The Santorini Red Beach (a.k.a. Kokkini Beach) is located in Akrotiri Village, roughly 12 km southwest of the island's capital Fira. You can access it by boat from Akrotiri port, Kamari or Perissa, or by bus from Fira. I took the first bus from Fira at 8.45 a.m. The journey took approximately 20 minutes, costing 2 euros. This time, my partner didn't come along, because she was creeped out by some of the reviews and pictures she saw online. Besides, I wanted to borrow her shoes.
The morning was cloudy. On the bus ride, there was one stretch of the road where it felt as though we were driving in the clouds. The bus dropped us near the Akrotiri excavation site. I saw some of the elderly ladies from our bus going there but I didn't want to see any more ruins. So I joined the few others walking to the beach. There was a signboard pointing to the Red Beach, and we only had to walk straight from there. Lining the street were some shops and taverns, before we knew it, we had reached the beach parking lot, where there were a couple of fruit stalls.
In total, the walk from where the bus dropped us took about 10 minutes with maybe another 5 minutes to climb down some rocks to get to the beach. Personally, I didn't think it was a challenging feat, or at least not as challenging as reported on some blogs. It can be attempted by any able-bodied person; you don't have to be a really fit or experienced hiker. Wearing sturdy shoes definitely made it easier for me, but it shouldn't be entirely impossible to do it in flip-flops, as long as you go more slowly and take extra care. These are some of the sights you will see on your walk:
I think the time I chose was the perfect time to visit. In the morning of late spring, it was sunny but not too hot. The breeze was cooling, and there was not so much crowd. A group of Asian tourists were just leaving when I arrived. There was practically nobody else. So I shared the beach with the 5 or 6 people who came on the same bus as I did. I suppose it would get busier in summer because I've seen pictures of the beach with sunbeds and umbrellas all over it.
 |
| See how deserted it was. |
The red sand wasn't so spectacular. The beach only looked pretty when seen from a distance. On closer inspection, the sand looked more black than red, and very pebbly especially near the water's edge. It was the cliffs surrounding the beach that were actually redder than the sand itself, and probably gave the beach its name.
Some people have been asking whether the Red Beach is worth visiting. Well, if you have a lot of time on Santorini, then I would say this is a must-visit, if only for the fact that there are very few red-sand beaches in the world. It's definitely not the best beach for swimming or sunbathing, and you have to walk for quite a bit to get to it. For some people, the beach may be too secluded and uncommercialized. Plus, there's the danger of landslides and rockfall. (People had lost their lives, and the beach had once been closed due to this.) But, if you find thrill in seclusion and a hint of danger, then this would be perfect for you.
Just as I was leaving, a stone of about half the size of my wrist fell down from the cliff, followed by a trickle of smaller pebbles. It was right in front of me. I imagine it would have really hurt if it had landed on my head.
