Chios

Chios is a naturist paradise, if one is prepared to put a bit of effort into the holiday. The island is littered with small, secluded beaches, perfect for people who prefer nature to crowded "developed" places. But there is also a high "textile-factor" all around the island, and not even topless sunbathing on the most popular beaches, as there are almost no visitors except Greeks.

Chios as a tourist-island is not over-exploited, mostly due to runway (!) regulations. Many visitors come to like this "25 year set-back" in Greek touristic history.

The island has very few tourists, only 7 charter planes arrive each week, limited by the size of the airport. This means that the locals are not fed-up with tourists, there is no jet-set-party-all-night crowd, and everything runs at a wonderfully slow pace.

You should rent a car or motorbike, as there is a lot to see and do around the island (but the Captain advises you to take great care if you do rent a motorbike). The best beaches are on the western coast. We found places that were easily accessible, but so deserted that we would have 100 metres of sand beach absolutely to ourselves. We could even go for long walks nude, the only thing bothering us was the spiky bushes that grow everywhere. Crime rate equals nil at Chios, so leaving our things at the beach was no worry.

Most beaches are pebble - not sandy - beaches. In July the water was so warm we could swim forever.

If you don't want to hire a car or bike, you should explore the coast around the village where you are staying. There's a good chance that you would find a nice, private little bay 200 - 300 metres away from the public beach. We found one of those, and on a crowded day there were six people on a 70 metre beach.
West Coast of the island is scarcely populated and offers the best lonely beaches. South beaches are isolated too and nice but, except Mavros Gialos, tthe others are not populated by naturists.
The east coast is where most of the tourism business resides, along with many private houses owned by Greeks. Beaches are organized and not wild and immersed in the nature like on the south and west coasts. If you take your starting point here be prepared to ride at least 40 minute to get to the first beach suitable for naturists. Although in Chios there are so few tourists and the island is so big that you may find a spot here too.

So, if you don't mind bringing your own lunch to the beach, and don't mind walking a bit, then Chios is truly paradise (no serpents nor apples). Barefoot reporters say they explored the island for two weeks without ever having to wear swimwear.

Reordered anticlockwise from N round via W and S to E


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Kambia

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Kambia is a small cherry-growing village in the most northern part of Chios. You can stop at the village and take an hour hike down the Kambio ravine. It is a sort of a botanical tour called Kambio trail. Follow a small stream all the way to its outfall into the sea. The trees provide shade throughout the trail. It is really wonderful if the weather is not too hot.

There's a dust-road where Kambia beach can be reached by a car. Drive to Kambia village, pass it and after 1 km turn left here. The road becomes gravel but drivable by regular small car. After about 3 km you will reach the beach.

First bay of the beach is right near the road, but it may be little bit uncomfortable because it can be seen from the road and there is some garbage behind the beach:

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Turn to the right (facing the the sea) and after a small rockfall you will see another large bay:

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The beach is large and consists of medium-sized white pebbles. The sea is quite rough, rocks in the water are quite large and slimy so entry into the water can be a challenge. Swimming slippers are obligatory. No facilities, no natural shade on the beach.

Update 2011: Barefooter who visited the beach in June found it empty - no people at all. He tried both bays, swimming was quite inconvenient and strong wind did not allow to install an umbrella. Walking by the beach is quite enjoyable but not for barefooters - the pebbles were rough and hot. Driving from Volissos by serpentine takes about 1 hour but the beach itself (in the barefooter's opinion) is not worth the long way. It can be a good place to stop if your goal is to see mountain villages like Kambio.


West coast of Chios

The beautiful west coast offers opportunities. Try Agia Markella, close to the city of Volissos. It's a very long, small pebble, almost sandy, beach which in August 2000 was very quiet. It's easy to find, just follow the main road along the west coast. It doesn't offer any tavernas etc. Bring your own supplies, or drive to Volissos for food.


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Hori / Limnos (Managros)

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If you take the road from Chios town to Volissos (40 km), when arriving down the hills, you will find the crossing to Managros. Turn left (towards Managros) and follow the paved road which becomes an unpaved track at the beach. Drive along the beach to the south until the track goes up the hill. Park your car or bike here at the plain area. You have arrived at one of the largest nudist beaches in Greece.

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It's a sand/pebble beach for more than 1 km. You will find naturism practised at the south part of the beach. However be warned that it can get quite windy here. The sea gets deep quite quickly.
All in all: nice island, nice beaches, few tourists, quiet and calm.

When my correspondent visited in September 1998 there were 5 couples a day; in May 1999 there were 2 or 3 couples. It is said to be a very nice, long and restful beach where you will not find many people even in high season. This information has been confirmed in September 2000 (my contributor described it as a naturists' paradise, although it may be more crowded in high season). My correspondent even found some with Greek naturists - who are still not that common - there. This part of the island is not touristic except in high season, and it is very popular with Greek holidaymakers. You can find rooms to rent in the nearby places as Vollisos, Limnos and Limnia. This is an excellent place for peaceful nudist holidays. A report from June 2001 suggests that there is clear evidence of naturism catching on here in its own modest way.

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My Barefoot reporters have been there several times. Once (on a Sunday) they were the only people on the beach. At the most busy time they shared 1 km of beach with 5 naked couples (textile factor: zero).
Update 2011: Naturism is still practised at the south part of the beach. In June we saw 2 couples and one single man, all naked.
Update 2014: You'd better proceed to the south part of the beach. Near the north part of the beach there is a scouts' camp. Children may come out from there and spoil your calm.
Update 2018: not worth the visit compared to other west coast's beaches. In September no nudists there on Sunday.


Makria Ammos (Tigani)

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If you follow the road northwards from Elintas, you will find a vast number of empty bays (almost every minute a bay appears). Turn to the left here to the gravel road. The road is OK for a regular small car. After 800 metres you will see the first beach of Makria Ammos:

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Park your car under the trees and walk to the beach. The beach consists of three bays. First large bay is pebble and usually used by textile campers. Turn to the right and continue walking, pass second rocky bay. Third bay is usually empty and can be used by naturists:

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It is small sandy beach with good entry into the water. But if you continue walking along the sea for about 50 metres you will find something special. It is a small grotto covered by a natural stone arch like a bridge:

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The small beach in front of it is of small pebbles. The stone arch provides good shade.

In June 2011 only first of the bays was occupied by campers, all other bays were empty.

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To reach second Makria beach continue driving by the gravel road. It will rise to the hill and then fall to this large beach:

In June 2011 we saw only a few textiles there but the beach is large enough to practise naturism at sufficient distance from other people.
Update 2018: better the second Makria beach than the first. This is very big and looks like other islands more famous naturist beaches. In September nobody there, even if the road is large and easy and there is a big parking.


Elintas

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Elintas is the most well-known Chios beach. It's really wonderful. It's rather empty so you can enjoy nudity at both ends of the beach. Everything seems perfect. Crystal clear water, nice entry into water, the forest behind … The beach is of medium-size pebbles, the water is little bit cooler than at other parts of the island. Tamarisk trees behind the beach provide good shade in the middle and right side of the beach. There are no trees and so no shade on the left side.
The beach is reachable by regular car with care, follow "Elintas" sign from main road.

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Update 2011: We visited the beach twice in June. In weekday only middle part of the beach was occupied by campers so we could strip off on the left side of the beach and had a really good day. No other naturists. Our second visit was at the weekend and the beach was full of people, 100% textile. So naturism is possible on the beach but not at weekends.
Update 2018: nice, it has good shelters on the back by trees and coves made with them. Medium size pebbles that hurt and water is cold. I've been there one morning and we were alone, then 2 textile couples came.

Update 2022 The beach is fantastic and the waters crystal clear. July and August a lot of visitors as well as local campers. During peak season nudity is possible only at the right end of the beach.


Sami

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Sami is very small pebble beach near Elintas. Most of the time it is empty as very few people know about the beach. Park your car at the roadside near the beach. A small track starts here at 38 22 42.7296N, 25 59 27.2616E. The track is almost invisible from the road so finding it without GPS can be difficult (the beach is also invisible). The track is not easy and leads via spines; good shoes and pants are recommended.
The beach is very small, about 15 metres length. Fine pebbles provide good access to the water, but be aware of sea urchins at the rocks. If you need some shade, try the trees on left-hand side, you have to climb there to the rock.


Kastello / Trachili

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Reports reach the Captain of a pebble beach in a small bay on the north side from Lithi, before you reach Elinta. To find the beach, follow the main road along the west coast from Elinda to Lithi. You can see the little bay on the right, just before the hill with a little tower on it. The track to the beach starts in a turning of the main road. There is a small unpaved road at the north side of the bay down to the beach which ends in a small parking area. Actually, only half of the road is drivable by regular car, a 4x4 car is recommended if you want to drive to the beach. So drive as far as you can and then walk to the beach. Sometimes in the afternoon and weekends there were more people here but most of the time only two couples.

The Captain has had two reports about this beach, one from 1998 and one from September 2007. On both occasions my contributors found the beach deserted. A further report in June 2010 supplies the name Kastello or Trachili.

Update 2011: We visited the beach in a June weekend, it was 100% textile. The beach itself is really deserted, good entry into the water, convenient for kids. Perhaps naturism is possible on the beach on work-days or not in peak season.
Update 2018: nice beach, sand and little pebbles, good entry in the water, good landscape. Looks like it's the most frequented by locals and no nudists while there except me.


Agya Dinami

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Location: South west of Hios, near Mesta. This is the most scenic beach for the sky blue water. Not protected from the wind. When I went there in September 2018 there was nobody. A must see.

2022 The beach is very nice but too popular. Almost impossible to practice nudism in high season. The only chance is to try the second beach


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Mavros Gialos / Mavra Volia

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Location: South of Hios, in Emporeios. Beautiful beach with black middle-sized pebbles (this beach is supposed to be made by the eruption of the Santorini volcano about 3700 years ago), consisting of three bays. A sign at the first bay indicates no camping and no nudism. There apparently used to be a sign before the second bay forbidding nudism but this has been removed, and so the most distant bays were full of nude people. There were about 10 people on those two huge bays in August 1998, according to my correspondent. The water is very deep near the beach, but clear as never seen before. Near the first bay, where clothed people stay, are drink facilities.

Route: Follow the road to Pirgi, then to Emporeios. Signs indicate Mavros Gialos/Emborios. Walk along the first bay, up the stairs, and walk clear of the textiles.

A year 2000 report confirms the status of Mavros Gialos. It is near Emporio on the east coast, approx. 33 km from Chios town by car. As you come to Mavros Gialos it might, at least at weekends in the summer, be a bit hard to find a parking place and you might have to park at the picturesque harbour of Emporio with several restaurants and walk a couple of hundred yards to the beach. Here you will find the first of 5-6 beaches in a row. Here you also find a little beach snack bar. Just pass the snack-bar and continue to walk over some steps to the next part of the beach. After the steps walk further about 500 metres on this nice black volcanic pebble beach: Now you will have to walk around a big stone and you will have a nice little pebble beach just in front of you. This is it!

Further on some 100-200 metres you find a new beach (the last one in this chain of beaches) where straight and gay people seem to gather. It is a nice beach with impressive rocks and cliffs, the beach itself only about 5-10 metres from the cliffs to the shore. In the water you will find it gets deeper quickly! In total a very similar surrounding to the Mirtiotissa beach in Corfu!

Another report from August 2000 agrees that this spot is "worthy". Approximately 15 people on the beach. Gay and couples.

A report from June 2003 describes Mavros Gialos as the "only" place in Hios where you can go naked. It says it is a long walk till the end of the beach where you can sunbathe and swim in very clear water. Although there were not many people on the beach there were problems with gawpers, including local men some of whom "keep their underwear on and come only to look at your wife", according to my contributor. Well, if that's the only way they can get to see a naked woman it says something doesn't it …

Barefooters who visited in June 2004 report that the second, third and fourth beaches were completely nude.

Others who were there in 2007 really loved this beach. There are at least 10 coves where you can enjoy as much privacy as you want. If you find an occupied cove, just proceed a few metres to the next one. The third cove on the left is the first completely nudist one. In the afternoon the cliffs provide as much shadow as you want.

In June 2011 about 10-15 naturists can be found in the far end of the beach. Although we visited the beach at a weekend there are several nude couples and single men.

July 2014 we visited the far end of the beach. There were about 10 people all nude. A perfect beach! Avoid it only when the wind blows from south because of the waves.

September 2018 this is the most frequented by nudists, who tend to stay close each other. Many coves though. Sun goes down early in the afternoon, better in the morning.

Without doubt the only beach in Chios where you can be sure to go and meet other nudists. It is also largely visited by bus charter full of tourists who came in tours from Turkey. When I was there in the afternoon a horde of south Americans invaded the beach, but they usually stop at the first organized beach and at the second. The nudist part can be found; keep walking to the right, after the hill that splits the first organized beach from the first not organized.

2022 update The beach remains the best place for nudism. You will just need to walk under the sun. And don't forget to take water with you!

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Agia Fotia

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Agia Fotia is one of the most popular to the locals mainly textile beach. If you walk to the left and pass over the rocks you will pass a small hut. Continue and you will find a small nudist beach.

August 2022 update Although the central beach was full and noisy, the small beach (see map) was calm and quiet, with few people, mostly nudists

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To reach the nudist beach from Aghia Fotia follow either the red or the blue path on the map

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Daskalópetra

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You will find this beach when you enter the pebbled beach to the left of the fishing harbour in Vrondados/Daskolópetra. Walk to the left along the sea shore, climb some stones and a few small hills (about 4 metres high). This will take you 10 minutes. Then you will discover a small bay, with pebbles and sand. Everybody is naked there, and in May 2005 there were not more than 8 people. The Captain hears that it is more crowded in summer.

A report from June 2010 states that there is a recent-looking rockfall. Either it has destroyed both the small hills and the beach, or else it is necessary to climb a 10-metre hill with no clear path.
May 2011 shows that the rockfall is not that serious, because you can easily walk around the rocks through the water, which is ankle deep.
Besides that, one can also reach the beach by following a path that starts at the monastery Mersinidiou.


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