Askeli Beach

Askeli is the longest and busiest beach on Poros, about 2 km northeast of Poros town on the eastern side of the island, reached by the coast road that runs on past the canal and the Kiani Akti waterfront. It is a wide arc of golden sand and fine pebble below a wooded slope, facing open water on the Saronic side of the island.

The beach is fully organised. Sun loungers and huts run along most of its length, and there is a beach volleyball court, changing rooms and a lifeguard in season. Cafes, shops, tavernas and bars line the promenade behind, several of them with live music that carries on late. Diving and water-sports centres operate off the sand, and the eateries stay open through the day rather than closing between lunch and dinner.

Visiting Askeli Beach

The water is clear and shallow at the shore, which makes it a straightforward choice for families and for anyone who does not swim well, and it is the first beach on the island to fill up in the hot, dry stretch from June to September, when daytime temperatures reach about 31°C. By late summer the sea averages around 26°C, and the bottom shelves gradually the further out you go.

Boats anchor in the deeper part of the bay, where a sand and seagrass seabed gives good holding. The bay is well protected from the northerlies, with only a swell working in from the southeast. Because the sand itself is backed by hotels and fills up early with walk-in visitors from town, the quiet water at the far end of the bay is best reached during a gulet cruise along the Greece coast, anchoring off the beach rather than competing for a spot on it. Jet skiing, parasailing, water skiing and windsurfing are all available, and the diving centre runs trips out to the neighbouring bays, islands and islets.