Hawaii
I went to barely-visited Greek island with Hawaii-like beaches that wants Brits
THERE’S a forgotten utopia among the 200+ Greek islands crying out for Brits to come and enjoy its untouched beaches, mouth-watering gyros and beers aplenty.
Karpathos may be the 15th largest Greek island but the population is only about 6,500, so it flies relatively under the radar — a paradise for off-grid explorers.
You’ll spot mainly Italian and Dutch tourists, although the majority of hotel and restaurant staff speak perfect English.
And they are thrilled to have us here, unlike some destinations where anti-tourist protests are in full force.
“We love the Brits, we want the Brits,” one restaurant owner told us.
Perhaps the reason it remains so off-grid is the long journey there.
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Although Karpathos has an airport, there are no direct flights from the UK, which leaves only two options: flying in via Athens, or jetting into Rhodes and taking a ferry.
We opted for the latter, hopping on a smooth easyJet flight from Gatwick for our first leg before whizzing over by boat.
If the journey sounds too hellish to do in one, you can break it up into stages.
It was my first time visiting Greece and I wanted to see some of Rhodes, so we stayed one night in the main hub before moving on to Karpathos.
Most read in Beach holidays
Rhodes is undeniably beautiful and has lots to offer but in my short time there I couldn’t help noticing how samey it felt.
Tourist-trap shops, restaurants that want to get you in and out fast and a bit too heavy on the drunken booze scene.
Karpathos is relaxed and uncrowded — and we were grateful for it
Karpathos, by comparison, is relaxed and uncrowded — and we were grateful for it.
The boat trip takes four hours with Blue Star Ferries, stopping at a couple of other islands on the way. But we didn’t mind soaking up the blue skies and seeing the sights as we went.
Karpathos’s main town centre, Pigadia, is where most of the action happens, with a number of family restaurants, bars and shops, all of which are easily walkable.
But to get the most out of the island you’ll want to hire a car. Just beware of the winding roads!
Karpathos may not boast a lively nightlife, but what it does have is a gobsmackingly gorgeous selection of beaches.
There are more than 110 to discover — some of the smaller ones don’t even have names.
We arrived at a tiny hidden one with the sort of crystal clear waters I’ve only ever seen in Hawaii
And you can quite easily stumble across a beach and have it completely to yourselves.
We arrived at a tiny hidden one with the sort of crystal clear waters I’ve only ever seen in Hawaii.
Another five-minute drive down the road and you’ll come across another, then another.
Some of the sandy beaches are flanked by restaurants and places to grab a beer, like Lefkos and Limniatis, while most of the pebble shores tend to be deserted.
Take your pick, the world is very much your oyster here.
It’s hard to choose a favourite among the dozen we visited but Achata Beach wins.
I love how it’s swallowed by mountains and has hardly anything surrounding it.
You can rent a lounger for 20 euros and there’s a bar serving food and drinks straight to loungers.
Away from the sunloungers, there is a range of coastal activities for all the family, dotted along the island.
We took a windsurfing lesson one day, guided by patient surfing pros. Another day we embarked on a bumpy motorboat trip, which took us to the uninhibited Saria Island, to the north of Karpathos.
Women in charge
As well as seeing the beautifully remote landscapes, we snorkelled through a cave soaking up the sight of colourful fish in the most breathtaking setting.
For those seeking more culture, the mountain village of Olympus is a must, with narrow paths and old houses built into slopes.
You’ll see women dressed in traditional embroidered clothing — and this is one of the rare places in the world where women are traditionally in charge.
Go to Olympus in the later part of the day to avoid the surge of visitors and you’ll get one of the best unobstructed views of the sunset ever.
And what goes perfectly with sunsets? Sundowners. I’ve never been more satisfied, in terms of choice, quality and price when it comes to drinks and dining.
Restaurants are largely family-run establishments bursting with genuinely friendly people desperate for you to try some traditional grub. And meals cost far less than in a chain eatery in the UK.
You can stick to the familiar burgers and pasta, but if you’re looking for a local speciality I highly recommend the saganaki, a slab of cheese pan-fried, giving it a golden-brown crispy crust.
My favourite came from the Maxim family restaurant.
Zucchini croquettes were another top pick; Orea restaurant does them best.
Oh, and did I mention the tiropitakia — feta cheese wrapped in a flaky pastry drizzled with honey? I could go on.
Best of all, everything is made with sharing in mind so you don’t have to miss out on anything.
As for drink, don’t be surprised if the owner comes to have a shot of Akai with you at your table.
But for something a bit softer there’s beer and Greek lager such as Mythos for only a few euros.
Maybe Karpathos has more of a party atmosphere than it first let on . . .
GO: KARPATHOS
GETTING THERE: EasyJet flies from Gatwick to Rhodes from £28.49 each way.
See easyjet.com.
A Blue Star Ferries connection from Rhodes to Karpathos is from 18 euros (£15.70).
STAYING THERE: Rooms at Hotel Atlantis start at £50 per night.
For more information see atlantishotelkarpathos.gr.
Hawaii
Hawaii County Surf Forecast for March 04, 2026 | Big Island Now
Forecast for Big Island Windward and Southeast
| Shores | Tonight | Wednesday | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surf | Surf | |||
| PM | AM | AM | PM | |
| North Facing | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-4 |
| East Facing | 3-5 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 5-7 |
| South Facing | 1-3 | 1-3 | 1-3 | 1-3 |
| Weather | Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Temperature | In the upper 60s. | ||||||
| Winds | East winds 5 to 10 mph. | ||||||
|
|||||||
| Weather | Partly sunny. Numerous showers. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Temperature | In the upper 70s. | |||||
| Winds | East winds 10 to 15 mph. | |||||
|
||||||
| Sunrise | 6:37 AM HST. | |||||
| Sunset | 6:27 PM HST. | |||||
Forecast for Big Island Leeward
| Shores | Tonight | Wednesday | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surf | Surf | |||
| PM | AM | AM | PM | |
| West Facing | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 1-3 |
| South Facing | 1-3 | 1-3 | 1-3 | 1-3 |
| Weather | Mostly sunny until 6 PM, then mostly cloudy. Hazy. |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Temperature | In the upper 60s. | ||||||||||
| Winds | West winds around 5 mph early in the afternoon, becoming light and variable. |
||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Weather | Partly sunny. Hazy. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Temperature | In the mid 80s. | ||||||||
| Winds | Light and variable winds, becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. |
||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Sunrise | 6:41 AM HST. | ||||||||
| Sunset | 6:31 PM HST. | ||||||||
The current moderate northwest swell will continue a gradual decline through Thursday. A small west-northwest swell will arrive on Friday and hold through the weekend, followed by a small north-northwest swell early next week. Choppy east shore surf will build to near seasonal average by Wednesday as trade winds strengthen over and east of the islands. Little change is expected along east facing shores through the weekend, followed by a possible decline early next week if winds veer southerly. Surf along south facing shores will remain small to tiny through the weekend, and some islands may an increase in choppy surf if southerly winds develop early next week.
NORTH EAST
am
pm
Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.
Conditions: Semi choppy with ESE winds 5-10mph in the morning increasing to 10-15mph in the afternoon.
NORTH WEST
am
pm
Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.
Conditions: Clean in the early morning with ESE winds less than 5mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions move in during the morning hours with the winds shifting W 5-10mph.
WEST
am
pm
Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.
Conditions: Semi glassy in the morning with N winds less than 5mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting WNW 5-10mph.
SOUTH EAST
am
pm
Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.
Conditions: Light sideshore texture in the morning with NE winds 10-15mph. This becomes Sideshore texture/chop for the afternoon.
Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov and SwellInfo.com
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