Around Karpathos airport there are several shallow and beautiful beaches, which are known from turquoise colors and shallow seabed. These airport beaches are located in the southern side of the facility, and can be reached from the dirt road which leads to Diakoftis beach, an amazing lagoon of Karpathos island.
Most of these beaches are secluded and abandoned bays, but there are also some longer beach sections also.
The airport beaches of Karpathos island are recommended for those who wants to hide away from the world, or just want to enjoy the fantastic colours of the sea. Most of these beaches have no name, these places are just another nice beaches of Karpathos, in the shade of the famous Diakoftis beach.
It’s important to know that these beaches are not the best option for a swim, because in most cases the seabed is filled with sharp rocks, and the coastline is also rocky. The airport beaches are completely unorganized and not crowded, usually there are just a few visitors, who spend not much time here.
The airport beaches starts from Mihaliou Kipos beach (Paralia Michaliou, Παραλία Μιχαλιού), and from Psoraris beach to east direction.
Minti beach
One of these attractive southern beaches is known as Minti beach, where the sea colours are amazing. Minti beach is located directly next to the dirt road of Diakoftis, it can be recognized for its bushes and junipers.
This coast is a picturesque, but abandoned place due to the sea currents, strong winds and rocky seabed. Due to local sea currents on this place there can be seen garbage, which is carried here by the sea.
Mesa Elari beach and Exo Elaris beach
If you drive further, there is a small peninsula with a barren hill near Diakoftis beach, which has two beaches known as Mesa Elari beach (Elari beach) and Exo Elaris beach. Both of these can be accessed only by car on a dirt road, and offer secluded parts of Karpathos. You will see Mesa Elari beach first, which is characterized by sandstone cliffs, behing a very narrow and rocky shore.
If there are no waves, the sea is crystal clear and the colours are fantastic. The second bay is located slightly further, just about 200 meters away, and known as Exo Elaris beach. This beach has usually slightly larger seabed and has better protection from the waves, but it looks like almost the same.
Between Mesa Elari beach and Exo Elaris beach there is a small parking lot, where the vehicles can park.
Mesa Elaris beach and Exo Elaris beach usually belong to the most windy places in Karpathos island, so if you visit these places and there are no winds (or waves), you are extremely lucky!
Due to local sea streams unfortunately there are some beaches in the south, which are filled with some garbage, thrown up by the sea. It’s important that do not litter anywhere in Karpathos, always use trash cans, to protect the natural enviroment.
