, m_halfedge_properties);
   }
 
+  template <typename Simplex, class T, class ... TN>
+  void instantiate_properties_impl(PLY_element& element,
+                                   std::vector<Abstract_ply_property_to_surface_mesh_property*>& properties,
+                                   internal::PLY_read_number* property,
+                                   std::tuple<T, TN...>)
+  {
+    if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<T>*>(property))
+    {
+      properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, T>(m_mesh, property->name()));
+      return;
+    }
+    if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_list<T>*>(property))
+    {
+      properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, std::vector<T>>(m_mesh, property->name()));
+      return;
+    }
+    instantiate_properties_impl<Simplex>(element, properties, property, std::tuple<TN...>());
+  }
+
+  template <typename Simplex>
+  void instantiate_properties_impl(PLY_element&,
+                                   std::vector<Abstract_ply_property_to_surface_mesh_property*>&,
+                                   internal::PLY_read_number*,
+                                   std::tuple<>)
+  {}
+
   template <typename Simplex>
   void instantiate_properties(PLY_element& element,
                               std::vector<Abstract_ply_property_to_surface_mesh_property*>& properties)
   {
+    typedef std::tuple<std::int8_t, std::uint8_t,
+                       std::int16_t , std::uint16_t,
+                       std::int32_t , std::uint32_t,
+                       std::int64_t, std:: uint64_t,
+                       float, double> Type_tuple;
+
     for(std::size_t j = 0; j < element.number_of_properties(); ++ j)
     {
       internal::PLY_read_number* property = element.property(j);
@@ -216,40 +248,7 @@ public:
       if(has_simplex_specific_property(property, Simplex()))
         continue;
 
-      const std::string& name = property->name();
-
-      if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<boost::int8_t>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, boost::int8_t>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
-      else if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<boost::uint8_t>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, boost::uint8_t>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
-      else if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<boost::int16_t>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, boost::int16_t>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
-      else if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<boost::uint16_t>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, boost::uint16_t>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
-      else if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<boost::int32_t>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, boost::int32_t>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
-      else if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<boost::uint32_t>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, boost::uint32_t>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
-      else if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<float>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, float>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
-      else if(dynamic_cast<PLY_read_typed_number<double>*>(property))
-      {
-        properties.push_back(new PLY_property_to_surface_mesh_property<Simplex, double>(m_mesh, name));
-      }
+      instantiate_properties_impl<Simplex>(element, properties, property, Type_tuple());
     }
   }
 
@@ -302,9 +301,9 @@ public:
     Face_index fi = m_mesh.null_face();
 
     if(m_use_int32_t)
-      process_line<boost::int32_t>(element, fi);
+      process_line<std::int32_t>(element, fi);
     else
-      process_line<boost::uint32_t>(element, fi);
+      process_line<std::uint32_t>(element, fi);
 
     if(fi == Surface_mesh::null_face())
       return false;
@@ -344,9 +343,9 @@ public:
     Edge_index ei = m_mesh.null_edge();
 
     if(m_use_int32_t)
-      process_line<boost::int32_t>(element, ei);
+      process_line<std::int32_t>(element, ei);
     else
-      process_line<boost::uint32_t>(element, ei);
+      process_line<std::uint32_t>(element, ei);
 
     if(ei == Surface_mesh::null_edge())
       return false;
@@ -377,9 +376,9 @@ public:
     Halfedge_index hi = m_mesh.null_halfedge();
 
     if(m_use_int32_t)
-      process_line<boost::int32_t>(element, hi);
+      process_line<std::int32_t>(element, hi);
     else
-      process_line<boost::uint32_t>(element, hi);
+      process_line<std::uint32_t>(element, hi);
 
     if(hi == Surface_mesh::null_halfedge())
       return false;
@@ -421,7 +420,7 @@ bool fill_simplex_specific_header(std::ostream& os,
 
   if(prop == "v:point")
   {
-    if(boost::is_same<FT, float>::value)
+    if(std::is_same<FT, float>::value)
     {
       os << "property float x" << std::endl
          << "property float y" << std::endl
@@ -441,10 +440,10 @@ bool fill_simplex_specific_header(std::ostream& os,
   if(prop == "v:normal")
   {
     Vector_map pmap;
-    boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<VIndex, Vector>(prop);
+    std::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<VIndex, Vector>(prop);
     if(okay)
     {
-      if(boost::is_same<FT, float>::value)
+      if(std::is_same<FT, float>::value)
       {
         os << "property float nx" << std::endl
            << "property float ny" << std::endl
@@ -464,7 +463,7 @@ bool fill_simplex_specific_header(std::ostream& os,
   if(prop == "v:color")
   {
     Vcolor_map pmap;
-    boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<VIndex, Color>(prop);
+    std::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<VIndex, Color>(prop);
     if(okay)
     {
       os << "property uchar red" << std::endl
@@ -498,7 +497,7 @@ bool fill_simplex_specific_header(std::ostream& os,
   if(prop == "f:color")
   {
     Fcolor_map pmap;
-    boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<FIndex, Color>(prop);
+    std::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<FIndex, Color>(prop);
     if(okay)
     {
       os << "property uchar red" << std::endl
@@ -575,21 +574,65 @@ std::string get_property_raw_name(const std::string& prop, typename Surface_mesh
   return name;
 }
 
+
+template <std::size_t s, class Point, typename Simplex, class T, class ... TN>
+void fill_header_impl(std::tuple<T,TN...>,
+                      const char* const type_strings[],
+                      const Surface_mesh<Point>& sm,
+                      const std::string& pname,
+                      std::ostream& os,
+                      std::vector<Abstract_property_printer<Simplex>*>& printers)
+{
+  constexpr std::size_t cid = s-std::tuple_size<std::tuple<T,TN...>>::value;
+  bool okay = false;
+  {
+    typedef typename Surface_mesh<Point>::template Property_map<Simplex, T>   Pmap;
+    Pmap pmap;
+    std::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,T>(pname);
+    if(okay)
+    {
+      std::string name = get_property_raw_name<Point>(pname, Simplex());
+      os << "property " << type_strings[cid] << " " << name << std::endl;
+      printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Pmap>(pmap));
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  {
+    typedef typename Surface_mesh<Point>::template Property_map<Simplex, std::vector<T>>   Pmap;
+    Pmap pmap;
+    std::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,std::vector<T>>(pname);
+    if(okay)
+    {
+      std::string name = get_property_raw_name<Point>(pname, Simplex());
+      os << "property list uchar " << type_strings[cid] << " " << name << std::endl;
+      printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_vector_printer<Simplex,Pmap>(pmap));
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  fill_header_impl<s>(std::tuple<TN...>(),type_strings, sm, pname, os, printers);
+}
+
+template <std::size_t s, class Point, typename Simplex>
+void fill_header_impl(std::tuple<>,
+                      const char* const [],
+                      const Surface_mesh<Point>&,
+                      const std::string&,
+                      std::ostream&,
+                      std::vector<Abstract_property_printer<Simplex>*>&)
+{}
+
 template <typename Point, typename Simplex>
 void fill_header(std::ostream& os, const Surface_mesh<Point>& sm,
                  std::vector<Abstract_property_printer<Simplex>*>& printers)
 {
-  typedef Surface_mesh<Point>                                             SMesh;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::int8_t>   Int8_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::uint8_t>  Uint8_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::int16_t>  Int16_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::uint16_t> Uint16_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::int32_t>  Int32_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::uint32_t> Uint32_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::int64_t>  Int64_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, boost::uint64_t> Uint64_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, float>           Float_map;
-  typedef typename SMesh::template Property_map<Simplex, double>          Double_map;
+  typedef std::tuple<std::int8_t, std::uint8_t,
+                     std::int16_t , std::uint16_t,
+                     std::int32_t , std::uint32_t,
+                     std::int64_t, std:: uint64_t,
+                     float, double> Type_tuple;
+
+  static constexpr const char* type_strings[] =
+           { "char", "uchar", "short", "ushort","int", "uint", "int", "uint", "float", "double" };
 
   std::vector<std::string> prop = sm.template properties<Simplex>();
 
@@ -598,110 +641,7 @@ void fill_header(std::ostream& os, const Surface_mesh<Point>& sm,
     if(fill_simplex_specific_header(os, sm, printers, prop[i]))
       continue;
 
-    // Cut the "v:" prefix
-    std::string name = get_property_raw_name<Point>(prop[i], Simplex());
-
-    bool okay = false;
-    {
-      Int8_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::int8_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property char " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Char_property_printer<Simplex,Int8_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Uint8_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::uint8_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property uchar " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Char_property_printer<Simplex,Uint8_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Int16_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::int16_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property short " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Int16_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Uint16_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::uint16_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property ushort " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Uint16_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Int32_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::int32_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property int " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Int32_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Uint32_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::uint32_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property uint " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Uint32_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Int64_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::int64_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property int " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Int64_map,boost::int32_t>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Uint64_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,boost::uint64_t>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property uint " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Uint64_map,boost::uint32_t>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Float_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,float>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property float " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Float_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
-    {
-      Double_map pmap;
-      boost::tie(pmap, okay) = sm.template property_map<Simplex,double>(prop[i]);
-      if(okay)
-      {
-        os << "property double " << name << std::endl;
-        printers.push_back(new internal::Simple_property_printer<Simplex,Double_map>(pmap));
-        continue;
-      }
-    }
+    fill_header_impl<std::tuple_size<Type_tuple>::value>(Type_tuple(), type_strings, sm, prop[i], os, printers);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/test/Surface_mesh/sm_ply_io.cpp b/Surface_mesh/test/Surface_mesh/sm_ply_io.cpp
index f2889f912bd..ddcda054507 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh/test/Surface_mesh/sm_ply_io.cpp
+++ b/Surface_mesh/test/Surface_mesh/sm_ply_io.cpp
@@ -43,5 +43,92 @@ int main()
 //  CGAL::IO::set_binary_mode(out);
   CGAL::IO::write_PLY(out, mesh);
 
+  // extra test for read/write of properties
+  mesh = SMesh();
+  in.close();
+  in.open(CGAL::data_file_path("meshes/colored_tetra.ply"));
+  CGAL::IO::read_PLY(in, mesh);
+  float fvalue=1001;
+  auto v_uvmap = mesh.add_property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, std::vector<float>>("v:uv").first;
+  auto v_umap = mesh.add_property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, float>("v:u").first;
+  auto v_vmap = mesh.add_property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, float>("v:v").first;
+  for (SMesh::Vertex_index v : vertices(mesh))
+  {
+    v_uvmap[v]={fvalue, -fvalue};
+    v_umap[v]=fvalue;
+    v_vmap[v]=-fvalue;
+    ++fvalue;
+  }
+
+  double dvalue=2001;
+  auto f_uvmap = mesh.add_property_map<SMesh::Face_index, std::vector<double>>("f:uv").first;
+  auto f_umap = mesh.add_property_map<SMesh::Face_index, double>("f:u").first;
+  auto f_vmap = mesh.add_property_map<SMesh::Face_index, double>("f:v").first;
+  for (SMesh::Face_index f : faces(mesh))
+  {
+    f_uvmap[f]={dvalue, -dvalue};
+    f_umap[f]=dvalue;
+    f_vmap[f]=-dvalue;
+    ++dvalue;
+  }
+
+  out.close();
+  out.open("out_ascii.ply");
+  CGAL::IO::write_PLY(out, mesh);
+  out.close();
+  out.open("out_binary.ply");
+  CGAL::IO::set_binary_mode(out);
+  CGAL::IO::write_PLY(out, mesh);
+  out.close();
+  mesh.clear();
+
+  const std::array<std::string,2> fnames = {"out_ascii.ply", "out_binary.ply"};
+  for (std::string fn : fnames)
+  {
+    std::cout << "Reading " << fn << "\n";
+    in.close();
+    in.open(fn);
+    SMesh mesh_bis;
+    CGAL::IO::read_PLY(in, mesh_bis);
+
+    assert((mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, float>("v:u").second));
+    assert((mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, float>("v:v").second));
+    assert((mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, std::vector<float>>("v:uv").second));
+
+    v_uvmap = mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, std::vector<float>>("v:uv").first;
+    v_umap = mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, float>("v:u").first;
+    v_vmap = mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Vertex_index, float>("v:v").first;
+
+    fvalue=1001;
+    for (SMesh::Vertex_index v : vertices(mesh_bis))
+    {
+      assert(v_uvmap[v].size()==2);
+      assert(v_uvmap[v][0]==fvalue);
+      assert(v_uvmap[v][1]==-fvalue);
+      assert(v_umap[v]==fvalue);
+      assert(v_vmap[v]==-fvalue);
+      ++fvalue;
+    }
+
+    assert((mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Face_index, double>("f:u").second));
+    assert((mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Face_index, double>("f:v").second));
+    assert((mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Face_index, std::vector<double>>("f:uv").second));
+
+    f_uvmap = mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Face_index, std::vector<double>>("f:uv").first;
+    f_umap = mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Face_index, double>("f:u").first;
+    f_vmap = mesh_bis.property_map<SMesh::Face_index, double>("f:v").first;
+
+    dvalue=2001;
+    for (SMesh::Face_index f : faces(mesh_bis))
+    {
+      assert(f_uvmap[f].size()==2);
+      assert(f_uvmap[f][0]==dvalue);
+      assert(f_uvmap[f][1]==-dvalue);
+      assert(f_umap[f]==dvalue);
+      assert(f_vmap[f]==-dvalue);
+      ++dvalue;
+    }
+  }
+
   return 0;
 }