Best Beaches You Can Only Reach by Boat in Santorini

Most people visit Santorini for the views from the cliffs. The beaches don’t usually make the highlight reel, and honestly, if you stick to the ones you can reach by bus or car, it makes sense why. They’re crowded, they’re dark volcanic pebble, and they look nothing like those white sand postcards from Mykonos or Naxos.

But the beaches you can only get to by boat? Completely different story. We’re talking empty coves tucked under volcanic cliffs, water so clear it looks fake in photos, and zero sunbed vendors yelling at you. These spots exist because most tourists never leave the road, which is exactly why they’re worth the trip.

Here’s where to go.

1. White Beach

Right next to Red Beach on the southwest coast near Akrotiri, but with one big difference: there’s no path down to it. Boat only.

• What you’ll find: Pale white cliffs dropping into dark pebbles and deep blue water. One of the most photogenic spots on the island.
• Why it stays quiet: No road, no trail. Even in July and August, you might share it with a handful of other boats at most.
• From Ammoudi Bay: About 40 minutes by small boat. Pair it with Red Beach on the same trip since they’re right next to each other.
• Tip: There’s a water taxi from Akrotiri port in summer (about €15 per person), but with a rental boat you anchor on your own schedule.

2. Mouzakia

Tucked on the caldera side between Oia and Imerovigli. Not on most tourist maps. Not in any guidebook. No road, no path, no signs.

• What you’ll find: A calm, sheltered cove with a tiny chapel (Agioi Epta Pedes) carved into a cave on the beach.
• Why it stays quiet: Literally invisible from land. The only people who come here are locals and tourists who rent boats for the day.
• From Ammoudi Bay: Only 10 to 15 minutes south. Makes a great first stop on a morning rental before the caldera heats up.
• Tip: The caldera walls block the wind here, so the water is usually dead calm even when the open sea is choppy.

3. Black Mountain

On the south coast between Akrotiri Lighthouse and Mesa Pigadia. Probably the most remote beach on the entire island. No hiking trail. No taxi boat. Just you.

• What you’ll find: A small cove of black and grey sand surrounded by layered red volcanic cliffs that look like they belong on Mars.
• Why it stays quiet: Deep water and a rocky seabed make anchoring tricky, which scares off most casual visitors.
• From Ammoudi Bay: About 45 to 50 minutes along the south coast.
• Tip: Mention Black Mountain during your briefing and the team will walk you through the best approach. Or skip the stress and book a private tour with a captain who’s done it a hundred times.

4. Baxedes

A hidden beach on the north coast between Ammoudi Bay and Armeni Bay, right below Oia. There’s technically a footpath from Monastiri, but it’s a steep cliff scramble that most people nope out of pretty quickly.

• What you’ll find: Dark pebbles, no facilities, and some of the clearest water on the north end of the island.
• Why it stays quiet: That cliff path filters out anyone who isn’t committed. By boat, it’s effortless.
• From Ammoudi Bay: Less than 5 minutes. Probably the quickest beach stop after leaving the dock.
• Tip: Baxedes faces west. If you’re doing a sunset trip, anchoring here in the late afternoon light is hard to beat.

5. Agia Eirini, Thirassia

On the north end of Thirassia, the quiet island across the caldera. Most people who visit Thirassia end up at the main port in Manolas. This isn’t that.

• What you’ll find: Black sand and pumice stone beach near the village of Riva. A couple of tavernas with fresh fish. Maybe three houses.
• Why it stays quiet: It’s on a separate island that most tourists never visit, on the part of that island that even fewer people reach.
• From Ammoudi Bay: About 20 minutes across the caldera. Most people combine it with the volcano and hot springs since they’re all nearby.
• Tip: Full day rentals give you time to do the volcano, swim the hot springs, cross to Thirassia for lunch, and still get back with daylight to spare.

How to Get to These Beaches

You’ve got a few options. Water taxis run to some of the more popular spots like White Beach and Red Beach during summer, but they operate on a fixed schedule and only cover the south coast.

The more flexible option is renting your own boat. A self-drive rental gives you the freedom to hit multiple beaches in one trip, stay as long as you want, and access spots like Mouzakia and Black Mountain that no tour or taxi covers. Boats come loaded with GPS waypoints for all the best stops, snorkeling gear, a cooler with drinks, and a Bluetooth speaker. No license needed, and you can see what it costs here.

If anchoring in tricky spots or navigating the caldera sounds like more than you want to deal with, a private boat tour with a captain lets someone else handle the logistics while you swim and eat and do absolutely nothing useful for a few hours.

Want to see these beaches for yourself? Book at book.santorinirentalboats.com or message us on WhatsApp at +30 697 4554002.