Orkos
Best for. Travellers who prize privacy over service and will happily trade sunbeds and a bar for a cove of their own with fine sand and clear water.
Best spot. A northern cove on a still morning for the calmest swim, or a sheltered pocket between the rocks when the afternoon wind builds.
Know this. There is nothing here at all, so bring shade, water and lunch, and walk to Mikri Vigla next door when you want a drink or a taverna.
Orkos is the beach you reach when you have decided that privacy matters more than a waiter. It sits on the southwest coast between two famous names, the long golden sweep of Plaka and the windsurf bay of Mikri Vigla, and where those two are organised and well known, Orkos is left almost entirely alone. It is not really one beach but a run of small sandy coves, each one framed and divided by low ribs of rock, so even on a busy August day you can usually find a pocket of fine sand that feels like your own. The sand itself is the quiet luxury, thick and soft and clean, the sort that brushes straight off your skin.
The honest read is that the thing which makes Orkos special is also the thing some visitors get wrong. There is nothing here. No bar, no sunbeds, no shade but what you carry, and the walk down from the road is over rough ground rather than a tidy path. People who arrive expecting a polished beach club leave disappointed, and people who came for exactly this leave delighted. The southern coves are quietly favoured by naturists who value the seclusion, the northern ones are mixed and easy, and the whole place runs on an unspoken courtesy rather than any rules. Treat it as the wild, free counterpoint to the served beaches and it makes perfect sense.
Read the wind and Orkos gives you its best. On a still morning the water is glassy and clear and the swimming is a pleasure, while by the afternoon the same exposure that draws the windsurfers from Mikri Vigla can put a brisk chop and a steady breeze across the bay. Come early, take a northern cove, bring your own everything, and keep Mikri Vigla in your pocket for the moment you want a cold drink and a plate of grilled fish. The real exclusivity here is not bought, it is simply the reward for going a little further than the crowd.
No club, and that is the appeal
Orkos has no beach club and no bar of its own. For sunbeds, a drink and a taverna, walk south to Mikri Vigla, and see the Naxos beach clubs guide for the organised options across the island.
Photo: Cecilia via GoogleBring your own, or walk to Mikri Vigla
There is no organised club on Orkos, which is precisely why people who want privacy choose it. You lay out your own towel and umbrella in a cove of your choosing and carry in your own water and lunch. When you want a sunbed, a cold drink or a plate of grilled fish, Mikri Vigla and its bars and tavernas are a short walk south along the coast. For the dressed up daybed scene, look to the organised beaches near town instead. Any prices at the neighbouring venues are set locally and to be confirmed.
On the southwest coast near Mikri Vigla
Orkos sits about ten kilometres south of Naxos Town on the southwest coast, on the asphalt road that runs past the airport towards Plaka and Mikri Vigla. A car or scooter is the easiest way to arrive, and bus lines one and three stop nearby through the day. From the small parking area a short walk on rough, uneven ground brings you down to the coves, so wear sandals you can actually walk in.
Because nothing is sold on the sand, this is a beach you prepare for. Bring water, shade and your lunch, and a little cash for the bars at Mikri Vigla if you wander over. There is no natural shade to speak of, so an umbrella earns its place, and a calm morning is both the prettiest and the most practical time to swim before the wind picks up.
Photo: Cecilia via GoogleBook a beach club
Orkos itself has no club, but the organised bays nearby do. Tell us your dates and we can point you to a sunbed at Mikri Vigla or another Naxos beach to match your day. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Orkos
What is Orkos beach in Naxos like?
Orkos is a string of small sandy coves divided by rock formations on the southwest coast, set between the long sands of Plaka and the windsurf bay of Mikri Vigla. It runs for around a kilometre of fine thick sand and clear water, and it stays quiet and unspoiled because nothing is built on it. There are no facilities at all, so it rewards travellers who want privacy over service.
Does Orkos beach have sunbeds or a beach bar?
No. Orkos has no sunbeds, no umbrellas and no beach bar, which is the whole point of it. You bring your own shade, water and lunch, or walk a few minutes to Mikri Vigla, where the bars and tavernas sit on the next bay. Any prices at those neighbouring venues are set locally and are to be confirmed.
Is Orkos good for windsurfing?
Yes. Orkos sits on the same exposed southwest coast as Mikri Vigla and catches the summer Meltemi, so it is a known spot for intermediate and advanced windsurfers, with the most reliable wind from roughly June to early September. The same wind that the boards want is what makes a still morning the calmest time to simply swim.
Is Orkos a naturist beach?
The southern coves at Orkos are quietly used by naturists, who value the seclusion the rock divides give. The northern coves are mixed and relaxed. It is an unofficial, low key arrangement rather than a designated naturist beach, so a little discretion and respect for whoever reached a cove first goes a long way.
How do you get to Orkos beach in Naxos?
Orkos sits about ten kilometres south of Naxos Town on the southwest coast, reached on the asphalt road that runs past the airport towards the southwest beaches, with bus lines one and three stopping nearby. A car or scooter is the easiest way, and from the parking a short walk on rough ground brings you down to the coves. Bring everything you need before you arrive.
