Best beaches in Karpathos Greece
Karpathos is home to some of the best beaches in Greece. Some are sandy with shallow waters, while others are wild and dramatically nestled amongst mountains. The options are plenty and can cater to all types of travelers – from families with small children to couples in search of silence and seclusion. If you’re wandering what are the best beaches in Karpathos, you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll find the ultimate list of beaches to visit on the island. If you’re looking for a comprehensive travel guide of Karpathos, click here instead. Now, let’s deep dive in a world of blue beaches!
All beaches described in this article are tagged on the above personalized Google Maps. Additionally, you’ll find tags of some other great beaches we didn’t have the time to visit. If you want to have access to the full Karpathos map including restaurants and villages click here!
1) Apella Beach
Apella is Karpathos most beautiful beach. Nestled between massive rocks and boasting the most beautiful crystal-clear blue waters, it’s a must-do on the island. You can visit Apella Beach as part of full-day boat excursion leaving from Pigadia. But, I’d recommend heading there for the whole day instead. Apella is one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve seen in the whole world and a place you’ll certainly want to make the most of.
Read the full guide to Apella Beach here
Half of Apella beach is wild and the other is structured. You can rent a couple of sunbeds with an umbrella for 20€ for the whole day. But you’ll need to get there early, as this is a popular spot in Karpathos. There’s a taverna at the beach serving traditional Greek food, but quality and service are not the best. Nevertheless, it can be a very convenient place to eat if you’re spending the day at Apella and don’t want to bring food. Although I wasn’t a fan of the restaurant, one thing I gotta give to them: it has the most amazing views and atmosphere!
There’s a trail starting at the right end of Apella Beach leading to a gorgeous secluded beach. This is a nudist beach and has a the same water color and transparency of Apella. We loved spending some time there, soaking in the calm and pristine environment. There were some families enjoying the beach, so it’s a totally respectful place. We found some some natural shade to be enjoyed at this beach – paradise if you ask me!
2) Kyra Panagia
Kyra Panagia is a beautiful beach on the east cost of Karpathos, not so far away from Apella. The water color is extremely blue and clear and the atmosphere at the beach is pristine. On the right side of the Kyra Panagia you’ll find an idyllic church which only adds to the dreamy landscape. There’s a taverna at the beach serving traditional Greek meals and offering sunbeds to customers. Definitely one of the best beaches in Karpathos!
3) Ahata Beach
With stunning crystal-clear emerald waters and surrounded by imposing green mountains, Ahata Beach is a true gem of Karpathos. After Apella, this was the most impressive beach we visited on the island. We couldn’t help but spending a whole day there, taking refreshing dips, reading a good book and exploring the caves on the left side of the beach. It was delightful and we couldn’t recommend this beach more!
There’s a big parking lot at the beach, as well as a tavern serving surprisingly good traditional Greek meals during lunch. We rented a couple of sun beds with an umbrella for 15€ and thought it was a really good deal, especially because there’s a fresh water shower available. The sunbeds closer to the water cost a bit more, but they’re are usually taken early in the morning. If you prefer, it’s possible to set up camp at the beach, as part of it remains unstructured. Arrive early, as this is a popular on the island.
4) Ammopi and little Ammopi
These two beautiful beaches are close to each other and boast beautiful shallow blue waters. The pebbles are thin, almost resembling sand, and there’s good structure available. They’re part of the diverse portfolio of beaches in Ammopi village, which also includes Votsalakia beach, and are not so far from Diafani.
5) Kastelia Beach and nearby coves
Kastelia is a rocky beach with structure and beautiful blue waters. It’s gorgeous and definitely worth checking, but there’s some equally great beaches nearby. In fact, between Ammopi and Kastelia beaches there’s a myriad of secluded and gorgeous coves to be explored.
We parked the car near to Apolis beachscape hotel and walked the seaside road looking for the most idyllic place to swim. Somewhere between we found this beautiful place where we spent calm hours refreshing in the most clear waters.
6) Lefkos beaches
There are four main beaches in Lefkos village, but Gialou Chorafi seem to be the most popular of them all. As a sandy beach with structure and taverna, this a popular spot amongst families and tend to get crowded. It’s worth checking, but if it’s too busy you may head to Gialou Chorafi, Gialou Chorafi or Potali which are nearby and are usually more secluded.
7) Beaches in Saria Island
The beaches in Saria Island can only be accessed by boat. The best way to get to them is joining a full-day excursion leaving from Diafani or Pigadia almost daily during high season. You’ll be taken to fantastic coves where it’s possible to snorkel, as well as to two gorgeous beaches. From the Bay of Palatia you can also hike to the ruins of an abandoned village.
Visiting Saria is one of the 12 best things to do in Karpathos. Click here to discover the rest!
7) Additional beaches in Karpathos
- Agios Nikolaos in Arkasas is a sandy beach with calm blue waters and structure
- Votsalakia Beach close to Ammopi and less crowded
- Makris Gialos Beach in the south of Karpathos is a paradise for wind and kite surfers
- Diakoftis Beach in the South of Karpathos is a secluded calm beach with gorgeous water
- Finiki Beach is a popular beach with calm waters, surrounded by hotels and tavernas
- Agios Nikolaos in Spoa has crystal-clear waters and a calm atmosphere
Best way to visit the beaches in Karpathos
You’ll need a car to explore the best beaches in Karpathos well. We rented ours with Karpathos Car and had a good experience, but I recommend comparing prices with Discover Cars before settling with a supplier. Although a small car was enough for us, I must admit it felt a bit unstable while driving the elevated roads up north in windy conditions. Not that it was unsafe, but if knew the wind was so strong, I would have gone for a studier car instead.
There are buses departing from Pigadia and Lefkos to the most popular beaches in Karpathos, but the schedule and destinations are limited. If you aim to take your time and visit secluded coves, you’ll need a car. Another option is to join full-day boat trips leaving from Pigadia and Diafani. These group trips usually stop in different beaches during the day, so you won’t be able to adjust your itinerary according to personal preferences. But if you can’t or don’t want to rent a car, these boat trips may be the best way to go!
