Guide: The Best Beaches on the Island of Halki

November 11, 2021April 19, 2023 Koen 0 Comments

In this beach guide, we will explore the best beaches on the Greek island of Halki in the Dodecanese.

Time for a swim

The small island of Halki – part of the Dodecanese archipelago – has a couple of great beaches which are worthy of a visit. Some of these are easily accessible on foot, while others can only be reached by boat.

In the previous chapters of my Halki destination guide I already explored the beautiful island capital and main port of Emborios and embarked on a hike to the old abandoned capital of Horio to visit its impressive castle ruins.

Walking back from Horio to Emborios on a hot July day, I was in a dire need to cool off. And what better way to do this than taking a swim in the clear blue waters of the Aegean Sea!

Pondamos Beach

Located roughly halfway between Emborios and Horio, Pondamos Beach is one of the most popular beaches on the island of Halki. It was also the first beach where I made a stop.

Pondamos is a sandy beach which is located on a sheltered bay. As the water is shallow and it only gradually gets deeper, it’s especially well-suited for families with young children.

There are umbrellas and beds which you can rent for 8 euro, although there is also enough space to put down your own beach towel on the sand.

pondamos beach halki — *Pondamos Beach. ©Paliparan*

pondamos bay — *Pondamos Beach is located in a sheltered bay. ©Paliparan*

pondamos bay water — *The water certainly looked inviting for a swim! ©Paliparan*

pondamos beach chalki — *Pondamos Beach is popular with families as its a child-friendly place for a swim thanks to its shallow waters. ©Paliparan*

pondamos beach — *The shallow waters of Pondamos Beach. ©Paliparan*

pondamos beach halki beaches — *Pondamos Beach is certainly gorgeous, being surrounded by some craggy hills and green trees. ©Paliparan*

pondamos beach sea — *Looking back at Pondamos Beach from the sea. ©Paliparan*

halki beach chalki — *It was delightful to float a bit in the sea after my morning hike up the hill which you can see in the background. ©Paliparan*

Beach tavern

Pondamos Beach also has a beachside tavern called Nick’s Taverna and it has some fantastic views over the bay from its sheltered terrace.

As I wasn’t hungry yet (but certainly thirsty after my hike and swim) I just stopped here for a cold beer.

nick's taverna pondamos beach halki — *Nick’s Taverna is located right above Pondamos Beach. ©Paliparan*

nick's taverna pondamos — *Nick’s Taverna. ©Paliparan*

pondamos bay halki — *The view from Nick’s Taverna over Pondamos Bay. ©Paliparan*

beer beach tavern — *Enjoying a cold Zythos beer at the beachside tavern. ©Paliparan*

nick's taverna — *Nick’s Taverna as seen from the sea. ©Paliparan*

Scenic walk to Ftenagia

From Pondamos Beach, it is a short but highly scenic walk to one of the other popular Halki beaches: Ftenagia Beach.

Although you can also access Ftenagia Beach directly from Emborios (Halki Town) as it’s located just a few hundred metres south of it, you really don’t want to miss the beautiful walk between Pondamos and Ftenagia.

Just south of Pondamos, the road to Ftenagia passes along the small Church of Agia Thekla, from where you have some absolutely wonderful views over Pondamos Bay and the relatively fertile valley behind it.

The contrast between the blue waters of the Aegean Sea, the green terebinth trees in the valley and the grey colours of the craggy hills and rocks behind it is just stunning.

agia thekla church halki — *The entrance to the Church of Agia Thekla. ©Paliparan*

agia thekla church — *Church of Agia Thekla. ©Paliparan*

agia thekla halki — *Church of Agia Thekla. ©Paliparan*

halki island view — *Gorgeous view over the Church of Agia Thekla, Pondamos Bay and the island of Halki. ©Paliparan*

Halki cemetery

If you walk further south from Pondamos Beach and the Church of Agia Thekla, you will pass by Halki’s main cemetery on your right-hand-side.

The cemetery is wedged in between the road at one side and Pondamos Bay at the other side. Although high walls surround the cemetery on the landside, the walls on the side of the sea are much smaller, which allows for some fine sea views when you walk in between the graves.

Inside the cemetery complex you can also find a beautiful church with a light blue roof and domes.

halki cemetery — *Halki cemetery. ©Paliparan*

halki cemetery graveyard — *Halki’s peaceful cemetery. ©Paliparan*

graves tombs cemetery — *Graves and tombs at the cemetery. ©Paliparan*

halki necropolis — *From the Halki necropolis you have some fine sea views. ©Paliparan*

halki necropolis cemetery — *Halki necropolis. ©Paliparan*

Ftenagia Beach

Where Pondamos Beach is located in a sheltered bay, Ftenagia Beach faces a relatively sheltered strait between the island of Halki and the islet of Vrachonisis Nisaki, meaning that this beach is likely to have some calm waters as well.

The main difference between these two beaches is that while Pondamos is a fine sand beach, Ftenagia is a made out of pebbles and rocks.

In the waters just off Ftenagia Beach there are also some reefs, so you must be a bit careful when walking into the water as not to slip or cut open one of your feet on some sharp rock.

Although it makes swimming a bit more difficult, the rocks, reefs and stones at Ftenagia also have their advantages as it makes the waters more clear and turns it into a great place for snorkelling.

The sea at Ftenagia Beach has amazingly beautiful colours, making this the most appealing of all of Halki’s beaches to simply look at. The shades of blue here are mesmerising and were easily some of the best I’ve seen on this trip to Greece.

road beach ftenagia — *Walking to Ftenagia Beach. ©Paliparan*

ftenagia beach road — *The road to Ftenagia Beach. ©Paliparan*

vrachonisis nisaki halki — *Looking towards the islet of Vrachonisis Nisaki. ©Paliparan*

ftenagia beach — *Ftenagia Beach. ©Paliparan*

ftenagia beach halki — *Ftenagia Beach. ©Paliparan*

ftenagia beach chalki — *Although Ftenagia Beach is less suitable for swimming due to the pebbles and sharp rocks in the water, it was in my opinion the most beautiful beach on the island of Halki. ©Paliparan*

shades of blue ftenagia — *I absolutely loved the shades of blue at Ftenagia Beach. ©Paliparan*

best beaches halki ftenagia — *Ftenagia Beach. ©Paliparan*

best beach halki ftenagia — *Ftenagia Beach. The large island in the distance is Rhodes. ©Paliparan*

Lunch

At Ftenagia Beach, you can also find a nameless tavern which does some tasty, no-nonsense Greek food for fair prices. It makes for a perfect place for lunch as the view from the tavern is superb.

I ordered the traditional Greek sausages with chips, some tzatziki and a cold beer to wash it away.

tavern sea greece — *The seaside tavern at Ftenagia Beach. ©Paliparan*

lunch view tavern sea greece — *Lunch with a view. ©Paliparan*

Back to Emborios

From Ftenagia, it is an easy walk back to Emborios. As you basically follow the eastern shoreline of Halki, you have some wonderful sea views as well from this path.

Closer to Emborios you will also notice a couple of swimming platforms which make for some fine places as well to have a dive into the sea.

When you are staying in Halki’s main port and town and don’t want to walk to one of the island beaches, these make for a solid alternative as well if you fancy a swim.

emborios chalki — *Walking back to Emborios. ©Paliparan*

chalki — *The road from Ftenagia to Emborios is certainly scenic as well. ©Paliparan*

emborios halki town swimming platform — *A swimming platform in Emborios (Halki Town) with a fine view over the port and island. ©Paliparan*

halki waterfront swimming — *The Halki Town waterfront has numerous such swimming platforms from where you can dive into the bay. ©Paliparan*

stairs water — *Most of the swimming platforms have stairs into the water, making it easy to get in and out of the sea. ©Paliparan*

Other Halki beaches

Halki has a number of other beaches such as Trachia Beach and Areta Beach which can only be accessed by boat.

There are several tour outfits as well as individual boat owners in Emborios offering sailing trips around the island with numerous stops for a swim, so either walk around the quay and see what is on offer or inquire at your hotel or guesthouse.

Another popular beach on Halki is Kania Beach, which can be accessed on foot and is located a short distance to the north from Emborios. This beach features a beach bar and has sunbeds and umbrellas for rent.

trachia beach halki — *Trachia Beach as seen from the Kastro in Horio. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

For a small island, Halki has some fine beaches which are all inviting for a swim.

Families with children should opt for the warm and shallow waters of Pondamos Beach, which has a nice tavern overlooking the beach and umbrella and sun bed rentals.

If you are a fan of snorkelling or simply seek the most gorgeous of blue colours, then nothing beats Ftenakia Beach. This beach also has a nice tavern which makes for a good spot for lunch.

Although all of these beaches are just a short walk out of the main town of Emborios, you don’t to leave Halki’s main port for a swim, as in this town there are multiple inviting swimming platforms for a quick dive into the sea.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘A Dodecanese Dream: Summer Island Hopping in Greece‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. Back in the Skies – My First International Flight in the Age of Corona
2. Review: Kimon Hotel, Athens, Greece
3. Exploring Plaka: Through the Winding Streets of the Old Town of Athens
4. Climbing up the Acropolis: Visiting Athens’ Most Famous Sight
5. Review: Skyserv Melina Merkouri Lounge Athens Airport
6. Review: Sky Express Athens to Naxos (ATR 42)
7. Review: Studios Zafiri, Naxos Town, Greece
8. Naxos Town: The Gorgeous Historic Heart of the Cyclades
9. Review: Blue Star Ferries Naxos to Astypalaia
10. Review: Belvedere Studios, Astypalaia Town, Greece
11. Astypalea Town: The Unknown Crown Jewel of the Aegean Sea
12. Astypalea Island Guide: Exploring the Butterfly of the Aegean
13. On a Night Boat in Greece – Astypalea to Kastellorizo With Blue Star Ferries
14. Review: Traditional Apartments Alexandra, Kastellorizo, Greece
15. Kastellorizo: A Look Around Greece’s Easternmost Island
16. Hiking on Kastellorizo: Two Sunset Hikes Detailed
17. Review: Olympic Air Kastellorizo to Rhodes (Dash 8-100)
18. Guide: How to Travel From Rhodes to Halki by Ferry
19. Review: Dorothea Apartments, Halki, Greece
20. Halki Town: Eating, Swimming & Relaxing in Beautiful Emborios
21. A Hike to Horio: Exploring Halki’s Old Abandoned Capital
22. Guide: The Best Beaches on the Island of Halki (current chapter)
23. Review: Hermes Hotel, Rhodes Town, Greece
24. A Visit to the Delightful Old Town of Rhodes
25. Review: Aegean Airlines Domestic Flight Rhodes to Athens
26. End of a Dream Holiday in Greece: One Last Day in Athens