Zakynthos Holiday
The southernmost of the Ionian Islands, Zakynthos or Zante as it is better known, is a great destination and one of Greece's many gems.
Part of Zante's charm always lay in its undiscovered nature with much of the island remaining green and untouched and while it does retain this charm in essence, things have admittedly changed over the last decade.
With an area of 406 kilometres squared and a population of 41,472 people, Zante is not the smallest but certainly not the largest of the Greek islands. It is broken down roughly into three areas with the barren, mountainous zone to the north, a fertile central plain occupying the middle of the island and the southern and eastern coasts where the larger resorts and best beaches are.
It is still possible to have a wonderful beach holiday in Zante without the throngs of people, English breakfasts and neon lights that Laganas has to offer. However it is worth saying that for those looking for a lively fortnight away Laganas has a smaller more personable feel than some of the bigger Ibiza, Tenerife, Magaluf-type resorts.
The Vassilikos peninsula that stretches south-east of Argassi often features when visitors return from the island with tales of their favourite beach. The beach resorts situated on the east of the peninsula are always popular but it is the tip of the peninsula at Yerakas that people tend to write home about - a beautiful rolling crescent of golden sand.
Yerakas is not only significant for its wonderful beach but also as the breeding ground for another of Zante's main tourist draws; the Loggerhead Turtle. The huge sea creatures are a protected species and use the beaches of Zante as a breeding ground to bury their eggs. This means that many of the beaches have restricted times of access but it is a small price to pay if you get the opportunity to glimpse them in their natural habitat.
One of the best ways to do this is to take a boat trip around the island where the captain will steer you towards and let you view a turtle in the water. There are many operators running trips around the island and it is best to shop around for the best price, as some will include lunch and drinks etc.
A boat trip will also let you take in the most famous tourist sight in Zante, with Shipwreck Beach on the north west of the island featuring in at least 90 per cent of postcards sent from the island. The beach is a small sandy beach enclosed between two cliffs with a shipwreck resting there, and there is a great viewpoint from the nearby cliffs if you are reaching the location by car or bus.
Zante is full of parallels, providing as much of a sun, sex and sea holiday as you wish with a dash of Ouzo for good measure or alternatively allowing you to find a small resort of the beaten track and enjoy a truly rustic and simple Greek island adventure.
