Guide to the beaches of Folegandros
There are several beaches near the port of Karavostassis including Vardia, a small sand and pebble beach a short walk north around the headland. The port beach itself is nothing special but there are a series of better beaches a short walk south along the coast including Pountaki (the third beach along from the port) where clothes are optional. About a kilometre south of the port there’s Livadi Beach which has a well-equipped camp site with a bar, restaurant and minimarket.
One of the island’s busiest beaches is Angali, on the west coast, about an hour’s walk from Hora. If you don’t fancy the hike, take the bus towards Ano Meria and ask the driver to drop you off at the dirt track which leads down to the beach. Angali is well served with tavernas and domatia during the summer months.
Walk about 15 minutes north west of Angali and you’ll come to one of the island’s most beautiful beaches, Agios Nikolaos, where the coarse sand is flanked by tamarisk trees and a lone taverna serves excellent local fare. The beach has beautiful views of the island and is popular with nudists. There’s another more secluded nudist beach at Fira, about 15 minutes walk to the south west of Angali.
Katergo, in the south east corner of the island, is one of the most beautiful beaches of all – only accessible on foot (about two kilometres from Livadi Beach) or by water taxi from Karavostassis. It’s a secluded stretch of pebble beach at the base of a low cliff, protected from the winds by the rocky headlands on either side of it.
The wind can be a problem at Agios Georgios Beach at the northern tip of the island but it’s a lovely walk down to it – about an hour from Ano Meria. It’s usually too windy for swimming here but there are some tamarisk trees for shade and it’s a restful rocky cove where you can normally be sure of escaping your fellow tourists.
From Ano Meria you can reach two other beaches on the north west coastline – Ampelli, the northernmost of the two, is a small pebble beach and Livadaki, half way between Ampelli and Agios Nikolaos, is a mixture of sand pebbles. Both can be reached by water taxi from Angali in high season.
Ask about water taxi timetables at the Sottovento Tourism Office in Hora. There are regular day tours round the island during high season when you can visit several beaches, visit the Golden cave of Chrissospilia and stop at a beachside taverna for lunch.
Agios Georgios beach
The beach of Agios Georgios is located on the north side of the island and is accessible by motorbike or car via a dirt road from Ano Meria (10 minutes). During the summer months it is quite exposed to meltemia. The routes of the paths that start from Ano Meria are also of interest. Its beach is mainly sandy, with some pine trees offering their shade. There you can also find the homonymous church of Agios Georgios.
Agios Nikolaos beach
A 20-minute walk or a 5-minute local boat ride from Agali, the beach of Agios Nikolaos is an ideal place for swimming due to its sandy beach, crystal clear waters and the shade that can be found under the pine trees.
Agali beach
From the beaches at Folegandros, an ideal family beach 4 km away from Chora, in the picturesque bay of Vathy. It can be reached by motorbike, car or the local bus. In the area there are hotels, rooms to let, taverns, cafes, mini markets. Paths start from Agali that lead southeast to Fira beach (15 minutes) or southwest to Galifos beach (10 minutes). There are also scheduled excursions by local boats to the nearby beaches of Agios Nikolaos (5 minutes) and Livadaki (15 minutes).
Ambeli beach
Ambeli is a small but popular beach due to its protection in the summer from the northern winds. It is accessible via a path (30 minutes) or a dirt road (10 minutes) from Ano Meria. The beach has small pebbles and its waters are ideal for snorkeling.
Fira beach
Fira is a sandy, sunny, quiet, secluded beach, 15 minutes’ walk from Agali. Overlooking the southwest side of the island and the beach of Agios Nikolaos opposite, it is ideal for sunsets during September and October.
Galifos beach
Galifos is another small but popular beach during the summer months due to its protection from the north winds. It is accessible via a path (10 minutes) between Agalis and Agios Nikolaos. The beach has pebbles and crystal clear waters.
Katergo beach
Katergo is the most beautiful but at the same time the most “wild” beach, due to the hot sun, the lack of shade and the difficult access from land. Some shade equipment and a water supply are essential to enjoy the clear and crystal clear waters of the area. The easiest way to access is by local boat (10 minutes) from the port (Karavostasis). For those who love walking there is also a path that starts from the settlement of Livadi (30 minutes).
Latinaki beach
Latinaki is a small sandy beach, overlooking the settlement and the port of Karavostasis. It is only a 10-minute walk from the settlement, following the coastal route to Livadi.
Livadaki beach
Livadaki is a remote beach on the southwest side of the island. For hikers there are three trails that start from Ano Meria to end up after 45 minutes to an hour or so in this amazing landscape of wild beauty.
Alternatively, access to the beach takes 15-20 minutes by boat from Agali every hour. The beach combines sandy beach with wide rocks and cool clear blue-green waters. With a 10-minute walk from the beach, you can still visit the Aspropouda Lighthouse, one of the largest lighthouses in the Aegean.
Livadi beach
Livadi beach is located in the homonymous rural settlement at a distance of 1.5 kilometers from Karavostasis and the port. Access is easy via the main road along the coast and combined with its large area, sandy beach and protection from almost all winds, it is a popular choice during the summer months.
Lygaria beach
500m before the beach of Agios Georgios in Ano Meria, is the beach of Lygaria. It is a sandy-pebble northern beach, accessed via the same dirt road that leads to Agios Georgios.
Pountaki beach
Puntaki is an alternative eastern beach between Karavostasi and the beach of Livadi. Access is by a steep path next to the main road. It is an ideal beach with the southern winds.
Serfiotiko beach
The beach in Serfiotiko is one of the most inaccessible on the island, and along with its orientation (exposed to the summer meltemias) it is also one of the least visited. Nevertheless, with the ideal weather (southerly winds) it is an idyllic choice for “hard” hikers through three different paths starting from Ano Meria.
Vardia beach
On the eastern side of Karavostasis, is one of the most popular family beaches. It is ideal for those who live in the surrounding area, as access is easy via the stairs. Its comfortable sandy beach combined with the available spots for shade offer the ideal conditions for beach games and relaxation.
Vicentzou beach
Vicentzou beach is located between Latinaki beach and Puntaki beach, one kilometer away from Karavostasis, on the road to Livadi. Access is via a path next to the main road. It is an ideal beach when southerly winds blow.
Vorina beach
Vorina, as its name suggests, is a beach exposed to the northern winds as it is located on the northern side of the island, facing the island of Sifnos. Access is via a steep path (20′) that starts after the church of Agia Paraskevi on the main road from Chora to Ano Meria. South winds ideal weather.
