Daphni Beach, Zakynthos
You may have gathered by now that I like quiet, relaxed places. One night I mentioned this in a taverna and was recommended a beach in the south of the Island called Daphni. I went the next day (and the day after that) and fell in love with it. There is precious little at Daphni, a few houses and a couple of beach tavernas, but the beach is beautiful. Fine golden sand stretches for miles, the sea is calm, shallow and warm and the view of the Bay of Laganas was stunning. Better still, even in August it was practically deserted. (More about that later!)
As you can see, the sandy beach is surrounded by sandstone cliffs. The bay shelves very gently and you can walk a long way into the warm waters before you get out of your depth.
Shady tavernas by the beach provide all you need by way of good food and drink during the day.
As the sun started to go down, I was captivated by the beauty and tranquility of this beach. In the distance, you can just make out the shape of “Turtle Island”, (actually called “Marathonissi Island”), a small island in the bay which is shaped just like a turtle. The Bay of Laganas is a sanctuary for loggerhead turtles and if you are here at the right time of year, you will be able to swim with them as they prepare to lay their eggs on the beaches.
This is a closer view of “Turtle Island“ using a telephoto lens.
And now for the ‘rub’ as Shakespeare might have said. The reason why Daphni is so tranquil is that it is an utter nightmare to get there! The cliff road down to the beach (actually there are three of them, all as bad as each other) is unmade, narrow and in dreadful condition. The road is so bumpy that if you do more than 10 miles an hour, your wheels start bouncing so violently that you find it hard to control the steering. (Not funny with a sheer drop of several hundred feet just to your right!)
A passing car kicks up so much dust that the road is invisible for minutes afterwards and there is virtually nowhere that you could pass a car coming
It is the white-knuckle ride of the century and you are in control (almost).
The first time I went there, I met three other drivers in the taverna at lunch time. All were asking the same questions. Which way did you come down? Was it as bad as the way I came - because my family refuses to go back that way!
But there is no easy answer. All you can do is drive slowly and carefully and pray that no one is coming the other way. (Sometimes it works).
And just when you thought you had it sorted, you round a corner and find you have to deal with a herd of pigs asleep in the road as well!
Daphni was exciting and different, but it was worth it. Despite the drive down the cliff, I went back for a second visit the next day, and once again, I wasn’t disappointed. It really is one of the most relaxing and beautiful places I have ever been.
