Best beaches in Zakynthos: 7 choices for your day

A beach day in Zakynthos can start with coffee above a broad strip of sand or a descent down steps into a rocky cove. Both may look wonderful in a photograph. The practical experience is quite different: where you sit, how you enter the water, how much shade there is and whether lunch means moving the car.

To choose among the best beaches in Zakynthos, start with the kind of day you want. Banana and Tsilivi offer facilities and activity. Gerakas and Kalamaki combine sandy shores with nesting-beach rules. Alykes and Alykanas have resort amenities close by. Xigia and Porto Limnionas offer pebbles or rocks, striking scenery and access that needs more thought.

These recommendations help you plan a day by the sea. For accommodation areas, see our Zakynthos guide. Choose one main beach each day and leave time for swimming, lunch and the journey back.

Banana Beach: sand, food and an active day

Banana Beach is on the Vasilikos peninsula in southeastern Zakynthos. Sand, organised lounging areas and bars behind the beach make it a useful choice when you would rather not carry a full day’s food and equipment. Water-sports operators add options for those who want more than a sunbed and a book.

The atmosphere changes along the shore and through the day. A spot beside music and a water-sports base will feel livelier than one farther away. Walk a little before settling, listen to the music level and ask about the price and terms for loungers and umbrellas. A figure in an older travel article is no substitute for the current price board.

Roads lead to the beach parking areas, which can get busy in summer. Lunch is easy to arrange at one of the venues behind the sand. If you look up nearby Agios Nikolaos, check that you mean the Vasilikos beach: the port with the same name is in the north of the island.

Banana Beach on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Gerakas: open views and nesting-beach rules

Gerakas sits at the southern tip of Vasilikos. Its sandy bay has less building along the waterfront and suits those who want sea and scenery, with a little more preparation than a beach lined with bars.

It is a protected loggerhead nesting beach. ARCHELON’s guidance allows visits to nesting beaches from 07:00 until sunset, with beach activity kept within five metres of the waterline and subject to the markings on site. Respect barriers and nest markers. Do not bring an umbrella assuming you can plant it in the sand: only equipment approved under the beach’s management arrangements is permitted here.

Bring drinking water and plan lunch before or after your visit, around the road and parking area above the beach. The nearby Zante Turtle Center offers a chance to learn about the turtles and their habitat. Check its opening hours before making a special journey. The centre also makes clear that the clay formations are protected: do not remove the clay or use it for a mud treatment.

Gerakas on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Zante Turtle Center on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Tsilivi: a serviced beach beside a resort town

Tsilivi suits those who like coffee, food and shops within reach of the water. This sandy beach sits beside a developed resort, with organised sections and activities along the shore. It is particularly practical if you are staying nearby and want a beach day without a long drive.

The appeal is flexibility. Take a break from the sun, go out for lunch or return to your room for a rest. It is also a popular beach, so anyone seeking quiet should assess the actual section they choose rather than relying on the name “Tsilivi” alone.

Parking and beach entrances are spread around the resort. Pick a particular entrance and check the route from there to the sand. With children, assess the depth, waves and separation from other activities on arrival. A description of shallow water cannot tell you the conditions on your day.

Tsilivi on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Alykes and Alykanas: find your spot and stay awhile

Alykes and Alykanas are neighbouring resorts on the east coast, north of Tsilivi. Both offer sandy beaches, places to eat and holiday amenities. They work well when your ideal day involves the sea, a book and lunch nearby, rather than a remote inlet or a boat trip.

There is no need to tick off both beaches. Choose an entrance convenient for your accommodation or lunch plans, then walk a little to find a section you like. The resorts’ proximity does not guarantee an uninterrupted, convenient walk along the sand between them.

If you plan to continue north to Xigia later, allow for driving, parking and the descent to the shore. Once your group has settled comfortably on the sand, a second beach may add less to the day than staying where you are.

Alykes on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Alykanas on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Kalamaki: a sandy shore on Laganas Bay

Kalamaki lies on the eastern side of Laganas Bay in southern Zakynthos. Sand continues around the bay, with dunes and a holiday resort behind sections of the shore. The airport is close, so aircraft may pass overhead during the day.

This is another protected nesting beach. Follow the markings and beach staff’s directions, remain in the permitted area and leave at closing time. Come to enjoy the sea rather than expecting a turtle encounter. If you see a turtle or hatchlings, do not touch them or try to guide them into the water.

Lunch in the resort can fit neatly into your day, but check what is close to your chosen entrance. A long beach does not put every facility a short walk from every spot. For more music and bars, parts of Laganas may suit you better; for a more open landscape, choose your actual stretch of shore carefully.

Kalamaki on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Xigia: a small cove with a different character

Xigia is a distinctive choice farther north on the east coast. Expect pebbles, cliffs and patches of milky-looking water, together with a noticeable sulphurous smell. It feels quite different from the sandy stretches at Vasilikos and Alykes. You can appreciate the setting without attributing medical benefits to the water.

Be precise when searching the map: several coves in the area have similar names. The link below points to Xigia Sulfur Beach. Check your destination before parking because the paths and descents vary. Access includes steep sections; do not assume a pushchair can go all the way to the water.

The shore is relatively small, so even modest visitor numbers are noticeable. Water shoes can make walking on the pebbles more comfortable, and it is sensible to bring drinking water. If access is crowded or the sea unsuitable, reaching the cove does not oblige you to swim.

Xigia Sulfur on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Porto Limnionas: a different kind of coastal day

Porto Limnionas lies on the west coast, below the village of Agios Leon, reached by a winding road. Rocks, cliffs and deep water shape the scene. Choose it when a dramatic inlet appeals more than a long sandy shore.

There is no conventional sandy beach. Steps and rocky surfaces are part of the descent, and you should assess how to get out of the water before entering. If stairs are difficult or you want a gradual sandy entry, choose another beach in this guide. Wind and waves can substantially change swimming conditions here.

Above the water, a restaurant and terraced lounging areas offer somewhere to settle. Ask about sunbed arrangements and food service on arrival. Allow time to enjoy the view rather than adding the inlet as a brief stop after a full east-coast beach day. There is plenty to appreciate without swimming into a cave or jumping from rocks.

Porto Limnionas on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

What about Navagio, the Shipwreck Beach?

Navagio is one of the island’s defining views, but it should not be planned as an ordinary swimming beach. When checked on 5 November 2026, Discover Greece still stated that the beach was closed to visitors and access prohibited. Older photographs of people on the sand do not establish what is possible now.

Before booking a boat trip or driving to a viewpoint, check current official directions and what is permitted on your travel date. Do not assume that landing, swimming in the bay or viewpoint access comes with a booking. For a swimming day, choose one of the other beaches above.

Choosing your beach day

For sand, food and activity, start with Banana or Tsilivi. For a sandy beach beside an east-coast resort farther north, consider Alykes and Alykanas. Visit Gerakas and Kalamaki during permitted daytime hours, familiar with their nesting rules. For pebbles or rocky scenery, choose Xigia or Porto Limnionas according to the access that suits your group.

At every beach, check the forecast and signs, bring water and sun protection, and ask whether facilities operate seasonally. A beautiful photograph alone is no reason to swim. When you want a village, winery or evening in town as well, our things to do in Zakynthos guide has ideas for the rest of your holiday.