One of the best beaches in the world with Crystal-clear turquoise water, and fine white and pink sand.

Elafonisi combines a magnificent tropical beach, a picturesque islet in shallow water, and a unique, protected natural environment.

On the other side of the beach, lies the Elafonisi islet. Although the distance from the beach to the islet is about 100 meters, you can easily get there on foot, as the sea forms a shallow lagoon between the beach and the islet, where the depth of the water is between a few centimeters up to one meter. This marvelous lagoon is a fantastic natural formation which is perfect for taking great pictures. The unique combination of beach, islet and lagoon makes the beach of Elafonisi actually change its shape from season to season, and from year to year.

A unique natural environment in Europe

The impressive pink color of the sand in Elafonisi originates from the so-called Foraminifera shellfishes, which, when they complete their life cycle, leave behind their reddish shells which are crushed in the white sand and mix with it to produce this unique pink color.

The whole area of Elafonisi in general is very rich in rare species of flora and fauna, and this is the reason that it is an environmentally protected Natura 2000 area.