Surfing Beach Huts

The bathrooms were awful and really nasty, full of cockroaches. It’s also in the middle of nowhere, so without a car it’s not worth going.

Santa Maria beach is only a minute’s walk away, and sun beds and breakfast are included. There are pitches, cabins and standard rooms to choose from, with free shuttle rides to and from the port and an evening bus to Naoussa. The air conditioning worked great in early summer. This is the best-value beach resort I’ve ever visited.

The water at Santa María Beach is incredible, and it’s just a two-minute walk away. There are umbrellas, sun beds, a restaurant and a bar on the beach. About ten minutes down the beach, a yoga center offers classes once a day. You can take the free shuttle to Naoussa once each evening, and the public bus comes several times a day. One warning: laundry costs 15€ for one small bag, so hand washing might make sense if you only have a little to do. The hotel is adorable and very clean, with gardens all around. It’s a small hotel and campground, not a resort, so the facilities are shared with campers. Between the two areas there’s a large pool bar, a small pool and a self-serve style restaurant. The staff were consistent and worked hard to get things right.

The huts are basic, but clean and nice, and the restaurant food is really good. There’s a lovely pool and a wicked bar with great staff. The music’s cool, though not all to my taste, but there’s something for everyone. The sun beds felt a bit of a rip-off since there’s no hourly rate. It’s a bit out of the way, but shuttle bus and local bus times are posted. If you hire an ATV, it doesn’t use much fuel, and the tank will come empty. Even the owner might play some nice tunes if you’re lucky. There’s also a nice handmade ladies’ shop. Really nice staff overall, even if you don’t surf.