Korthi, or Ormos Korthiou, is a relaxed bayside village on the south-east coast of Andros, set around a wide sandy bay far from the busier resorts of the west. Quiet, traditional and open to the summer wind, it has a long beach, a laid-back waterfront. The island’s best windsurfing and the iconic rock of Tis Grias to Pidima close by, making it the favourite base for those seeking Andros at its calmest.
This guide covers Korthi and its bay: the beaches, the windsurfing, the castle and watermills nearby, whether to stay here, and how to reach it. Read it alongside the wider guide to the villages of Andros to place it within a longer trip.
What is Korthi (Ormos Korthiou) in Andros?
Korthi, officially Ormos Korthiou, is a bayside village in the south-east of Andros, set around a broad sandy bay.
Ormos Korthiou spreads around a wide bay in the south-east of Andros, the main settlement of the island’s southern tip. Its name means the bay of Korthi. It serves as the small centre of tourism and daily life for the surrounding villages. With a long beach fronting the settlement and a handful of tavernas and cafes along the waterfront.
Away from the busier resort of Batsi on the west coast, Korthi keeps a calm, authentic character, favoured by visitors who want a quiet, traditional base. The open bay, the sandy beach and the backdrop of terraced hills and old villages give it an easy. Uncrowded feel that sets it apart from the rest of the island.
What beaches are in Korthi?
Korthi bay has three main beaches: Mylos, a long sandy stretch with a windsurfing school, Agia Aikaterini, a small sheltered cove below a chapel, and Tis Grias to Pidima nearby, the iconic beach framing a tall rock pinnacle in turquoise.
The bay of Korthi is ringed by sandy beaches. Mylos is the longest, a broad stretch of sand with calm, shallow water and a windsurfing school, the main beach for a straightforward day by the sea. Agia Aikaterini, named for the chapel of Saint Catherine above it, is a smaller, sheltered cove with a fine view across the bay and good protection from the wind.
A short way from the bay lies the most famous beach of the area, Tis Grias to Pidima, the Old Lady’s Leap. Where a tall rock pinnacle rises from turquoise water off a sandy shore, one of the most photographed beaches on Andros. Together these give Korthi a run of beaches to suit calm days and windy ones alike, part of the island’s wider beaches.
Why is Korthi good for windsurfing?
The open bay of Korthi catches the strong summer meltemi wind head-on, giving reliable conditions that have made it the windsurfing centre of Andros. A windsurfing school on Mylos beach offers lessons and rental kit for beginners and improvers.
Korthi bay faces the prevailing summer wind, the meltemi that blows across the Cyclades, and its open, exposed position gives steady, dependable conditions for windsurfing through July and August. This has made the bay the island’s main centre for the sport, drawing windsurfers to its reliable breeze and long fetch of open water.
On Mylos beach a windsurfing school offers lessons and equipment hire, welcoming beginners as well as experienced sailors. In a relaxed, uncrowded setting far from the busier wind spots of the Cyclades. The same wind that suits windsurfers pushes casual swimmers to the more sheltered corner of the bay at Agia Aikaterini.
What can you see around Korthi?
Around Korthi you can visit the ruined Faneromeni castle above the bay, the Dipotamata valley with its old stone watermills turned into an eco-museum, and traditional inland villages such as Kochylou and Aidonia, set among terraces with wide sea views.
Above the bay stand reminders of the island’s past. The medieval Faneromeni castle crowns a height near the village of Kochylou, its ruins commanding sweeping views over the sea, while the surrounding villages of the south, among them Kochylou and Aidonia, keep an old, traditional character and reward a short drive or walk into the hills.
The great natural attraction nearby is the Dipotamata gorge, a valley of exceptional beauty threaded by a stream and lined with old stone watermills. Some restored as an open-air museum of the island’s water-powered milling. A marked path descends the gorge past the mills and bridges, a fine short hike from the Korthi area into the green interior.
Is Korthi a good place to stay?
Korthi suits travellers who want a quiet, authentic base away from the crowds, with rooms and small hotels around the bay, a good beach, tavernas and windsurfing.
For visitors seeking the quietest side of Andros, Korthi makes a rewarding base. The bay has rooms and small hotels along and behind the seafront, a long sandy beach. A scatter of tavernas and cafes. The windsurfing to keep active guests busy, all at an unhurried southern pace far from the main flow of tourism.
The trade-off is that Korthi is smaller and sleepier than the resort of Batsi on the west coast. With fewer hotels, restaurants and no real nightlife. It lies a long drive from the port and the capital. For travellers who value calm and authenticity over choice and buzz, though, it is one of the most appealing bases on the island, as the where to stay in Andros guide describes.
How do you get to Korthi in Andros?
Korthi lies about thirty-seven kilometres from the port of Gavrio, a drive of some forty-five to fifty minutes across the island to its south-east coast.
Korthi sits in the far south-east of Andros, around thirty-seven kilometres from the ferry port at Gavrio, a scenic drive of roughly forty-five to fifty minutes across the island. From the capital Chora it is closer, and local buses link Chora with Ormos Korthiou, though the service runs only a handful of times a day.
Given the distance and the infrequent buses, a hire car or scooter is the practical way to reach Korthi and to explore its beaches, castle and surrounding villages. Collected at Gavrio on arrival, a car opens up the quiet southern corner of the island, as the guide to getting to Andros sets out.
When is the best time to visit Korthi?
Late May to September is best for the beaches of Korthi, with warm seas and settled weather. July and August bring the strongest meltemi wind, ideal for windsurfing, while June and September offer warm, calmer days for swimming and exploring.
The warm months of late spring to early autumn are the season for Korthi, when the sea is comfortable and the bay at its best. July and August bring the peak of the meltemi wind, which makes for prime windsurfing on Mylos beach but choppier water for swimmers. Who find calmer conditions in the sheltered corner of the bay.
The shoulder weeks of June and September give warm, settled weather with lighter winds and thinner crowds. An ideal time for swimming, walking the Dipotamata gorge and touring the southern villages. For the island-wide view of seasons and weather, see the guide to the best time to visit Andros.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Korthi worth visiting?
Yes. Korthi, or Ormos Korthiou, is the quiet, traditional heart of southern Andros, with a long sandy beach, the island’s best windsurfing on Mylos beach. The iconic rock of Tis Grias to Pidima nearby, the ruined Faneromeni castle and the beautiful Dipotamata watermill gorge close at hand. It rewards travellers seeking a calm, authentic corner of the island away from the busier western resorts.
How far is Korthi from Gavrio port?
Korthi lies about thirty-seven kilometres from the port of Gavrio, in the far south-east of Andros, a scenic drive of roughly forty-five to fifty minutes across the island. It is closer to the capital Chora, which is linked to Ormos Korthiou by local buses times a day, though a hire car is the easiest way to reach and explore the southern corner of the island.
What is the beach with the rock at Korthi?
The famous beach near Korthi is Tis Grias to Pidima, meaning the Old Lady’s Leap, where a tall rock pinnacle rises from turquoise water off a sandy shore. It is one of the most photographed beaches on Andros, tied to a local legend. Sits on the coast near Ormos Korthiou. An easy trip from the bay and one of the highlights of the island’s south.