With its endless sandy beaches, secluded bays and turquoise sea, Kos is the perfect island for bathing. In the summer months, beaches on Kos fill up quickly with holidaymakers. It’s a good thing that there are still corners where you can sunbathe undisturbed without the holidaymaker on the neighbouring lounger getting on your nerves.
“For us personally, the most beautiful beaches on Kos can be found where tourism is not yet so present.”
Away from the crowded sardine berths, we will show you our personal bathing favourites and the most popular Kos beaches, which are worth a visit. In this post, we have also introduced you to the best Kos hotels on the beach, get inspired:
🏖️ Dream beaches & hidden bays
🍽️ Restaurants, tavernas & cafés
🏛️ Must-see highlights & ancient sites
🗺️ Worthwhile spots & insider tips
🚘 Practical info like rentals & parking
♾️ Lifetime access & updates
Kos beaches in the west
The Greek island of Kos offers some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. We love the secluded bays in the west of Kos on the Kefalos peninsula. Since these Kos beaches are still real insider tips, you can still enjoy unadulterated bathing fun here even in summer. No crowds of tourists and no rows of beach chairs.
#1 Beaches around Agios Theologos
South of Agios Theologos there are still a few bays, which are deserted even in the high season and where you can swim undisturbed. The scattered coast of Agios Theologos (including Paralia Formaika) usually has sandy beaches that slope gently into the sea. The water in these pristine corners of Kos is crystal clear.
After leaving Kéfalos, you will pass a fountain before reaching a crossroads. Here you follow the signs on the right to the Restaurant Agios Theologos. The asphalt road descends to the sea and ends at the tavern parking lot.
The only way to travel north or south from Agios Theologos Restaurant is via a gravel road. The sand track runs above the coast. After passing the blue and white chapel of Agios Theologos, the stretch of coast begins with the lonely bays. Small trails take you down to the beaches.
From year to year, the coast changes and it can happen that beaches disappear or are no longer accessible. Instead, new beaches are being built elsewhere in the west of Kos. Be careful with falling boulders, the coast is subject to severe erosion here. Never lie down directly under the rocky cliffs!
The sand track ends at a small parking lot with some animal stables. Here you will find the picturesque Paralia Tripiti, a bay with a fine sandy beach. The area around the beach is privately owned. Since there have already been fisticuffs on the part of the tenant, we can no longer recommend this beach on Kos.
#2 Kavo Paradiso
One of the most secluded and beautiful Kos beaches is Kavo Paradiso. The location of the beach is very picturesque and you can rightly call it one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. On some days the surf is very strong and there is a strong wind, so the beach is rather unsuitable for families with small children.
The approach leads over a bumpy gravel road to the outermost tip of the southwest coast. If you’re planning a trip to Paralia Paradisos, it’s a good idea to rent an all-terrain quad bike or a jeep. We advise against driving a scooter or small car due to the miserable road conditions.
The Kavo Paradiso Beach Bar rents beach loungers for about 10 € per couple and provides bathers with cool drinks. The beach bar is open from the end of May, unfortunately the music takes some getting used to. If you love peace and quiet or are a nudist fan, you should use the Paralia Lakia at the end of the bay below the imposing rock on foot.
💡 Have you thought about bathing shoes? Even though many Kos beaches are fine sand, there are always slippery boulders, sharp stones and painful weevers (poisonous fish) in the water that you can step on. So be sure to pack a pair of bathing shoes: View on Amazon*
Explore Kos beaches by rental car
Our recommendation for car rental on Kos is Costas Car Rental – a friendly family business that we have known and appreciated personally for years. Well-maintained cars, uncomplicated service and top ratings on Google speak for themselves. From small cars to family cars, everything is there. Click here for the desired vehicle for Kos:
Kos beaches in the south
#3 Kardamena Beach
In the south around Kardamena and Cape Helona, the beach and water quality is very good. The beach is fine sand and slopes mostly quite shallowly. On the Beach of Kardamena there are numerous loungers and parasols to borrow and some beach bars provide holidaymakers with snacks and drinks.
West of the Cape Helona from Kos between the Robinson Club and the Blue Lagoon Village Hotel, more and more peace returns at the coastline. Since there are no other hotels here, these Kos beaches are usually deserted, even in summer. You can swim here completely undisturbed or walk for miles along the beach.
→ Kos Hotels at Kardamena Beach (Links to Booking.com*):
- Kalimera Mare (4-star)*
- Kyma Rooms & Suites (3-star)*
- Mitsis Blue Domes Resort & Spa (5-star)*
- Olympia Mare (2-star)*
💡 Meltemi in Kos: The cool summer wind blows from the northwest from April to October and can reach gale force. Then the red flag is hoisted on the north and west beaches on Kos and a beach day is out of the question. If you still want to swim, you should try your luck on the south coast around Kardamena, which is usually quite windless.
#4 Blue Beach
You can only get to this secluded beach with an off-road vehicle, otherwise you will have to walk down the stretch from the asphalt road to the beach. Once a insider tip among the Kos beaches, a lot has happened in recent years. 10 years ago we were the only bathers here in June, today there is already a canteen on site in summer.
From the island highway, turn left between the airport and Kefalos to Robinson Club Daidalos. It then goes down to Blue Beach, halfway by the apartment complex The Three Graces.
The crystal clear sea invites you to swim, the beach is quite clean and made of coarse sand. In high season, umbrellas and sun loungers (set approx. 10 €) can be borrowed at the local Blue Beach Bar Kos. There are no sanitary facilities and restaurants on site. Nudism is tolerated in the quieter sections.
→ Beautiful Hotels near Blue Beach (Links to Booking.com*):
Kos beaches in the southwest
Especially the southwest of Kos with the Kefalos peninsula is home to miles of sandy beaches. Kefalos Bay with the small island of Kastri and the beach of Agios Stefanos resembles a postcard motif. Although the beach is now covered by some hotels (e.g. Ikos Aria), it has lost none of its charm.
The beaches are mostly fine sand, very wide and several kilometers long. They are wonderful for a long walk or a relaxed beach day on Kos. On the way to Kefalos, one beach sign follows the other and the choice of which beach to go down to is made difficult.
All the beaches in Kefalos have beautiful golden sand and easy access to the turquoise sea. The prices for beach loungers are also largely uniform at €10 for two loungers with umbrellas. The further you get towards the coastal town of Kamari, the more the beach turns into gravel.
🗺️ 10 road trip routes with maps
🏖️ Beautiful beaches & swimming spots
🏛️ All top sights & attractions
🤫 Unpublished insider tips
🍽️ Accommodation, tavernas & cafés
#5 Magic Beach
Right at the beginning you will pass one of our favorite Kos beaches – Magic Beach. It is quieter at the corners, where there are only a few loungers on the wide beach. The shore area drops deep very quickly and is therefore less suitable for families with small children.
Above the Magic Beach there is a tavern called Magic Restaurant, where you can have a lunch snack. The food is simple and the décor a bit kitschy, but the view of the turquoise-blue sea and the neighboring island Nisyros is phenomenal.
#6 Psilos Gremos Beach
The island highway then runs alongside Psilos Gremos Beach, Markos Beach and Lagada Beach. These Kos beaches are becoming more popular with holidaymakers every year. The water at Psili Gremos, also known as Sunny Beach, is crystal clear, and the entrance drops quickly deep. From time to time, a strong offshore breeze blows here.
Lagada Beach is also very nice, with its fine golden-brown sand. The crystal clear sea is relatively deep, but it is never really crowded, even in summer. The two beach snack bars Kantina Antonis Rena and Irene’s Place offer cool drinks and small snacks (Greek salad, gyros and fries) in a rustic atmosphere right by the sea.
→ After a visit to the beach, a trip to the island’s peacock forest is worthwhile: Plaka in Kos
#7 Paradise Beach
One of the most popular Kos beaches and frequented accordingly in the high season is the Paradise Beach. As the name suggests, this fine sandy beach is one of the most beautiful in Kos due to its white color and the wonderful turquoise blue water.
The beach is largely sheltered from the wind and slopes very shallowly, so it is also ideal for children. There is a wide range of water sports, jet skis and banana boats provide the appropriate fun factor, but also high noise levels.
For older children and adults, there is a water park at Paradise Beach (admission: 5 € for 1 hour). A beach restaurant, changing rooms and sanitary facilities are also available at Paradise Beach.
In the northern area of Paradise Beach, small gas bubbles rise to the surface of the water. They bear witness to the geothermal activity of the region and are a real highlight, especially when snorkeling. The beach section also bears the name Bubble Beach.
Below Paradise Beach is the Camel Beach, a small, wind-protected sandy beach with a few sun loungers, where things are a little quieter again. From the shore, you can reach the crystal-clear water via stone slabs. That Jenny Camel Restaurant above the beach is very popular with holidaymakers and has been offering good food at fair prices for years.
#8 Agios Stefanos Beach
Probably the most beautiful beach scenery of Kos awaits you on the Agios Stefanos Beach. From the ruins of an old basilica, you can look directly at the offshore island of Kastri with its blue and white chapel. You can get to the islet by pedal boat or, if the sea is calm, as a good swimmer.
→ More information about Agios Stefanos Beach in Kefalos can be found here: Agios Stefanos Beach
The golden sandy beach of Agios Stefanos slopes gently into the crystal clear sea and is particularly popular with windsurfers who take advantage of the offshore winds of the bay. Sunbeds and umbrellas are provided by the local taverns in the southern section. A walk along the beach along the Gulf of Kefalos to the port of Kamari is particularly recommended.
→ Luxury Hotel at Agios Stefanos Beach (Link to Booking.com*):
Kos beaches in the north
The fine sandy coast in the north of Kos stretches over 25 km from Tigaki to Mastichari. Personally, this section of beach with the dunes behind it reminds us a little of the Baltic Sea. There is always a good wind blowing here, so that kite surfers get their money’s worth.
The shore at Tigaki Beach slopes very gently, making it ideal for a beach holiday with children. In the high season in July and August, the beach sections of Tigaki and Marmari are populated with holidaymakers and one lounger follows the other (sunbed set approx. 10 €).
→ The 12 most beautiful excursions with children in Kos we reveal in our article: Kos Island with children
If you don’t want to feel like you’re in a sardine can, just walk along the beach in Tigaki towards the end of the village (salt lake). The beach remains the same, only it is less frequented here. At Flamingo Beach, you can hire a sunbed with an air mattress or a SUP for €10. Showers and sanitary facilities are also available.
→ Good Hotels on Tigaki Beach (Links to Booking.com*):
#9 Marmari Beach
We are fans of Marmari Beach in the north, where you’ll find white sand dunes. Even though it can get very crowded here in summer, there are still some quiet places away from the hotel grounds where you can swim and relax.
If you feel like a small snack after swimming, we recommend a detour to the TamTam Beach Restaurant. In a cozy atmosphere you can enjoy delicious Greek snacks and a cool drink here – including a fantastic sea view. Afterwards we go to the sea to cool off at Tam Tam Beach.
→ Kos Hotels on Marmari Beach (Links to Booking.com*):
💡 Blue Flag for Kos Beaches: The beaches on the island are very well maintained and some receive the Blue Flag every year, an environmental award for excellent beach and water quality. Away from the popular beaches, however, Kos has like other Greek Islands also a garbage problem, as a lot of plastic from the sea washes up on natural beach sections.
Kos Beaches in the Northwest
#10 Kochylari Beach
To the northwest, right at the entrance of the Kefalos peninsula, is Kochylari Beach situated. Except for a few kite surfers, you will hardly meet any other holidaymakers here, some locals flee to this largely unknown corner to enjoy the peace and quiet.
→ In this article, we reveal everything there is to discover on the Kefalos Peninsula: Kefalos Kos
The beach stretches long and wide, is fine sand and slopes gently into the sea. A dream beach, if it weren’t for the garbage problem. The operators try to keep the beach clean, unfortunately it washes up again and again garbage, some of which is disposed of behind the dunes.
The beautiful wooden parasols and sunbeds are from the Kochylari Restaurant. On request, drinks and snacks can be delivered directly to the beach. You simply order by phone, the menu cards hang on the umbrellas and a short time later you get your order delivered to the beach lounger.
If you walk north on the beach of Kochylari you will reach the quiet Volcania Beach. It is also wonderful to swim here, even if seaweed is washed up in places from time to time. Nevertheless, no disturbing road far and wide. With a view of the neighboring island of Kalymnos and the sound of the waves, you can relax and unwind.
In the high season, simple loungers with reed parasols are rented. Especially at sunset, the atmosphere here on this Kos beach is very magical. However, the approach is only recommended with an all-terrain vehicle, as the route is at the Volcania Winery (visit only possible by appointment).
Excursion to the most beautiful Kos beaches
If you want to discover even more paradisiacal swimming spots on and around Kos, you can join a guided boat tour from Kos Town. The 3-Island Tour takes us to stunning bays around the islands of Kos, Pserimos and Kalymnos. More information from our partner GetYourGuide*:
More Kos Hotels Beachfront Hotels
You are still looking for a suitable Beach hotel on the island of Kos? Enclosed we have listed a selection of Kos hotels on the beach that we have not yet listed in the article and that have received top reviews from holidaymakers on portals such as Booking, TripAdvisor, Facebook and Google.
Click on the links to the hotels to view details and prices on Booking.com*see:
Lambi Beach
- Aqua Blue Boutique Hotel & Spa (5 stars)*
- Lango Design Hotel & Spa (5-star)*
- White Pearls Luxury Suites (4-star)*
Mastichari Beach
Psalidi Beach
Map of beautiful beaches in Kos
We’ve already pinned our favorite beaches on Google Maps: Paradise Beach, Agios Theologos, Golden Beach, and Kata Beach. Save yourself some time and avoid endless typing into the navigation system on the island. Just select a beach and drive.
Further contributions and numerous travel tips for the island of Kos can be found at:
- Kos Holidays – 11 Important information
- Kos Island -Guidebook
- Kos Tours & Excursions
- Kos Resorts – All holiday resorts at a glance
- Best Hotels Kos
- Our highlights on Kos
- Embros Thermal Baths – Hot thermal springs in Kos
- Day trip to Kos Town
- Kos Car Hire – our local partner
- Zia Kos – Excursion to the mountain village
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