Kavourotrypes

Kavourotrypes, the crab holes, is not one beach but a series of tiny coves strung along a stretch of the eastern Sithonia coast, separated by outcrops of pale rock that wind and water have worn into rounded, hollowed, almost sculptural shapes. The sand is white and coarse, the water turquoise and clear over rock and sand, and the pines come down almost to the shore. Because each cove holds only a handful of people, the area rewards walking along the rocks to find one free. Most have no facilities at all; a few near the road have a small canteen and umbrellas in high season. The place is well known now, and August fills it, but out of peak weeks it still delivers what its photographs promise.

What you actually see

• The sculpted rocks - pale outcrops worn into smooth rounded forms.
• The chain of coves - a series of small separate beaches along the shore.
• The clear water - turquoise shallows over sand and rock.
• The pine backdrop - forest running down to the shoreline.

When to go

June and September for warm water without August crowds; July and August fill every cove by mid-morning. Meltemi wind can bring swell to this exposed coast.

Honest expectations

Parking is on the road above and limited, with steep informal paths down to the water. Most coves have no shade, water or toilets. The rocks are slippery and sharp in places, so footwear helps.

Nearby

Sarti village lies south; Vourvourou and the Diaporos islets are north up the coast.