Orkos Beach, Beach on Naxos, Greece
Orkos Beach is a beach on the southwest coast of Naxos, a Greek island in the Aegean, made up of a main stretch of about 2,300 ft (700 m) and several small coves separated by rocky outcrops. The sand is thick and fine, cedar trees line the shore, and reddish hills rise in the background.
The area around Orkos has been used for generations by local fishermen and farmers, without any major settlement taking shape along the shore. There are no ancient ruins at the beach itself, which shows that this part of the Naxos coastline has always remained rural and remote.
Orkos is known among windsurfers for its steady wind, and you can often see boards and sails being set up near the water's edge. The cedar trees lining the shore are unusual for a Greek island beach and give the place a look that sets it apart from others on Naxos.
The beach has no sunbeds, umbrellas, or lifeguards, so it is worth bringing everything you need for the day. You can reach it by car or scooter via a paved road that runs alongside the airport runway, or through a short dirt track from the direction of Mikri Vigla.
The sand at Orkos is so fine and compact that it barely sticks to skin or hair, which makes it more comfortable than many other beaches on the island. The beach also sits right next to the Naxos airport runway, meaning planes pass low overhead, which makes for an unexpected sight from the shore.
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