Skiathos - Greece

Mike S sent this trip report to the NUFF team in September 2004.

If you have any comments about this report or wish to add further information please email them to:
neffupdate @ ada-augusta . demon . co . uk

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We went to Koukounaries in the south west of Skiathos in August 2004, high season. It's a very low key resort, but expensive by Greek standards, and a busy beach. Thanks to Captain Barefoot's website we knew where to look.

All the bus stops along the south coast are numbered: 0 is the bus station in Skiathos Town, 1 to 4 are on the ring road and 26 is the terminus in Koukounaries.

To reach Small Banana, an allegedly official naturist beach: From bus stop 26 don't go towards the sea but cross the car park to go up hill on a concrete road. After 70 metres when the road turns left to Abelakia beach, keep straight on up a dirt road. At the top of the hill turn right, road is marked as a dead-end, there is parking here. At 3 gates turn left down a steep, well-used path into an olive grove. Take a right fork in the olive grove and then it's decision time. You can walk down onto Big Banana (originally called Krasa) beach, turn right facing seaward and scramble over the rocks to Small Banana, or walk over the headland, also on your right. Total walking time from the bus stop to the beach about 20 minutes, No shade on the walk though.

Well, the good news is that Small Banana is lovely, sandy, and totally naturist, even the taverna. The bad news is that it is absolutely packed, you will be lucky to have 1 metre between you and your neighbour. The majority of the clients who had paid €8 for an umbrella and €2 for a sunbed seemed to be middle aged, middle class Brits. It appeared to be gay at the right (facing seawards) end. There were occasional patrolling textiles, and one tourist boat came in close to leer, but the solid mass of browning flesh was unperturbed, even by the transvestite. Yes, a transvestite on a nude beach! At about 1700 a boat calls to take passengers to all major south coast beaches to Skiathos.

It's a lovely beach, but too crowded for me. So...
if you prefer somewhere quieter let me recommend popping over to the North coast behind Koukounaries, its about 30 minutes walk, details follow, but here's how to drive.

In Koukounaries (bus stop 25) if you follow the signed, metalled road to Aghios Eleni beach, just after a new water treatment works on your right there's a new, very good, dirt coast road that's not marked on many maps. It runs from Aghios Eleni to Aselinos, which also has a metalled road to it which starts at bus stop 18. You could drive to the Mandraki area and choose between Hidden, Xerxes, Elias and Agistros beaches.

You come first to Hidden beach. Its not hidden now, is sandy, very small, a long climb when you leave, and the taverna is abandoned. If you got there first or second you could make it a naturist beach; It's divided into two by rocks.

The next on the left leads to Xerxes beach, labelled Mandraki on many maps. Most people park in the woods to leave the car in the shade. Two tavernas, very quiet, sand, free umbrellas. To your right (facing seawards) there's a big tree trunk on the beach, just before this is where the boats land. Beyond it is naturist-ish, (no shade here) but don't go too far, it gets scruffy and there are stones in the sea. You will give the people landing for lunch something to talk about in the tavernas.

Next turning left is Elias, bigger, one taverna (quite a good, though basic, one) To the right naturists build igloos out of driftwood (one was named "All Washed Up") Again don't go too far: stones in the sea, and rubbish.

Next turning left is Agistros. The car park is on the narrow promontory between Elias and Agistros, so you can climb down paths to either. No naturists on Agistros.

The road continues through the forest, the last 100 metres down to the metalled road near Aselinos is a bit rough, OK for an ordinary car though. Aselinos is big, coarse sand, two tavernas and the far end is pretty remote, but no naturists.

There are several new good dirt roads through the forest from the south coast to meet the new north coast road, but one signposted Camping Koukounaries doesn't connect.

Now for those without wheels. There's a dirt road beside the Supermarket Koukounaries, bus stop 24, signposted Mandraki, or you can walk up a road beside a (good) restaurant called Ilias Orchard. The two roads meet behind the supermarket and it's a lovely 30 minute walk through the woods to Xerxes beach. It's a bit up and down hill. The track has been blocked, and becomes a footpath through a fig orchard just before you get to the new coast road and the beach.

Or, at bus stop 23, walk up past the Caravos Hotel. This track through the woods is almost flat, but is soft sand in places, it leads in 30 minutes to Elias beach. When you reach the aforementioned coast road you can do a quick left and right to go to Xerxes. And there's also a footpath between the two beaches, but its hard to find from the Elias end. Because of the woods all of these walks are shady.

Koukounaries beach itself is very large, quite crowded, very textile. Shade in the woods behind and walks by a lake, lots of beach bars and water-sports. An umbrella & two sun-beds costs €8.

Didn't investigate the rest of the Skiathos beaches; didn't have a car, you'll have to rely on Cap'n Barefoot.

The buses are about every 20 minutes till 01:00, maximum fare is €1.20, they get crowded mornings towards Koukounaries and evenings towards Skiathos Town.

Mike S

If you have any comments about this report or wish to add further information please email them to:
neffupdate @ ada-augusta . demon . co . uk

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