This island is very popular with package tourists, the vast majority textile, with predictable results. Some visitors who visit with naturism in mind come away disappointed. However there are several beaches with plenty of naturist fans, although no guarantees that nudism is available in high season.
Melia/Dahfni
To reach this beach by car you drive the road eastward from Argassi, after about 6-8 km and after passing a nice taverna, very nicely situated high over the sea, turn to the right up for a hill, marked Dahfni beach. (very hard to detect). If you miss that way, after another two km there is another way to the right marked Melia beach. The road to Dafni is improved this year (it has been levelled and concrete and stone added in places) but the road to Melia is stilkl rough.
They lead to a former (1996) taverna in the south coast. Park the car and walk eastward along the beach around the hedge about 300 meters away. There is a wonderful beach just under very wild and high cliffs. You still have to walk round the cliff face to get to the beach at Melia. The beach is very little populated and the bathing is wonderful. It is quite narrow with a limited number of sandy areas, at most points you have to walk through stones and rocks while entering the sea.
Alternative directions: When going to Daphne, head for Porto Zoro on the Vasilikos peninsula. It is signposted, but only in Greek, off on the right when driving from Argassi towards Gerakas. You drive for about half a mile up very steep and winding tracks (about 3km) and it's better in a 4x4. It looks as though you are driving through someone's farmyard, but persevere.
There are three different roads off the main road road from Argassi which all lead to the beach, however for the nearest parking to the nude area, you will need to take the last turn off signposted on the right on a sharp left hand turn (but road is quite rough, as they all are).
Views are breathtaking, and it's a clothes optional beach on the left when you reach the car park. To the right are bars, etc.
There were about half a dozen couples there and a family when my correspondent was there (June 2001), all nude. Another contributor from 2001 says the beach itself attracts families, couples and single men, sometimes in groups. Its relaxed and unthreatening, very little shade, and nowhere to throw rubbish. A long walk to get a drink. Be careful about spiking umbrellas in sand, as it's a turtle nesting beach, and spikes can damage nests (see Note from the Captain below).
A June 2003 report described this best beach on the island for nude sunbathing. Nude area at far left of the beach. Plenty of couples everyday and a few nude men on their own (the far end of beach seems to be a pick up point for gay men). Not many textiles and great for swimming.
Be aware, though, that like many beaches on Zakynthos the number of nudists - indeed whether there are any at all - varies, and the Captain has had reports of no naturist activity at all on Dahfni.
In the mornings (in August) you can count how many turtles had coming up in the night to lay there eggs or how many baby turtles had gone down to the water. (See Note from the Captain further down this page).
One of my earliest contributors rated it 9 out of 10.
But reports from August 1999 suggest it was disappointing. There was a very small naturist section at the left end of the very crowded and hard to reach beach. It was rather dangerous to stay close to the rock fall. But if you go further to the left, involving some "not too difficult" climbing you can find a few other small naturist beaches. In August there were about 10 to 20 naturists there.
A report from July/August 2000 describes this as a lovely beach. Only 3 naturists including my contributor, though. If you don't mind being in a minority, you'll enjoy it here. Don't let the textiles worry you.
A report from September 2000 says the left end of the beach was frequented by naturists, especially couples: few people, no more than 5 couples. The beach is beautiful but dangerous because of falling rocks. A report from September 2001 says it is a very narrow beach but quiet and long. A report from September 2001 said that there were only about 15 couples at any one time, the sea in front of the beach is very safe and quiet because it is a restricted area for the loggerhead turtles and no boats are allowed in the area. Another report from 2001 says the naturists are pushed to the far end of the beach where the shoreline is narrow but it is certainly pleasant enough. The naturist section was never busy, maximum around a dozen at any one time, and we would recommend the beach to anyone who likes a bit of peace and quiet.
Facilities are available on the main beach section. The only drawback my contributors found was the drive to get there, watch out for damage to your hire car on the long potholed track from the main road!
A report from summer 2002 confirms that naturist activity seemed well tolerated and also recommended the shingly cove just to the east.
Barefooters who visited in August 2005 got there early in the morning (around 11 am) and were the first nudists on the left part of the beach. In order to reach that part of the beach they had to walk all the way to some rocks and even through the sea. For some time we were the only nudists there. Later only one couple joined us. The man decided to strip off, while the lady sunbathed topless. We have visited this beach on one more occasion (late in the afternoon) and this time there were three or four more couples, all naked.
But in June 2006 the beach was closed in order to protect the turtles. It was due to open on 1 July. Good news for the turtles, despite disappointing visiting Barefooters.
Gerakas
On the very most southern tip of Zakynthos Island there is a beach called Gerakas beach, the famous turtle beach. A long drive down from Zante (30mins) by car. Before the beach there is car parking, the lazy bar, a coffee hut and a shop. Walk down the slope onto the beach and turn right.
This beach has featured for many years in Cap'n Barefoot's Naturist Guide, but the indications are that it is not now really available for nudism. There are numerous stories of police activity, and even the conservation warden getting involved. It's much to be regretted but Gerakas cannot now be recommended as a naturist destination.
If you want to read about Gerakas as it once was, see my "Some we have lost" archive.
Note from the Captain: It is well known that the sea turtles on Zakynthos are threatened. Tourism brings benefits to the Greek Islands but it can be ecologically damaging too. A considerable degree of responsibility is required of those who visit beaches which are also turtle nesting sites. In particular, any nests should not be disturbed, any turtles should not be "assisted" to the sea (it is essential to their development that they find their own way) and the beach should not be visited at night. And as with all beaches, litter should not be left. True naturists leave only footprints in the sand. This web page exhorts all those who visit Zakynthos to follow these guidelines. For more information visit the web site of the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece.
Porto Zoro
A nice long beach with some "private small bays" on the right.
From Zakynthos go towards Gerakas. after about 10km there is a road sign that points left to Porto Zoro (0.4 km). follow the road all the way. a great long beach.
Kalamaki
My correspondents stayed at Kalamaki towards the Laganas side of the town in July 1999. The beach runs for 3 KM from Kalamaki to Laganas. Either end of the beach near the two towns the beach is very busy with not too much 'topless' sun bathing. However if you walk towards the middle of the beach there are a lot fewer people, and those that are there tend to just walk along the sea edge. The beach is about 30 m wide but is backed by dunes. Although even the 'Thompsons' information sheet in the hotel identified the centre of the beach as 'naturist' my correspondents saw no one fully naked. However they felt quite at ease going into the dunes, and were undisturbed except for the very occasional pony trekker (3 times in two weeks), and baring all. The sand is very hot and seemed to deter any of the walkers from venturing into the dunes. The down side was having to slip on 'bottoms' when wanting to go for a swim, although once into the water these could be removed for a 'freer!' swim as there were very few other swimmers in the water at this part of the beach.
The Captain thinks this all sounds a bit furtive for real pleasure, but hopefully if more and more naturists go there it will become more and more readily accepted. Unfortunately, more recent reports talk about "tourist industry", airport, hotels, crowds, tavernas, pubs etc, etc. And a recent report pointed pout that Kalamaki beach runs into Laganas beach and at the mid point between the two beaches you might be able to disrobe, however the constant walking parade between the two resorts, and the need to stay within three meters of the sea made this a very uncomfortable exercise. No other fellow naturists were seen.
However correspondents who visited in June 2001 report that they went to the left hand side of the main beach were it was was a clothes optional beach. There were about 6 to 10 couples plus the odd single man there every day - all nationalities. No problems from textiles or voyeurs. There is a more secluded bay round the small headland to the left which can be reached by track behind Cava D'Oro tavern but this looked like it was mainly although not exclusively male.
A report from a visit in October 2003 says that both Kalamaki and Laganas beaches where packed with holidaymakers, but walking between the two for about a mile and the beach was empty except for tourists walking from one to the other. Only one other couple dared to bare, but if you go into the sand dunes for 25 yards nobody comes near. My contributors found themselves a little sun trap between some dwarf pine and spent a couple of pleasant afternoons there never seeing a soul.
And a Barefoot reporter tells me that in August 2007 he found Kalamaki beach divided by rocks that come out to the sea. The second beach, on the left hand dside, easily accessible by swimming or by following a path, is used by naturists - he rated it 90%.
Crystal beach is an unofficial nudist beach (report from September 2005). It is easily found by walking to the far end of the main road away from Laganas end and turning to the sea at the Taxi rank. Nudists used the far end of the beach away from the Hotel Cristal. The half-way point seems to be the cut off for reasonable distance from the hotel and as a guide the 'Camel's Hump' on the cliff is a landmark.
Some people walk past to the next bay but it is not a voyeur route. The water was crystal clear and still as a mill pond for a number of days but as the weather and full moon took its toll the water was a little rougher. The beach was relaxed with the Turtle watch volunteers not worrying about nudists. The beach appears 'dirty' but most of the debris is natural with dried seaweed looking like shredded paper and 'sand balls' like Kiwi fruits. The time of year meant the beach was never overly busy and the nude end reflecting that.
As you enter the beach by Crystal Beach hotel you walk to the left for about 3 mins and you come to the section where everybody is enjoying the sun all over their bodies. The fruit seller comes and delivers his fruit about 5 times each day. After speaking to a few Greek people this beach is known by them and this is where the natives come and bath naked. At this part of the beach you can also wade past the large rock obstruction and you come to a totally secluded beach solely used by naturists. The sea is shallow and warm, you can play bat and ball in the sea without much in the way of people staring (interestingly, my contributor says his attractive 21-year-old wife usually gets stared at on "regular" beaches, but was not on the nudist beach - an example of naturist beach users treating each other with respect that sometimes is lacking elsewhere).
Banana Beach
Banana Beach on the Vasilikas peninsular is a very long and as the name suggests banana shaped beach. Can be a bit windy. When visited by my reporters in May 2005 it was very early in the season so not many people around. My contributors were the only naturists that they could see but no one battered an eyelid including the man who collected the money for the sun beds. A nice taverna just up from the beach is available and the week we were there they were just opening up the beach bars. So set the trend, folks, and try Banana beach. It was also the only beach that my contributors were told was naturist by their holiday representative.
Vrontonero
This beach, at the extreme eastern end of Laganas bay is almost entirely naturist. Head for Kalamaki and turn up towards the Cave Bar - past that, take the left rough road and it will lead right to the beach. There are NO facilities at all and not many tourists. Many locals go there, a lot of single guys (some gay) and lots of couples too. Completely relaxed for all. One Barefooter rated it 100%.
It is 600mtrs from the cave bar. You can take a car most of the way but you will need to be very careful. You can also reach it by walking from the eastern end of Kalamaki just round some large rocks. The beach had single males, single females, male couples, female couples and mixed sex couples, 99% of which were nude when Barefoot reporters were there in early June 2008. Good access to the water which shelved gradually out. You could walk the length of the beach (about 600mtrs) totally naked.
Keri Beach
A collection of stone frontage to the road and offers no solace for the naturist, if however on reaching the beach you head to the left around the headland and don't mind scrambling over rocks and suffering while crawling into the water, wearing protective shoes, and rock softening mats, then you could strip off. However naturism is not meant as a penal exercise and therefore not enjoyable. Unfortunately, reports from 2005 suggest that even this rocky retreat had disappeared.
Porto Kuokla
A nice stone beach. Barefoot reporters who visited in 2004 said when they were there we found an older naked couple and the rest (which were some distance away) were not disturbed by their nudity. Even the guy who charged them for the sun bed and umbrella (3 Euros each) was naked.
To go there you have to follow the road from Zakynthos to Keri. When reaching a road sign that points left to St. Sostis, Port and Koukla, turn left. After about 1.6 km turn towards "Magic Land" (a hand made sign) and follow the road. the end is a hotel with stairs to the beach. Try to reach the beach from the stairs before.
Aghios Andreas
Very small, beautiful shingle bay with excellent snorkelling. Hard to find too. The turning is 100 metres or so north from Mikro Nissi, down a concrete track. Not much parking, but beach is very small. Get there early and set the trend, go late and if textiles are there you may feel awkward. It's definitely a C/O place though, and when my contributor was there everyone seemed happy. Never more than 10 folk there at a time. This beach is not marked on the tourist maps. Don't shout about it either, don't want it spoiling. A report from June 2001 says it was deserted when my correspondent visited.
Unfortunately this beach seems to be less promising in 2003. A correspondent got there first to set the trend by going nude, following the captain's advice, but nobody followed the trend on this beach. Mainly textile couples with no other nudes at all. Gave in in the end as the beach is now quite well known and must be a stop off point on way to light house at top of island. My correspondent also reported the water was freezing and seems to have an algae that makes the water blurry. The Captain feels sure that must be a temporary phenomenon.
Another report from July 2003 said there was one German couple nude on the beach. My reporters went nude and swam and sunbathed. My contributor says it was his wife's first time nude on a beach and a perfect place to start. The setting was beautiful, the beach peaceful and clean, the water perfect.
Some Barefoot reporters suggest that some of the best beaches on cannot be reached by land. It's an idea to hire a boat and explore these, together with the tiny islands that surround Zakynnthos.
