A secluded, beautiful cove near Akrotiri, White Beach is framed by tall pale cliffs and reachable only by boat from the nearby harbour or from the Red Beach. With no road and few facilities, it offers scenery, swimming and solitude. This guide covers the beach, how to get there by boat, what to expect and tips.
White Beach is a hidden gem of the wider Santorini travel guide. It lies on the south-west coast near Akrotiri. The sections below cover the cove.
What is White Beach?
White Beach is a small, secluded cove on Santorini’s south-west coast near Akrotiri, named for the tall pale cliffs of white and grey volcanic rock that enclose it. With pebbles, clear deep water and no road access, it is a peaceful spot reached only by boat, prized for its scenery and solitude.
White Beach is one of Santorini’s most tucked-away shores. Set into the dramatic coastline near the Akrotiri archaeological site, close to the famous Red Beach, it is a small cove hemmed in by towering pale cliffs of white and light-grey volcanic rock that give it its name and a striking, sheltered beauty. The beach is pebbly with clear, quickly deepening water, and because there is no road down to it, it stays quiet and unspoilt, a contrast to the busy organised beaches. You come here for the scenery, the clean swimming and the sense of solitude rather than facilities, set within the wider Santorini beaches. Reaching it takes a boat.
How do you get to White Beach?
You reach White Beach only by boat, with small taxi boats running from the harbour near Akrotiri village, taking about 10 to 15 minutes, or shuttling from the Red Beach in around 5 minutes. The fare is roughly 5 to 10 euros, with informal, weather-dependent schedules.
There is no road to White Beach, so a boat is the way in. Small taxi boats run from the little harbour near Akrotiri village, often on a loop taking in the Red Beach and White Beach before returning, with the ride to White Beach taking about 10 to 15 minutes. If you are already at the Red Beach, the easiest option is one of the boats that shuttle between the two coves in around five minutes. Fares are typically 5 to 10 euros per person, but the service is informal and weather-dependent, so check locally for times and be ready for changes. The boat approach past the cliffs is part of the appeal, set out alongside the guides to the Red Beach and Santorini boat tours. An unofficial path is risky.
Is there a path to White Beach?
A rough, unofficial path connects the Red Beach to White Beach along the base of the cliffs, but it means clambering across loose boulders and is officially discouraged because of the danger of falling rock from the crumbling cliffs overhead. The safe and easy way is by boat.
You may hear of walking between the beaches, but it is best avoided. A rough, unmarked path does run along the foot of the cliffs from the Red Beach to White Beach, but it requires scrambling over uneven rocks and, more seriously, passes beneath the same soft, eroding cliffs that make the Red Beach itself officially unsafe, with a genuine risk of rockfall. Local authorities advise against it. The sensible, safe and far easier choice is to take one of the frequent little taxi boats, which also spares you the scramble in the heat. Treating the cliffs with respect keeps a visit to White Beach a pleasure, set out alongside the guide to Akrotiri nearby. Come prepared, as facilities are minimal.
What should you bring and expect?
You should bring water, snacks, sun protection and water shoes, as White Beach has no beach bars or restaurants and minimal sunbeds, with rocky, gravelly water that may hide sea urchins. Boats do not always land on the shore, so be ready to wade, and check return boat times.
White Beach is for the self-sufficient. This is a beach without amenities: there are no beach bars or restaurants and at most a few sunbeds, so you must bring everything you need, including plenty of water, snacks, strong sun protection and a hat against the limited shade. Water shoes are genuinely useful, as the entry can be rocky and gravelly and sea urchins lurk among the stones, and the taxi boats do not always pull right up to the shore, so you may need to wade in. Above all, confirm the time of the last return boat before you settle in, as missing it would strand you. With a little preparation, the cove rewards you with beauty and calm, set out alongside the guide to the best time to visit Santorini. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get to White Beach in Santorini?
You reach White Beach only by boat, with small taxi boats from the harbour near Akrotiri village taking about 10 to 15 minutes, or shuttling from the Red Beach in around 5 minutes, for roughly 5 to 10 euros. There is no road, and schedules are informal and weather-dependent.
Are there facilities at White Beach?
White Beach has minimal facilities, with no beach bars or restaurants and at most a few sunbeds. Bring water, snacks, sun protection and water shoes, as the water can be rocky and gravelly with sea urchins, and check the time of the last return boat before settling in.
Can you walk to White Beach from Red Beach?
A rough, unofficial path links the two coves along the foot of the cliffs, but it requires picking your way over uneven stones and is advised against, given the threat of rockfall from the eroding cliffs above. The safe and easy way is one of the short taxi boats.