The best thing about beaches in Folegandros is that they’re raw and waiting to be discovered. Today I’ll be sharing my guide to the best beaches in Folegandros! This little island of only 800 inhabitants took my breathe away. If you haven’t heard about Folegandros yet, you will, as Conde Nast just featured the island in their July issue! I can’t wait to share a full travel guide but for now, here’s a guide to the best beaches in Folegandros!
There are more than 15 beaches on this island. For this post, I will group them into into 3 types: beaches by the Port (Karavostasi), beaches in Agkali, and ones that are difficult to access. My rating is based on the sand, accessibility, and the views at the beach.
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Beaches by the Port (Karavostasi)
I stayed at Vrahos Boutique Hotel which is close to the Port. So the first thing I did was explore the beaches along this area. There are a total of 6 beaches all within about a 15 minute walk of each other. Only Chochlidia has tavernas while the other 5 are small coves. My favorite one is Livadi as it’s quiet and the most sandy!
View of Karavostasi from Latinaki Beach
From north to south here are the Folegandros beaches by the port:
- Vardia
- Chochlidia
- Latinaki
- Vicentzo
- Puntaki
- Livadi
Chochlidia
We saw lots of families hanging out at Chochlidia beach every day! Lots of kids and adults were also in the water. There’s actually trees along this beach which is very rare. The sand here is almost completely pebbles so it’s definitely not as comfortable to walk on. There are a few eating options at the north end of the beach near the port!
Latinaki
You can access Latinaki beach by turning left from the main road onto a sandy flat point and following the well maintained stairs down. It is a small area but you can often have the beach to yourself. This is one of the only beaches that will offer natural shade during the day. The sand here is small pebbles. 6/10
Vitsentzou
On the other side of the rock formation is the Vitsentzou/Vicentzo beach. You can access this through a winding dirt path which was a bit steep but still very doable. It’s very similar to Latinaki but facing southeast so there’s less shade during the day. There is more sand than Latinaki but still at least half pebbles. 6/10
Puntaki
Unlike the other two beaches, there was no sign pointing to Puntaki beach. There was also no premade path to go down the steep rock so I didn’t venture down. It’s along the same area as Vincentzo so I’d definitely just go there instead. 4/10
Livadi
Moving on to my favorite beach in this area, Livadi Beach. It’s about a 5 extra minute walk from the other beaches but this one is the most sandy! The paved road also leads right into this beach with no steep trail required. We saw two wooden beach chairs but no other amenities. Perfect spot to spend a morning! 8/10
Agkali
One of the three towns on Folegandros is Agkali. In this area, there are a few hotels, restaurants and beaches. There is a bus route from Chora to Agkali or you can rent a car and drive to this area.
Agali
The main beach of the Agkali area is Agali beach and in my opinion, is the best beach in Folegandros! This area is beautiful with white washed hotels on one side and rock cliffs on the other. There are no beach chairs but you can find a few spots offering shade if you go in the morning. I got in around 10am and it was already pretty busy! The water was crystal clear and if you’re adventurous, you can even jump off the rocks into the water. 10/10
It was easy to find parking (although the roads on Folegandros are very narrow in general). The beach is easily accessed by walking from the main paved path. You can also catch a bus from Chora to get to Agkali.
After getting some sun, make sure to visit Pasithea after for some delicious seafood! Other dining options are at Blue Sands, Taverna Agkali, and Amoudaki Cafe. I’ll be writing a separate guide on everything I ate in Folegandros, so stay tuned!
Grilled Shrimp at Pasithea
Galifos, Agios Nikolaos, Fira
There are 3 small beaches in this area that can only be accessed by foot trails. They are not too far away from Agali, but the trails offer no protection from the sun and we really enjoyed the vibe at Agali so I didn’t venture out. You can also take a boat from Agali to Agios Nikolaos for around 10 euros.
Difficult to Access Beaches
There are a number of beaches in Folegandros that can only be access by boat or hiking! I didn’t end up going to any of these because we were already enjoying the beaches that are easily accessible. Here are the beaches that can be reached by hiking or with a boat.
- Katergo
- Livadaki
- Ambeli
- Saint George
- Vorina
- Aspropounta
If you are interested in taking a boat tour, it is run by Diaplous Travel and leaves the port area 3 times a week. You’ll visit 5 different beaches and stop by at caves while having snacks on the boat. It costs 40 euros per person.
You also have the option to visit just Katergo beach from the port for 10 euro return trip. But based on the schedule, you’ll stay at the beach for 3 hours. There is no shade, and you need to remember to bring your own water, snacks and lots of sunscreen (here are my facial sunscreen recommendations)!
I tried to drive down the roads marked on Google Maps north of Ano Meria to reach Saint George but it is really narrow. I turned around after much difficulty and I don’t recommend going here unless you really want to check out all the beaches on Folegandros.
If you are in the hunt for secluded beaches, I’d recommend just waking up early and any of the beaches on Folegandros will be privately yours.
Best Beaches in Folegandros
So in summary, my favorite beach on Folegandros is hands down Agali beach! The sand was beautiful and the water was crystal clear! While I love seclusion, it was also nice to have a few restaurant choices right on the beach. My second favorite would be Livadi followed by Chochlidia.
