8 great beaches in Kos, Greece

Robin McKelvie

Robin McKelvie

Who doesn't love a great beach? There are lots of islands dotted around Europe that boast a flurry of sandy strips, but standing tall amongst them in Greece is the island of Kos.

Top beaches in Kos, Greece
Top beaches in Kos, Greece © Anna Lurye - Dreamstime

Within striking distance of neighbouring Turkey, this deeply dramatic island, the third largest in the Dodecanese, is awash with the sort of beaches many people dream of flopping on all year long.

Kos is up there as a beach destination not just in Greece, but against most places in Europe, and the likes of First Choice* offers so many ways in which you can make the most of a holiday to this beloved Greek island.

We'll visit everywhere here, from family friendly beaches blessed with shallow waters, through to wilder strips where surfers shoot the breeze, and on to remote escapes that are seriously off the beaten track. In a nutshell (and a lot of nuts grow on this idyllic Mediterranean island) there is a beach in Kos for you...

1. Kos Town Beach

Kos Town Beach* is on here not because it's one of the top eight beaches on Kos - stick with me - but because it provides easy access to the historical charms of the island's capital, and its lively café, restaurant, and nightlife scenes. The beach sits in the shadow of the town's epic castle too, so it's an atmospheric place to unfurl your towel. Boat trips leave from the adjacent harbour if you fancy bouncing off with a cool breeze at the height of summer. Oh, and it's a very good beach too.

2. Tigaki

This white-sand beauty lies just over 10 km outside Kos and is also around 10 km long. That's right, 10km long! So no matter how busy it gets, there will always be plenty of space on Tigaki Beach*.

Along the coast are colourful sunbeds and umbrellas, with a beguiling backdrop of wildflowers and greenery. There are all sorts of tourist paraphernalia within striking distance, but it's the ace beach you are here for and superb watersports too.

The balmy waters of Paradise Beach, Kos
The balmy waters of Paradise Beach, Kos © Greg Balfour Evans - Alamy Stock Photo

3. Crazy Name Beach

Ok, so there is no actual Crazy Name Beach, but there may as well be. That is because every other daft beach name you can think of is dotted around Kefalos Bay. How about Banana Beach, or, if that doesn't work for you, Camel Beach?

Then there is Exotic Beach or even the otherworldly Magic Beach. To be fair, they are all lovely. The pick of the bunch is Paradise Beach; well, it should be!

Along with clean white sands, I love the air that bubbles up from the volcano on the neighbouring Nisyros Island. You can relax on a sunbed, enjoy a tasty lunch in a taverna, and then slip into the balmy waters. It is indeed paradise.

4. Agios Stefanos Beach

This western charmer is no secret, but even when it's busy you can still appreciate the fine sand, shallow waters and drama of the setting. The beach fronts a little islet home to a brace of historic ruins dating back to the 5th century, adding real depth to your beach bumming. The islet also has a wee beach to escape to; probably the most photographed beach on Kos with good reason.

Kamari Beach, Kos, Greece
Kamari Beach, Kos, Greece © Travel Pictures - Alamy Stock Photo

5. Kamari Beach

This sandy oasis lies west of the beaches with the crazy names and has a more traditional Greek moniker. This 5 km stretch of sand sits on the opposite side of Kefalos Bay and is home to a resort strip with all the beach holiday amenities.

You can also catch a ferry to Paradise Beach if you fancy a change of scene. Look out for the fruits of the labour of the local fishermen in the restaurants too.

6. Agios Theologos Beach

This more remote charmer is a personal favourite out west. The surf tends to get up a bit more here, so it's not ideal for families, which I appreciate when I don't have my own kids in tow! Things are fairly unspoilt out here, so enjoy a beach backed by olive groves that lays claim to offering the finest sunsets in Greece.

That is quite a claim, but one that you may well agree with when you make the pilgrimage here to watch the swollen sun burn down into the Aegean in an explosion of fiery reds, deep oranges and bright yellows.

7. Mastichari Beach

The laid-back town of Mastichari* is the ideal backdrop to a picturesque powdery beach. Tourism is much more low-key here in the north of the island. There is little to do bar lotus eating under the shade of the local tamarisk trees.

Unless, of course, you enjoy the thrills of surfing, windsurfing and kite surfing, which are all popular at Mastichari. The water up north tends to be a bit cooler than the south, which comes in handy in summer. You can also catch ferries from Mastichari to the tiny isle of Pserimos if you fancy a day escape.

The secluded beach at Cavo Paradiso, Kos
The secluded beach at Cavo Paradiso, Kos © Vladimir Semenov - Fotolia.com

8. Cavo Paradiso

I toyed with leaving this star out of the list because I love it so much! Getting here is not for the faint-hearted, as it lies down a tortuous dirt track, but the effort is well rewarded when you reach the golden sands.

We are talking a Jeep rather than a normal hire car, as bring that and you may end up with your vehicle making a one-way trip! You really get to escape here and feel what Kos was like years ago, before it was discovered by tourists. There are sunbeds and a beach bar these days, but it's still all gloriously low-key.

Kos is a perennial summertime favourite with holidaymakers, and holiday companies such as all-inclusive giant First Choice make getting there not only easy but affordable too.

If you fancy exploring these eight great beaches in Kos for yourself, check out the latest deals on breaks with First Choice, which departs from airports including London Gatwick, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Cardiff, among others.

You can also see what the weather in Kos is like, and when we think is the best time to go for ultimate beach conditions.

First Choice: Low deposits & flexible payments on holidays in 2024/2025

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Robin McKelvie

Robin McKelvie

Robin McKelvie is a Scottish travel writer, author and broadcaster. He has visited over 100 countries and regularly writes about Scotland and the Canary Islands. As well as frequently contributing to Weather2Travel.com, Robin writes for publications including The Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and Wanderlust, and has authored more than 30 guidebooks.

Posted on Thursday 18th January 2018 in: Beach Europe & the Mediterranean Family Nature Summer

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