Navagio Beach

Navagio, the Shipwreck Beach, is the most famous image of the Greek islands, a dazzling strip of white sand and turquoise water on Zakynthos, cradled by soaring white cliffs around the rusting hulk of the coaster Panagiotis, which ran aground here in a storm on 5 October 1980 and was rumoured, never proven, to be smuggling. Reachable only by boat, and viewed from a vertiginous clifftop platform above, it is one of the most photographed beaches on earth.

History

The cove was originally called Agios Georgios, after St George. On 5 October 1980 the coaster MV Panagiotis ran aground here in a storm and poor visibility; rumours said it was smuggling, but official sources never confirmed it. A cliff collapse in 2018 put the beach off limits for a time, and after a further landslide in September 2022, following an earthquake between Kefalonia and Zakynthos, landing on it was banned (Wikipedia, Navagio Beach).

What's there

• The shipwreck - the rusting hull on the white sand between the cliffs.
• The clifftop viewpoint - the platform high above with the classic view.
• The turquoise water - the vivid sea in the sheltered cove.
• The boat trip - the approach to the beach by sea.

When to go

Late spring and September for warm, calm seas and fewer crowds; July and August are very busy. Boat access and the clifftop viewpoint can be restricted after landslides, so always check current conditions before setting out.

Before you go

The beach itself is currently closed to visitors over landslide risk from the fractured cliffs - no landing or swimming, with boats keeping their distance from the shore - and the ban has been extended repeatedly, so check the current situation before planning around it. You can still see the wreck from tour boats that pause offshore and from the clifftop viewing platform. The famous view is from the cliff above, not the sand.

Nearby

The Blue Caves and the beaches of Zakynthos are elsewhere on the island; the Ionian islands spread around.

Key facts