Zakynthos page 3

Island Beaches

zankynthos greece Argassi just to the east of the port (# 4 on map) is the closest large tourist beach with big hotels and several tavernas.

Further east along the peninsula are better choices among which are Porto Zoro and Banana Beach which is strewn with sea daffodils and exudes a strong flowery fragrance.

Agh. Nikolaos, Mavrandzi and Porto Roma follow and all have some facilites. The peninsula ends with the best beach Gerakas(#16). Loggerhead turtles frequent this beach, so water sports are curtailed. To the south of Greakas are two secluded, undeveloped beaches Daphni and Sekaniki, also popluar with the turtles.

zankynthos greece Kalamaki Beach (#7), just south of the airport is the beginning of the over development of Zakynthos. The longest beach on the island, extending for five miles, it is one of the longest in Greece and a major breeding ground of the Loggerhead turtle.

These turtles are one of the oldest species on the planet and go back hundreds of millions of years. Because the prevailing winds nearly always blow towards the sea, and the flying restrictions imposed because of the turtles, there is little noticeable distraction caused by aircraft noise. For another quiet beach try pine shaded Aghios Sostis islet at the southwest end of the bay. It's reachable by bridge.

zankynthos greece Laganas (#10, or the mistakenly called rabbit beach in Greek) is the next big beach and also the prime nesting ground for the loggerheads (Caretta caretta) and usually has every summer, from June to September, over 1000 nests on its four km of beach.

Turtles come from all over the Mediterranean to lay their 100 to 120 golfball-sized eggs in the golden sands around the Bay of Laganas where they incubate for 60 days.

zankynthos greece When the eggs hatch the baby turtles emerge and make a break for the open waters, they are sometimes distracted by the lights from the tourist enclave and expire from exhaustion. It is of the utmost importance that, in order to ensure their survival, the beach is avoided between dusk and dawn, that no umbrellas are stuck into the sand and that no vehicles are driven over the sand.

zankynthos greece Departing Lithakia north the road passes over the earthqauke created Avyssos Gorge and coastal swap of Limni Keriou where the natural pitch once used to caulk boats existed in great quantities.

There are a few beaches such as Keri (#25) a small village at the end of the peninsula with a pebble beach, some amenities, inexpensive rooms and nice views. From Keri boat excursions may take you along the southern shores to view some spectacular scenery and the two natural arches at Marathia.

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