The Lefkada west coast, eight beaches you can only see properly from a boat

The west coast of Lefkada is the side of the island with the white cliffs and the brightest water. Land access is partial, some beaches have a road and a car park, some lost their staircases in the 2015 earthquake, and a couple have never had any access except by boat. From the sea you see all of them in one day, in the order that makes sense, without the climb back up at the end.

The eight beaches, from north to south

1. Agios Nikitas village beach The starting point for the west coast run if you pickup from there. Small village bay, calm water, good morning swim. Five-minute hop to the next stop.

2. Mylos beach Just south of Agios Nikitas, reached only by boat or a 20-minute walk over the headland. No road. No cafes. White pebbles, very clear water, dramatic cliffs on the back. The quietest beach on the west coast in August.

3. Kathisma The big one. Two kilometres of sand, the only west-coast beach with full road access and beach clubs. Skip if you want quiet; stop if you want lunch at one of the clubs.

4. Kavalikefta A small cove south of Kathisma. Coarse sand, dramatic rock formations, clear water. Some land access by a steep path. Quieter than Kathisma but not as remote as Mylos.

5. Megali Petra Named for the "big rock" formation at one end. Pebble beach, very clear water, partial shade from the cliff. Usually quiet because the parking is small and the path is rough.

6. Gialos The middle beach of the west-coast string. Long sand stretch, no shade, dramatic cliffs on one side. Limited access from the road, so usually half-empty even in August.

7. Egremni Two kilometres of pale sand below the wreckage of the old 350-step staircase. The water is cleaner than Porto Katsiki and the beach is much quieter, because the staircase is partial and most visitors don't walk it. From the sea, it is the simplest day. See our dedicated guide to Porto Katsiki by boat and Egremni for details.

8. Porto Katsiki The headline beach. Half-moon of white pebble framed by a 300-metre limestone cliff. Photographed more than any other beach in the Ionian. From land, descend the stairs from the car park; from the sea, anchor offshore and swim in.

The route in one day

The west coast is exposed to the prevailing summer wind, the maistros, which builds during the day. So we run the route north-to-south in the morning while the sea is flatter, and head home along the east coast.

09:00 leave from Lefkada town, around the south of the island via Vasiliki, then north up the west coast. Mylos for the first swim around 10:30. Kathisma if you want lunch at a beach club, or a quick swim and on south. Egremni for the long anchor stop. Porto Katsiki for the photo and the last swim. Back across the south of the island, up the east coast, base by 17:00.

Wind, swell and the realistic version

On strong wind days the west coast can be uncomfortable. The swell builds against the cliffs and the boats roll at anchor. On those days we either run the route in reverse (Porto Katsiki first while the morning sea is flat, north as the wind backs), or we skip it and do Meganisi by boat on the inner Ionian loop. The forecast is checked the night before. The Hellenic National Meteorological Service publishes daily marine forecasts at hnms.gr.

A real day

A photographer from Berlin booked the Highfield last May specifically to shoot every west-coast beach in one day. We hit all eight, anchored at Mylos for the morning light, ate lunch on board at Kathisma, and finished at Porto Katsiki for the late afternoon when the cliffs glow. He came back the next day to do Paxos.

FAQ

Can I reach Mylos beach by road? No road. The only options are a steep 20-minute walk from Agios Nikitas village or a five-minute boat ride. The boat is the simpler day.

Is Egremni better than Porto Katsiki? Egremni has cleaner water and far fewer people; Porto Katsiki is more dramatic to photograph. Most guests visit both and prefer Egremni for the swim, Porto Katsiki for the view.

How long is the full west coast run? About 8 hours on the water, 45 nautical miles. We leave at 09:00 and are back by 17:00.

Is the west coast good for first-time boaters? The crossings are short but the anchorages are partly exposed. If you have anyone prone to seasickness, the inner Ionian loop is the calmer day.

For the full west coast day, use the booking form and pick the Highfield 650 Sport or the Mazziena 26SP.