Koukounaries beach is the definition for a complete relaxation. Nature, wilderness and clear sea are the reasons why this is one of the most famous beaches in Greece, and an unavoidable stop for everyone who spends their summers in Skiathos island.
The beach with an unusual name is one of the pearls of Skiathos. The name of this beach – Koukounaries beach, would literally mean cone beach, and it can be said to describe what you will find there – a beautiful sandy beach surrounded by pine trees. Koukounaries is also the name of a resort located 11 km from the town of Skiathos, in the southwestern part of this island.
The area between this settlement and the spacious beach is covered with a pine forest, which provides the necessary shade to all tourists who come here. And they definitely have a reason for that, because this Kukunaries is considered as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This beach has another interesting name – Chrysi Ammos, which means Golden Sand. That the origin of this name is more than obvious, will be clear to you as soon as you step on it.
A bit of a background story
Kukunaries beach is more than a beautiful landscape – it is a lagoon and a nature reserve protected by law. Thanks to that, it has preserved its appearance, because construction is very limited in this whole area. The fact that there are only two hotels here, located at opposite ends of the beach, speaks in favor of that. The original plans for this region were of course in line with its tourism potential. Namely, it was planned to be a luxury golf course with 9 holes in the area of this lagoon. This plan was stopped for technical reasons, because there was not enough land for the planned ninth hole. Perhaps it is better that there were no conditions for such construction.
Due to the lack of construction and urbanization of this area, Kukunaries beach is considered the most pristine beach in the Mediterranean. Also, in 2012, it was awarded with the Blue Flag for exceptional water purity, a title it probably would not have received if the nature of this region had not been so carefully preserved and nurtured. Another interesting natural attraction of this nature reserve is Lake Strofilia, which is located at the entrance to the beach. It is a freshwater lake, which is connected to the sea by a narrow channel, and which is part of this reserve.
What you can expect on this beach?
After crossing the canal and stepping on the beach Koukounaries, you will see why this beach deserves its place on the list of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The beach is about 800 meters long, and is a beautiful combination of crystal clear sea and fine, golden sand, thanks to which the water itself shines.
Koukounaries beach is a great choice for all generations thanks to the extremely warm and shallow sea – children will play carefree here while their parents relax, and this type of beach leaves space for a handful of water sports for young people. The beach itself is ideal for playing, both because of the soft ground and because of its vastness. Due to the specific position of the beach, there are no waves here, which is good news for swimming lovers, who will also like the gradual transition to depth. The smell of the pine forest also contributes to the complete experience.
Things Koukounaries beach offers
Although, as we mentioned, the beach is not too urbanized, you don’t have to worry about staying thirsty and hungry. The content offered by Kukunaries beach is well organized, so here you can find bars and taverns, and “Beach Bar Thalassa” and “Kahlua Beach Bar” certainly stand out. In addition to bars, there are kiosks with sandwiches and refreshments on this beach, so you will surely find a meal that suits you. As one of the two accommodation facilities owned by the beach Koukounaries Skhiatos hotel has a separate section for its guests there.
How to reach Kukunaries
Kukunaries beach is only 11 km away from the town of Skiathos, which means that it can be reached quickly, and the bus transport that travels to it every half hour is available to all tourists. However, if you come to this beach as part of an optional excursion from Evia (or any other close island), your means of transport will be – a boat. An organized boat from Evia will first leave you on this amazing beach, and after a few hours spent on the sand, you can continue your cruise to the town of Skiathos. You will be convinced that the scene in this place is really like from a postcard, you will walk along the famous Pillow Street, visit the church of St. Nicola and take a picture on the lookout point with a view of the whole city and the sea coast.
Make sure that the combination of forest and sea really takes your breath away, and that some parts of the world, no matter how much tourist potential they have, should really remain intact.
