Karavostasi

Karavostasi is where Folegandros begins: the port village on the east coast, 3 km below Chora, with a beach of pebbles over a sandy seabed a few steps from the quay. Shallow, almost always calm water, tamarisks, sunbeds and tavernas make it the easiest beach on the island and, for many visitors, the first or last swim of the holiday.

How to get there

By scooter or ATV it is 3 km of asphalt from Chora, about ten minutes downhill with two hairpins, and you park on the seafront or above the beach. From the ferry the beach starts a few hundred metres from the quay, on foot.

On foot from Chora it is about forty minutes downhill, mostly on the road, so watch for cars; the way back is uphill and hot. The bus between Chora and the port usually meets the ships in summer.

What to expect

Pebbles on the shore, sand underfoot in the water and shallows for many metres out, which is why it is the family beach. The tamarisks give real shade, in summer there are sunbeds with umbrellas and showers, and along the seafront there are tavernas, with Kati Allo and Kalymnios known for fish. Rooms and hotels, Anemi among them, sit around the bay.

The bay faces east, so a strong meltemi ruffles the water; on other days it is flat. It is not a nudist beach, it is the village beach, and the sandy bottom has little to see with a mask. In summer excursion boats and diving trips leave from the harbour.

Tips

The best use of Karavostasi is before or after your ferry: swim, shower, eat on the seafront and board without stress. If your ship leaves late, a dip here is the easiest way to pass the wait. Before you head up to Chora and the north, fill up at the island's only petrol station, on the Chora–Ano Meria road.

Nearby

Vardia is ten minutes on foot north of the port, Livadi one kilometre south, and from there the footpath to Katergo begins. Read the port guide and the guide on how to get to Folegandros, and see our scooter rental page with the prices.