Ammolofoi Beach

Ammolofoi means sand dunes, and the beach earns the name: a long strip of fine pale sand backed by low dunes and pines, with water that stays shallow a long way out and takes an unusually clear turquoise colour for the northern Aegean. It sits just outside Nea Peramos, close enough to Kavala for a half-day trip and popular with Thessaloniki weekenders. Part of the beach is organised with sunbeds, canteens and beach bars; the rest is open sand where the dunes are marked as protected. The shallow gradient makes it good for children, and afternoon breezes bring small waves. Behind the beach the pine woods provide the only real shade.

What you actually see

• The dunes - low sand hills backing the beach, partly protected.
• The shallow water - clear turquoise shelving very gradually.
• The pine backdrop - woods behind the sand giving shade.
• The organised and free sections - sunbed areas alternating with open beach.

When to go

June and September for warm sea without the peak crowd; July and August fill the organised sections and parking early. Spring and autumn suit walking the sand when it is empty.

Honest expectations

Weekend crowds are heavy in summer and parking runs out by mid-morning. The organised sections play music, which carries. Dune areas are fenced in places for protection and should not be walked on.

Nearby

Nea Peramos and its castle are alongside; Kavala's old town and Philippi lie east.