The most beautiful coasts of the island are in the west side :About 6 km. from the main Town starts a series of beautiful beaches, the first of which is Agios Prokopios, which stretches for many km. along the south-west coast of Naxos and is considered to be the best in Naxos and among the five best in the whole of Greece. The sea is marvellously clean, "A" class oh the international scale, and crystal clear like a sandy swimming-pool. The sand is composed mostly of rice-sized grains of creamy marble. As this series of beaches is situated on the south-west side of the island, it is protected from the north winds which plague the Aegean during the summer months, the notorious "meltemi". This happy circumstance has assured the island international fame as a place for pleasant holidays, for swimming and sea-sports.
The beaches are joined to the Town by two dirt-roads in good condition, one which follows the coastline past the new airport, and another which goes inland past the village of Agios Arsenios.
At all three beaches can be found restaurants, bars, diskos,
small hotels and rooms. At the Agia Anna end of Plaka Beach
there is a new camping site fully equipped in accordance with the
rules laid down by the E.O.T.. Plaka Beach, which starts
immediately after the wooded headland to the left of Ag. Anna as you
face out to sea, and stretches along a vast expanse of the Naxos
coastline, has much to offer to lovers of peace, solitude and the
beauties of Nature.
On the beaches of Agia Anna and Prokopios you will find wind and sea conditions ideal also for the lesser-experienced wind surfers and waterskiers. Waterskis and surfing equipment are also available for rent in Plaka and Aghia Anna. In Prokopius even jet-skis are available.
Plaka offers all watersports fan a campsite of ideal location with excellent facilities.
A series of small and medium - large beaches (south direction), for about 1.500 m. offer :
Most visitors consider the vast beaches of Mikri Vigia andof Castraki as areas of special natural beauty. These beaches
are in the south-west part of the island at a distance of
16-19 km from the chora (the town). Their maincharacteristic is the excellent quality of the white sandand the clearness of the sea with the numerous shades ofdark and light blue.Mikri Vigia, a masterpiece of nature, is a small cape framed by two beaches: The beach to its norths called Parthena, very clear and ideal for surfing and swimming andto its south there is the white sand-beach of Sahara,about 4 km long, which magnetizes the fans of sea-sports.The area of Mikri Vigla has some traditional restaurants,hotels, flats and rooms to let.
Kastraki is the natural extension of Mikri Vigla and it startswhere Sahara beach ends. After two small wonderfulsand-beaches there extends Agali beach, which is themain beach in Castraki and it is 3 km long. It is one ofthe most wonderful beaches in the Mediterranean Sea. Itcombines white blinding sand, very clean sea and veryquiet mainland. Kastraki has small quiet units of Flats androoms to let, 2 or 3 taverns and advantages for the loversof quietness.
The natural extension of Kastraki is the area of Alyko with wonderful beaches. In the area there dominate the half-finished buildings of a deserted hotel which, nevertheless, do not alter the beauty of the environment. The second main arterial road of Naxos ends in Alyko.
From the entrance to Alyko and to the left there extends Pyrgaki
beach up to the group of buildings of Pyrgaki Hotel. The
area is a combination of wonderful beaches and the natural
beauty of the mainland where cedar-trees and mastic-trees grow.
Some taverns, some units of flats and rooms
to let as well as the facilities provided by the central hotel
unit of "Pyrgaki". (that is bar, discotheque, restaurant,
mini-market and bungalows) -all offer comforts to the
lucky visitors that will choose the area for their holidays.
Pyrgaki is at a distance of 21 km from Chora.
In the east side the coasts Apollonas, Psili Ammos, and Panormos and in the north Pahia Ammos, Hilia Vrisi and Abraam (accessible only by car or boat) are ideal for swimming and fishing.
All the coasts are connected to "Hora" via bus.The road to Panormos is the only unpaved one.
There is a provision station for boats in "Hora".
Moreover, there are many hotels, pansions, apartments and rooms to rent which provide pleasant
accommodation to the visitors.One can find many small sandy beaches
by boat.The island is also suitable for hunting in the inner part(N.E.
and S.W. part)
