The top 20+ best beaches of Zakynthos island, Greece

Zakynthos island: does it really have the bluest waters in Greece?

Zakynthos island is very popular on social media. One of the things visitors say about the island is that it has the most beautiful, milky blue waters of Greece. They are unique to the Ionian islands and the Ionian Sea, and besides Kefalonia and Lefkada, other Greek islands do not have this typical water color. However, Zakynthos has many other types of beaches. It is the perfect destination for a beach holiday! The northeast coast is full of pebbly bays with blue and emerald waters (of whichsome are hidden and unorganized), whereas the Vasilikos peninsula in the south isfilled with long, sandy bays that offer every type of watersport.

There are tons of beaches on the island of Zakynthos. And little of them are underwhelming. Although it is not possible to discuss all of them here, I will discuss the (according to me) +20 best most beautiful beaches of Zakynthos island in this blog. And, to make it easy for you to find them, I included the Google Maps locations!

Now, let’s dive into the list of the +20 best beaches on Zakynthos island:

1. Navagio beach / Shipwreck Beach

A guide of Zakynthos’ best beaches obviously is not complete without a mention of Navagio beach. The most popular and most famous beach on the island. Its shipwreck and bizarre blue waters are the reason for many to visit the island in the first place. You probably already know you can only get there by boat. In 2023 however, access to the beach is prohibited. Thus, boats enter the bay and let you take pictures but you can not go onto the beach. For boat tours to Navagio, check out the section in this guide on boat tours. The history of the beach and its shipwreck is interesting. The beach, also known as ‘Smugglers Cove’, was previously called Agios Georgios. The ship named Panagiotis was smuggling cigarettes and was pursued by the Greek navy, but later deserted by the crew in bad weather. It then washed ashore in 1980. The ship remains on the beach till today making the stunning scene even more special. Since ‘navagio’ means shipwreck in Greek, that’s what the people started calling the beach as well. You can also go to the famous viewpoint.

2. Porto Limnionas

Porto Limnionas is a rocky bay and snorkeling spot with turquoise waters, down the road from the village of Agios Leon. It is a popular spot for snorkeling, swimming into caves and jumping off the cliffs. It is the most popular and organized of all on this side of the island. It is also the easiest to get to, in terms of a larger, well-maintained road. It even has a proper beach taverna with a stunning view and terraces with sunbeds on the cliff. There is also a big parking area. There is a diving school called Islanders Diving Center as well. However, it does get really crowded during high season, with people sitting everywhere on the rocks. So it can be hard to find a place, let alone sunbeds.

3. Blue Caves & Potami Dive Spot

The Blue Caves are one of the most famous landmarks of Zakynthos, close to the North Cape of the island. It is a set of impressive caves, surrounded by stunning turquoise, crystal-clear waters. You can only reach these Blue Caves by boat. Just below the Blue Caves, there is an impressive and photogenic set of stairs down to a rocky bay with spots on the rocks from where you can enter the water: Potamis Dive Spot. There is an actual wooden diving board to dive into the sea from. But you can also go in from the end of the stairs. Alongside the stairs and on several cliffs there are wooden terraces with sunbeds that you can use free of charge. They belong to the thePotamis Windmill restaurant, which is on top of the cliffs and named after the traditional windmills that you find right next to it. It is also a fantastic viewpoint, so still worth a short stop if you are not keen on walking down those stairs or eating a meal. In front of the restaurant, there is a large parking area.

4. Banana Beach

Banana beach is probably the most popular beach of the Vasilikos peninsula. A beautiful, long beach with golden sand and all the amenities you can think of. Lots of visitors come in every day from especially Argassi, because there is a special bus line provided from there. There are two very large beach bars: Banana Baya and Casa Playa. These also have a big parking lot, for those of you coming by car or other vehicle, and playgrounds for children. In the afternoon a DJ turns up the speakers a bit to create a ‘viby’ afternoon and early evening. On some Sundays in high season, they organize larger beach parties. Banana Water sports offers also EVERY type of water sports you can think of (including flyboarding). There is really a form of entertainment for everyone!

5. Agios Nikolaos

Don’t confuse this beach with the Agios Nikolaos beach in the northeast of the island. This is also a sandy bay, but very wide and thus with more sunbeds on it. It has shallow water and is therefore also perfect to go to with small children. And even an option for all kinds of watersports. You can actually do fly-boarding here and feel like a superhero. You find a big parking lot on the side of the cliff and a stunning little white church that makes a great photo spot.

6. Laganas bay / Kalamaki Beach

Laganas bay is a 9-kilometer-long beach with shallow water and darker, soft sand. One of the longest sandy beaches in Greece. It stretches out all the way to Kalamaki beach. A significant part of the shoreline has been included in the safeguarded Marine Park (National Park of Zakynthos). The national park serves as a habitat for the Caretta Caretta or Loggerhead sea turtles, which come ashore during the months of May to August, in the nighttime, to lay their eggs. Approximately 5.5 kilometers of the coastline have been designated as a shielded territory for these Loggerhead turtles. This means visitors have to obey some specific rules to safeguard the turtles and their eggs. Laganas bay sees the creation of about 1,500 Loggerhead turtle nests each year, which positions it among the top locations globally with the most breeding sites for this Mediterranean turtle variety. The Laganas side is full of beach bars with sunbeds, éven shisha and parties going on at night. Lots of young people there. The middle part is protected without sunbeds and on the Kalamaki side there is a restricted amount of sunbeds. This part is magical because it has a natural beauty, it is not busy, there are huge rocks on the beach, you can snorkel on the side and see lots of fish. The sand here is very fine and the water is shallow and relatively warm.

7. Gerakas Beach

Gerakas lies on the peninsula of Vasilikos and is another very popular beach where the Loggerhead sea turtles lay their eggs. Therefore, access is only allowed between sunrise and sunset. Close to the entrance of Gerakas beach you find the Turtle Rescue Information & Rescue Center (also described under museums in this guide) and the Gerakas information center. I advise you dearly to have a look and educate yourself about the endangerment of the turtles and what tourism also is doing to the rest of the island. Entrance to the beach is via a large ramp, you have to park your car in a big parking lot (free) 50 meters before the entrance. It’s just a short walk down to the beach. It has a backdrop of sand dunes and green limestone hills.

8. Turtle Island

This is a little island a few kilometers away from Zakynthos, right in front of Keri beach. Its beach is probably the most used place for nesting by the endangered Loggerhead turtles that Zakynthos is famous for. If you go, it is very likely you’ll encounter some turtles on the way or when snorkeling. But there is also a set of amazing caves to be found on the other side of the island. Logically, you can only get here by boat. And since Loggerhead turtles and their eggs are a protected species, there are a few rules you have to follow. You can officially not anchor your boat, fish, put an umbrella up on the beach or walk further than 5 meters from the shore. There are no sun loungers and there is no natural shade. If you want to see it uncrowded, the best choice you can make is to be there around 8-9 AM. Because it is one of the most affordable and easy-to-book boat tours, it does get really crowded on the beach and around the island.

9. Porto Zoro

5 minutes away from Banana beach you find Porto Zorro. Some people even call it Porto Azzuro after the well-known beach bar. It is a sandy beach with, on the southern side, some rocky formations that contain clay. This clay is rich in nutrients. So you can have a free clay mask here! But, the rocky formations are also great for snorkeling around.

10. Tsilivi beach

Tsilivi is one of the most popular tourist resorts of Zakynthos, just 6 km from Zakynthos town. It is not the prettiest place in Zakynthos, but it is convenient for all types of travelers. Since there are lots of things to do besides swimming, such as bowling. Because it is a very organized place, the long sandy beach has lots of beach bars and is filled with umbrellas, bouncy castles with water slides for children (Pirates Aqua Park) and places to do watersports (even kitesurfing on windy days cause this beach takes on the north wind). Which is good, because there is little natural shade. You will have to find a parking place for your car somewhere on one of the roads that lead to the beach. There is no larger, designated parking lot. You can also easily reach Tsilivi by city bus from Zante town.

11. Plaka beach

An amazing bay, but also a beach you might want to avoid (if you’re not staying in the amazing hotel on the beach). The owners of the Plaka Resort want to make everyone believe that you are only allowed to sit on the beach if you pay for sunbeds, while no beach in Greece is allowed to be private property. Therefore you are always allowed to sit down with your own towel. However, they are so aggressive about it, they get people to go away eventually. I do not support these kinds of practices and therefore, I would avoid it.

12. Agios Sostis / Cameo Island

Agios Sostis is a smaller beach with darker sand on the west side of Laganas. It has several beach bars with sunbeds. Not a spectacular beach by itself (in fact, one of the worst in terms of aesthetics to sit on as it is also used as a large parking lot). The same goes for the next-door beach Porto Koukla, although it looks a bit better. But very famous because of Cameo Island: the picture-perfect little island that is attached to Agios Sostis harbor by a wooden bridge. Entrance to Cameo Island is € 5 but you do get a picture of yourself in a keychain. On the other side of the little island, there is a beach bar that is open in high season. Agios Sostis is a popular place to rent a boat or take a boat tour to go to Marathonisi and discover the west coast.

13. Alykes beach

Out of the larger and very organized tourist resorts in Zakynthos, Alykes is the northernmost one. People like to stay here because it is well organized like the tourist towns in the south, but still close to the less touristy and organized north part of the island. It has a kilometers-long beach with golden sand. Although the southernmost part is where most of the resorts, restaurants and shops are located. It is also here, where the beach is the largest. The end part is called Alykanas. Naturally, this part of the beach is busy and packed with sunbeds and beach bars with all the facilities you might need. Also, several companies offer watersports, such as riding on a banana or jet skiing.

14. Xigia beach

Xigia is more of an area on the east coast than just one beach. It has a lot of scenic beauty. The area, but especially the main beach has grown in popularity tremendously during the past few years. Yes, the colors of the water and the contrast with the pebbles are beautiful, but you can find beautiful colors at the previously discussed beaches as well. And those beaches are way less crowded. However, the reason that this beach is so popular, is because there are sulfur and collagen flowing into the water, which is believed to make a swim here good for your skin and health. You should also know that you smell it from afar (the sulfur) as a visitor and afterwards on your body as well! Unfortunately, it is so discovered that it gets really crowded in the summer months, from early on during the day. Buses with people on day tours of the island stop here as well. If you want a set of sunbeds the best thing to do is to come early. There is an organized paid parking lot, but you can also find free parking on the side of the road. Be aware of the fact that the descent to the beach (staircase) you need to take is steep! There’s a canteen above the beach that sends down your drinks in a basket through a zipline, which is fun to watch 😊.

15. Porto Vromi beach

Porto Vromi is a beach on the west side of the island and consists of 2 inlets. Even though they lie next to each other, you have to reach the northern one from a roadway further up north than the southern one. You can NOT walk from inlet A to inlet B. Both have a quite long, winding road that leads down. The southern inlet is the most visited, cause it is the first road you pass by as most people are coming in from the south. This one has a canteen with drinks on the beach so it is semi-organized. The northern one though is equally beautiful (and maybe even more because the beach is half covered by a cave). Both places have a small pebbly beach and the most stunning turquoise water. They are surrounded by rocks and caves which makes it the perfect place for snorkeling. From both places, you can take an organized tour to Navagio (see the section on boat tours) or rent a private boat as well. BE CAREFUL which company you book a tour with. If you end up in the wrong bay it is a 25-minute drive to the other bay and you’ll miss the tour. You find parking spots on the side of the road or, in case of the southern inlet, on the parking lot, upon arrival. When visiting the southern inlet you’ll pass by the viewpoint of the beach a while before you get all the way down.

16. Porto Roma beach

Moving on to the east side of the Vasilikos Peninsula. The southernmost side of this side is Porto Roma. It is a calm bay with a quite tiny beach with a small stretch of sand and clear, shallow waters. It is significantly quieter than the more popular beaches in the northeast part of the peninsula. Basically, most amenities are organized from the apartment complex on the south side, where you can also find parking and a bus stop! However, there is also a beach bar on the other side of the beach that you can reach via a different road.

17. Makris Gialos beach

Makris Gialos has pebbles, crystal clear waters and sunbeds. On the right side above the beach there is a restaurant as well.  For the snorkelers and good swimmers, Makris Gialos offers an amazing opportunity to discover the nearby caves and rocks. For those who like some guidance with this, you can rent a boat or take a private tour from this beach to the nearby beaches and the (Blue) Caves.

18. Piscines beach

Piscines is probably the most stunning beach I have been to on my trip. You can only reach it by boat. Even more so, you need a skipper to reach it as self-driving is not allowed past Myzithres beach. The colors of the water are out of this world! Nearby, on the far side of the bay, you can swim into a cave and end up in the amazing ‘Cave of Love’. You can also approach this cave from the other side by boat. These two things by themselves are already worth booking a boat trip with a skipper. I wouldn’t want to have missed it for the world!

19. White Beach(es)

There are 2 beaches called ‘White Beach’, one above and one below Shipwreck beach. Obviously, because of the stunning white sand/pebbles and white cliffs as a backdrop. Both can only be reached by boat. White Beach 1 will be a stop if you take a tour to Shipwreck beach from the east of Zakynthos, and White Beach 2 when you take a tour from the southwest.

20. Korakonisi

Korakonisi is another small cove (well actually a small peninsula, therefore it is called ‘nisi’ – island) that, in terms of picturesqueness, has it all. Naturally formed pools, a great place for snorkeling, a big stone arch above the turquoise waters and a small and simple but great snack bar (delicious food and reasonable prices) with a stunning view of the place. There is a windy but asphalt road of a few kilometers that leads down all the way to the snack bar. However, to get from the snack bar into the water you have to take a steep staircase and eventually will have to climb some rocks. So do bring your trainers and know that this is not suitable for disabled people.

21. Plakaki

Plakaki is the last one in the row of rocky inlets on the west coast, thus the southernmost one. Also the tiniest of all. And the best one for the hiking lovers amongst us. As, from the end of the asphalt road (keep following the asphalt road there is no reason to go into any dirt road) you have to hike down a steep and challenging path for about 20-30 minutes. You must wear trainers and bring your own food and drinks (water!!), enough sunscreen and a hat as there are no facilities. You will be rewarded with a jump into the clear turquoise waters. It is one of the best places to snorkel into caves and spot various types of fish.

22. Madrakia

Madrakia is a hidden gem. A small beach next to the harbor of Agios Nikolaos in the northwest of Zakynthos. It might be tiny, but its colors are mesmerizing! From the side and the taverna, it really looks like a tropical paradise. This is because you find lots of plants, trees and flowers here. And there are many boats to spot in the distance. The tiny white pebbles that the beach consists of make the contrast with the crystal clear water even bigger. There is no beach bar. But, Madrakia taverna serves delicious (sea)food and drinks and has just a few (free!) sunbeds on the beach. So it is a welcoming place in the shade to chill and admire the beauty of the place from.

23. Myzithres & Keri Caves

Myzithres is on its way to becoming as popular as Navagio beach. It is again a spot that you can only reach by boat except for the (stunning) viewpoint on top. Tours from the south of the island to Navagio pass by, or you can rent a boat yourself. The 2 rocks in the sea have always been there, but the small beaches between the first rock and the coast have only formed after an earthquake in 2018. So no wonder it only got popular recently. To go to the viewpoint, do not park at the parking lots but take the dirt road left from the parking lots up (you can do it with any car if you’re careful) and you will find it after a couple of hundred meters. You might think that this is a very short photo stop, but you can stay a little longer at the Keri Lighthouse restaurant. They have created an amazing photo spot and some tables with a side view of Myzithres. The sunset view is amazing too. You can also go to the newer Myzithres Summer Vibes cantine. Definitely worth it for the view to enjoy a drink or bite here! Keri Caves These are a set of caves that you will pass by when renting a boat in Keri or Agios Sostis or when embarking on a boat trip from there. Because the caves are located in a bay, the waters are shallow and of stunning emerald color. If you get there with a skipper, chances are you see a few of them from the inside which is a cool experience.

Thank you for reading this blog ”The top 20+ best beaches of Zakynthos island, Greece”. If you want to know more about Zakynthos, read my other blogs or get my ZakynthosTravel Guide. Enjoy my personal favorites and enjoy your stay on Naxos! Happy Travels! 🌊🌞🇬🇷.