Karpathos Makris Gialos beach

General information

Makris Gialos Beach lies along the bay of Afiarti, 13 km southwest of Pigadia and just 600 meters from Karpathos Airport. This charming beach boasts a small stretch of silky white sand and crystal-clear, turquoise waters that are pretty shallow. Despite its proximity to the airport, the beach is relatively quiet and rarely gets too crowded.

Given its location on the southeast coast of Karpathos, the beach is afforded some pretty strong winds. Because of this, it has become extremely popular with water sports enthusiasts, offering the ideal conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing. A few watersport centers are located on and around the beach and because of the shallow depth of the sea, this is the perfect spot for beginners to practice their surfing abilities.

The beach itself is not organized, lacking amenities such as umbrellas and sunbeds. There is a parking area close to the beach and in the wider region, you will find some restaurants, cafes, and accommodations. Makris Gialos also lies near some of the area’s other lovely beaches, namely Diakoftis Beach and Vatha Beach.