Ladiko Beach

Ladiko is the quieter twin of its famous neighbour. Sitting just around the headland from Anthony Quinn Bay, it shares the same clear water and pine topped rock but trades some of the drama for a gentler, more usable shore. The main cove is a tidy horseshoe of sand and pebble where the water stays calm and clear, sheltered from the wind on most days, and there is enough room to settle in for a few hours rather than perching on a rock. For visitors who love the look of this coast but want easier swimming, Ladiko is often the smarter choice.

The bay comes in two parts, a larger horseshoe and a smaller adjoining cove, linked by a short rocky path. The surface is a mix of coarse sand and pebble, kinder on the feet than the rock ledges next door, and the calm clear water makes for relaxed swimming and a little snorkeling around the edges. A taverna sits above the cove for a long lunch with a view, and sunbeds line the sand in season. It is the kind of place where you arrive for a swim and find you have stayed all afternoon.

The honest read is that Ladiko is small, and word is well and truly out. In July and August the sunbeds fill, the modest car park strains, and the cove can feel cosy by midday, especially when day trippers spill over from Anthony Quinn Bay. It still tends to feel calmer and more comfortable than its neighbour, but it is not a hidden find. Come early or in the shoulder season for the best of it, bring something for your feet given the pebble, and pair it with the snorkel cove next door for a fine half day on this stretch of coast.