Prasonisi

At the very south of Rhodes a spit of sand runs out to the islet of Prasonisi, green island, and it separates two seas: the Aegean on the western side, where the meltemi drives a strong chop and steady wind, and the calmer Mediterranean water on the east. That contrast, wind and waves on one beach, flat shallows a few metres away on the other, has made the spit one of Europe's best-known windsurfing and kitesurfing locations, with several schools operating in season. In winter and spring the sandbar is sometimes submerged and the islet becomes genuinely an island; by summer it is walkable. A lighthouse stands on the islet, and the surrounding coast is empty scrub with almost no development.

What to look for

• The two seas - windy chop on one side, calm shallows on the other.
• The sandbar - the spit walking out to the islet in summer.
• The surf schools - kitesurfing and windsurfing operations on the beach.
• The lighthouse - the tower on the islet at the island's southern tip.

When to go

May to October for the sports season, with the strongest and most reliable wind in July and August. Spring and autumn are calmer for swimming. In winter the bar can be under water and facilities close.

Before you go

The drive from Rhodes Town takes about an hour and a half each way through empty country. Facilities are seasonal and limited to a few schools and cantinas. The wind that makes it famous also makes ordinary beach days uncomfortable on the western side.

Nearby

Kattavia is the nearest village; Monolithos and the west coast road run north.

Key facts