Zakynthos is an island full of natural beauty, but one of its most famous spots has a catch to it
I’ve been fortunate to witness some truly stunning beaches. Born and raised in New Zealand, home to some of the world’s most beautiful coastlines, and having journeyed across Australia and Europe, I’ve seen my fair share of renowned spots.
Yet, this extraordinary beach might just top the list as one of the most breathtaking. Recently, I found myself on the Greek island of Zakynthos for a friend’s birthday.
While there, we opted for a boat tour around the coastline to soak up some of the island’s natural splendour.
Zakynthos, it turns out, is brimming with such beauty. Our boat trip, courtesy of Golden Dolphin Tours, took us from Alkyes Port along the island’s coast, offering a fresh perspective on the landscape.
The stark white cliffs contrasted beautifully against the deep blue sea, while terraced olive groves climbed into the mountains, occasionally punctuated by lavish villas, reports the Express.
The water was so crystal clear that you could see straight down, even as we ventured closer to the open sea. The Greek sun blazed down on us as we sped towards the remarkable Navagio Beach – also known as Shipwreck Beach.
I had previously seen pictures of this beach, where the rusted remains of the MV Panagiotis are scattered across the gleaming white sand. But as we navigated the towering white cliffs towards the beach, the sight that greeted us was genuinely breathtaking.
Before you even get a glimpse of the wreckage, the first thing that strikes you is the startlingly blue water. It’s a vibrant sky blue, unlike any other ocean I’ve ever seen, and it appears even bluer against the backdrop of the towering cliffs that enclose this tiny bay.
As we drew nearer on our boat, the shipwreck came into view – and it was stunning.
The MV Panagiotis ran aground here in October 1980. There’s a rumour that the ship was smuggling contraband and was being chased by the Navy.
When bad weather forced the ship aground, the crew fled from the Navy, leaving the wreckage on the beach where it has remained ever since.
The rusted, graffiti-covered body of the ship stands in stark contrast to the beautiful beach it rests on, which looks like it could be straight out of a film. The scene is unimaginably beautiful – but there’s a catch.
We were itching to dive into the sky-blue water and explore the wreckage up close, but unfortunately, our captain informed us that the beach is closed to the public and swimming is prohibited.
This is due to a risk of seismic activity and landslides, as well as efforts to conserve what remains of the wreckage. The beach has been closed before – in 2018, 2023 and 2024 – and there’s no indication that it will reopen anytime soon.
Fortunately, our boat trip took us to three other spots along the Zakynthos coast where we were more than welcome to jump in and swim, so just viewing this one spot from the boat was absolutely worth it.
Despite not being able to get up close and personal with the shipwreck, it was still an unforgettable experience that my mates and I will always remember.
If you fancy booking the same trip we did, have a look at Golden Dolphin Tours.