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 people who prefer nature to crowded "developed" places. But there is also a high "textile-factor" all around the island, and not even topless sun bathing in the most popular beaches, as there are almost no visitors except Greeks.
Chios as 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.
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 or apples). Barefoot reporters say they explored the island for two weeks without ever having to wear swim wear.
Reordered anticlockwise from N round via W and S to E
Kambio
Kambio 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 the shadow throughout the trail. It is really wonderful.
There's an alternative dust-road where Kambio beach can be reached by a car (turn right about 3 km before you reach Kambio).
The beach is large and consists of medium sized white pebbles. The sea is quite rough and entry into the water can be a challenge. This beach rated 80%.
West coast of Hios
The beautiful west coast offers opportunities. Try Agia Markela, 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.
Hori/Limnos
If you take road from Chios town to Volissos (40 km), when arriving down the hills, you will find the crossing to Managros. Turn left (to the direction of 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.
It's a sand/pebbled beach for more then 1 km. You will find naturism practised at the south part of the beach. When my correspondent visited in September 1998 there where 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.
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.
My Barefoot reporters have been there several times. Once (on a Sunday) they were the only people on the beach. At the most busiest time they shared 1 km beach with 5 naked couples (textile factor: zero).
Makria Ammos
If you follow the road from Elintas in the north direction, you will find a vast number of empty bays (almost every minute a bay appears). My intrepid reporters tried three of them, one of them seems to be a deserted camp near the defence tower. Very pleasant, but very cold water. My contributors rated it 90%. This beach is called Makria Ammos.
Elintas
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 water is much cooler than at other parts of the island.
Kastello/Trachili
Reports from June 2004 and September 2007 reach the Captain of a small pebbled beach in a small bay on the north side from Lithi, before you reach Elinta. There is a small unpaved road at the north side of the bay down to the beach which ends in a small parking area. Some times in the the afternoon and weekends there were more people here but most of the time only two couples.
The Captain has had only 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.
To find the beach, follow the main road along the west coast from Elinda to Lithio. You can see the little bay on the right, between two bigger beaches, just before the hill with a little tower on it. The track to the beach starts in a turning of the main road. Best suited for scooters or on foot. Difficult by car.
Mavros Gialos
Location: South of Hios, in Emporeios. Description: Beautiful beach with black 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. Nearby 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 kms 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 many gay people seem to gather in the afternoon. 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 quick deeper! In total a very similar surrounding to the Mirtiotissa beach in Corfu!
A report from August 2000 agrees that this spot is "worthy". Approximately 15 people on the beach. Gay men 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 beach 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. There are middle-sized black pebbles and crystal-clear water.
Daskolópetra
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.
