Zante beaches on the South West of Zakynthos include
beaches in
the busy region of Laganas, through to the much calmer village of
Keri.
Within this popular area there are a number of beaches for holidays in Zante
you are sure to find a number of delightful and impressive and pretty
beaches to visit during your holiday in Zante.
The main beach on Marathonisi, also known as Turtle Island, is
rightfully regarded as one of the most beautiful in all of
Zakynthos.
The Zante Wedding locations in teh
South West Coast are very popular for specialist weddings in Zante.
Cameo Island is a very popular venue for weddings and reception
locations in Zakynthos, Zante
Weddings at Cameo Island are reached by a long walk over a
rickety bridge. The beach cove at Cameo can be rented for private
weddings.
Another lovely wedding venue in Zante on eh South West Coast is
the Crystal beach in kalamaki. This maes for a beautiful destination
wedding location in Zante - the weddings overlook wide expanse
of the beautiful Laganas bay.
The
South West region of Zakynthos Island is one of the most popular
places for tourists to stay during their Greek Island
holiday
in Zante. Within
this area are the popular resorts of Laganas and Kalamaki, both bustling
during the peak summer months, as well as the quieter resorts of Agios
Sostis, Keri, and Porto Koukla.
The South West of Zante is also home to
the spectacular
Marathonisi Island
- more commonly known as Turtle
Island.
The popular Zante beach of Kalamaki is one of the longest beaches in
Zante, stretching from Crystal beach right down to Laganas. The fine
golden sand of Kalamaki beach makes it a popular spot for tourists
during the summer, in particular with families on vacation. The rocky
cliff, at the far end of Kalamaki beach, at Crystal beach, consists of
gypsum, and is a beautiful sight sparkling in the sun.
The beach at Kalamaki has restricted opening times, closed from
sunset to sunrise, due to the
nesting times of the Caretta Caretta
Loggerhead turtles. As the sun goes down all tourists are asked to leave
the beach so that the turtles are not disturbed during their nesting
process. Zante is the main nesting ground for the Loggerhead turtles in
the Mediterranean and the South West region of the island is where they
most commonly choose to return to lay their eggs. Subsequently, the
National Marine Park of Zakynthos take a number of steps, including the
opening times of the beaches, to ensure that the protected turtles are
as unaffected by tourism as possible.
The
famous Zante beach of Laganas, at approximately nine kilometers in
length, is one of the longest beaches in Greece. You will find the busy
stretch of Laganas beach just off the main Laganas resort street.
Laganas is a favourite holiday spot for young people coming to Greece
for fun in the sun.
All along the long sandy beach you will find
a wide selection of beach bars, as well as sun beds and umbrellas for
hire. From Laganas beach you can also take a number of boat trips. If
you want to explore the South West of Zakynthos by boat you can head off
from here to the Keri Caves, or Marathonisi Island, or for some turtle
spotting of the Caretta Caretta who nest in the summer months in Laganas
bay.
During your holiday in Zakynthos it is well
worth taking a boat trip to the famous Marathonisi ‘Turtle’ Island. This
picturesque turtle shaped island lies in the middle of the Bay of
Laganas, floating like a turtle in the sparkling seas.
The magical island is about five minutes by
boat from the shore of Laganas, Agios Sostis and Porto Koukla. You can
visit Turtle island by renting a private boat and sailing over on your
own or by taking part in an organized boat trip. There are many trips
running daily throughout the summer months and you can often combine a
bit of turtle spotting with your trip.
There are two beautiful beaches on
Marathonisi. On the front of the island there is a large, sandy beach
with a distinctly tropical feel. The white sand is matched beautifully
by turquoise, crystal waters. Most would agree that this is one of the
most beautiful beaches in Zante. Around the side of the island there is
also a smaller bay with intriguing sea caves to explore.
Marathonisi island
has no inhabitants or
buildings as it is one of the major nesting grounds of the
Caretta
Caretta Turtles and is heavily protected by the National Marine park of Zakynthos. As a result there are no sunbeds or umbrellas on the beaches
here and the Marine park ensure that the beach is empty by sunset when
the turtles approach to lay their eggs.
While you are relaxing on the beach of
Turtle Island you will be able to grab a snack from the quaint little
picnic boat that sails around the island keeping everyone refreshed.
With everything from watermelon to doughnuts onboard it is an added
treat to grab something from the picnic boat while chilling on your very
own deserted island.
There are two beaches within the area of Agios Sostis. The first is a
small bay located on Cameo Island. Cameo is an island in front of Agios
Sostis harbour. In the evenings the Cameo Beach Club becomes a disco -
popular with youth on holiday in Zakynthos.
Around the corner from Cameo Island, the main village of Agios Sostis is a
very pretty little resort. Agios Sostis offers a small sandy beach,
dotted with sun beds and fabulous tavernas. The beach here looks
directly onto Turtle Island and from here you can depart on a turtle
spotting trip, rent taxi boats to Marathonisi Island, or even take a
trip to the more distant Keri Caves.
The Zante beach of Porto Koukla is narrow and sandy, with a few rocky
patches. Situated directly in the middle of the Laganas gulf, the beach
at Porto Koukla provides a wonderful panoramic view of Marathonisi
island.
The best place to enjoy Porto Koukla beach is from the Tropics Bar at
the Gloria Maris Hotel, situated right on the sea. You can relax on sun
beds around the pool, or in the shaded terraces of the tropical gardens.
From the Tropics Bar you can hire a private boat by the hour, or take
a variety of boat trips to Marathonisi island, the Keri Caves and head
out on boat trips for turtle spotting.
The Zakynthian seaside village of Limni Keri, situated in the south
west of Zakynthos, is a charming spot for a holiday or even just to
spend the day. A small pebble beach along the village seashore of Limni
Keri is lined with restaurants and assorted shops.
The Zante beach at Keri is another popular departure point for boat
trips to the Keri Caves and Marathonisi island. There is a great diving
center at Limni Keri. From here you can try a supervised deep sea dive,
with a great diving boat excursion to the Keri Caves.
The small harbour at Keri is an extremely pretty spot, with charming
little benches where you can sit and watch the boats rolling in.
Just beyond the village of Limni Keri, up a rather bumpy road, you will
arrive at the Marathias coastline. There are a number of places to swim
at Marathias and the area is largely untouched by tourism. You can stop
and jump from the rocks into the crystal sea, or you can walk down a
steep path to the main beach where there are a few sun beds and kayaks
for rent. The isolated and unspoilt beach at Marathias is ideal for
sunbathing and snorkelling.
The water around Marathias is a mixture of salt sea water and natural
spring water which means that the swimming here is particularly cool and
clear - perfect for a hot summers day in Zante.
Even during the busiest month of August, it is rarely crowded here.
This is a great place for total relaxation, especially if you feel the
need to get away from it all. There are no beach bars or commercial
development on these beaches, although the region above the beach has
one or two great tavernas if you fancy a traditional Greek meal or snack
during your day in the region.
