Beaches in Kos

The island’s beaches split cleanly by coast, and the wind is the thing that decides between them.

The north coast: shallow, sandy, family

The north-facing beaches run west from Kos Town in a long strip of pale sand and shallow water.

Tigaki is the standard choice: a long, well-organised beach with calm, very shallow water that stays waist-deep a long way out - which is exactly why families keep choosing this island. Behind it lies a salt lake that attracts flamingos in spring.

Marmari, next along, is similar and slightly quieter, and catches more wind - which is why the kitesurfers gather at its western end.

Mastichari further west is a smaller resort with sand and the ferry to Kalymnos, and it is the low-key end of this coast.

The trade-off: the north coast catches the meltemi. On a windy day it is choppy and blown, and the calmer water is on the other side.

The south-west: bigger, emptier, stranger

The long bay running along the south-west of the island, around Kefalos and Kamari, holds the island’s biggest beaches. They are wide, less developed, and they catch wind and surf.

Individual stretches along the bay have their own names and characters, and at the western end sits Agios Stefanos, where the sand looks across a narrow channel to the islet of Kastri with its chapel, and where the remains of two fifth-century basilicas stand right behind the beach. That combination - a swim, a chapel on a rock and an early Christian ruin in the sand dunes - is unusual anywhere.

The far south-east: the hot springs

Therma, east of Kos Town, is the island’s oddity: a pebble beach where a hot spring runs into the sea and is trapped by a rough stone enclosure, so you can sit in hot water at the water’s edge.

It is genuinely hot, it smells of sulphur, and it is busy. Go early. The approach is a rough track.

Which coast on which day

The practical rule:

• Calm day - anywhere, and the north coast for shallow water and facilities
• Windy day - the south and east, or Therma, which is sheltered
• With small children - Tigaki, for the shallow shelf
• Wanting space - the south-west bay around Kefalos
• Without a car - the north coast, on the bike paths or the bus

Getting to them

This is where Kos differs from its neighbours. From Kos Town you can cycle to the nearer north-coast beaches on dedicated paths, and the bus covers the main resorts. A car is only really needed for the far south-west and the interior.

Where to stay in Kos sets out the bases, and the short version is that Kos Town is the one that keeps the most options open.

Common questions

What is the best beach in Kos?

Tigaki for shallow, calm, family water on the north coast, and the long south-western bay around Kefalos for space and scenery. Which is better depends mostly on the wind that day.

Which beaches in Kos are best for families?

Tigaki and the north coast generally, where the sand is soft and the water stays shallow a long way out.

Can you cycle to the beach in Kos?

Yes, and this is unusual in Greece. The island is flat with cycle paths along the coast near Kos Town, so a bike genuinely reaches the nearer north-coast beaches.

What is Therma beach in Kos?

A pebble beach east of Kos Town where a hot sulphur spring runs into the sea and is held in a stone enclosure, so you can sit in hot water at the shoreline. Go early; it gets busy.

Which side of Kos is sheltered from the wind?

The north coast catches the summer meltemi. On windy days the south and east, including Therma, are calmer.

Are there sandy beaches in Kos?

Yes - more than on most Greek islands. The north coast strip and the long south-western bay are both sand rather than pebble.

Next

Read things to do in Kos, where to stay in Kos, or compare the island in Kos vs Rhodes.