Navagio Beach is a beautiful secluded beach on the island of Zakynthos in Greece with a photogenic shipwreck, surrounded by turquoise waters and dramatic, winding cliffs.
No doubt you have seen this “shipwreck beach” before, because it is probably one of the most famous travel pictures in the world. Word got around, and the beach is now full of tourists who want to see the rusty old wreck up close.
The best photos of the Navagio shipwreck are actually taken from the steep cliffs above, and not from the beach itself, but it’s also fun to get on a boat and see the beach at eye level if you’re willing to brave the crowds.
In this guide you will learn how to get to the best viewpoint in Navagio to take photos, how to visit the beach by boat and see up close, which tour packages you should use in Zakynthos and everything you need to know before you go.
UPDATE: There has been talk of closing the Navagio beach (not the viewpoint) for the summer of 2023, as the authorities are concerned about the risk of landslides. This is still under development, but I will update this page as soon as I have more information.
Where is the beach of Navagio?
Navagio Beach is located in the north-western corner of the island of Zakynthos in Greece.
The island of Zakynthos is easily accessible from Athens and there are daily flights and ferries at reasonable prices. The distance is only about 240 kilometers (150 miles) while the plane is flying.
If you are looking for more information on how to get to the island of Zakynthos, you can find it in my complete travel guide for Zakynthos Greece.
How to visit the viewpoint Navagio
If you mainly want to see the iconic postcard view and take photos of it, you can do it from the Navagio viewpoint on the cliffs above the beach. This is where all the great photos of Navagio are taken, and not on the beach itself.
You can go to the Navagio viewpoint by car or ATV yourself, or you can book a day trip package that includes transportation to the viewpoint along with several other attractions in Zakynthos.
It is a quiet 45-minute drive to the viewpoint from the capital Zakynthos, and the paved road is in good condition, although at the end, when you get to the parking lot, it turns into coarse gravel.
If you are traveling by car, you can connect this GPS location to your map to get directly to the Navagio viewpoint.
Unfortunately, there are very long queues for taking pictures at the Navagio viewpoint, so you may have to wait in line for up to an hour during the summer months.
This is mainly due to the fact that only a small platform has been open on the cliffs since 2022, as the authorities are concerned about rock slides on the cliff. The queues are shorter in the morning, but you still have to wait.
The new observation deck is surrounded by metal railings. You can barely see the wreck, and you need a wide-angle camera lens to take decent pictures of the landscape because the platform is so close. With a normal lens, you forget about this.
Overall, it’s a silly setup and I hope you will find a better security solution soon. It is very frustrating to have such a beautiful view blocked by high fences from almost all sides.
The sun and the heat make it even worse! Bring a hat and maybe an umbrella. You will also want cold drinks. There are canteen trolleys in the parking lot selling snacks, drinks and souvenirs, but the prices, as expected, are inflated.
