Is Navagio Beach open? The short answer
Not for visitors on foot. Under the 2026 safety rules, landing on the beach and swimming in the bay are not allowed. Access to the beach zones is closed through the end of the 2026 season, which ends on 31 October. What is allowed is a short look from the water: Navagio boat tours may enter a marked sea zone from the north, leave to the south and stay up to 20 minutes.
The platform above the bay is a separate question. It may be used only once the protective works along the cliff edge are finished, and the municipality is in charge of them. Check the current status before you plan around it. From 1 November 2026 the port authority's order also closes the bay to ordinary boat traffic until a new decision.
Our pick: a tour that says it clearly
This day tour states that landing at Navagio is not allowed and combines the coast by land and boat.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Boat trips to the Navagio sea zone
Trips that pass the bay from the water, often combined with the Blue Caves, with live prices and availability.
What the 2026 access rules say
Five points, from the beach to the winter closure.
The beach
Entering the beach zones is banned, and an order of 28 May 2026 keeps them closed through the end of October. The rules rest on a safety risk assessment of the slopes above the beach. A tour called "Navagio beach tour" does not mean you may step ashore.
The water
Boats may not approach or anchor within 50 m of the rocky or sandy shoreline. Swimming is banned inside the imaginary line between the two ends of the bay. The special rule for 2026 allows a controlled look from boats, not a stay on the beach.
The boat season
From 15 June to 15 September 2026, boats may use the sea zone from 8:00 to 21:00. From 16 September to 31 October the window is 8:00 to 19:00. A line of buoys marks the zone, and the skipper decides about weather and sea state. Departures are never guaranteed.
Boat tours →The viewpoint
Looking down from the existing platform is allowed only after the fencing and protective works along the edge of the slope are complete. Do not leave marked areas to find a better angle. The ground along the edge is a safety risk.
Viewpoint guide →The winter closure
From 1 November 2026, until a new joint ministerial decision, the port authority bans ordinary boat traffic, approaching, anchoring and swimming inside the bay. Emergencies and some official checks are exceptions. The bay does not reopen automatically, and no date for a reopening is set.
What is allowed where
A quick check for 2026.
| Activity | Status in 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Landing on the beach | Not allowed | Applies to boat tours and private boats alike |
| Swimming in the bay | Not allowed | Banned inside the line between the bay's two ends |
| Looking from a boat | Allowed in season | Enter from the north, leave to the south, up to 20 minutes |
| Anchoring near the shore | Not allowed | Nothing within 50 m of the shoreline |
| Viewing from the platform | Only after protective works | Check the current status locally |
| Swimming at other stops | Depends on the route | Only outside the Navagio waters, for example at the Blue Caves |
| Boat visits from 1 November | Closed | No regular boat visits until a new decision |
For most visitors, a boat trip between mid-June and the end of October is the realistic way to see Navagio, and the platform is a bonus if it is open on your day.
Why the beach is closed
A short history of the safety question.
The cliffs above Navagio are steep. A rockfall on 13 September 2018 led to an evacuation of the beach, and that is the best-known incident. The rules have changed over the years, so an old photo of a crowded beach does not show what is allowed today. A plan presented in July 2026 would widen the beach with gravel to protect the rusting wreck. It is a plan, not a reopening, and it does not change the landing ban.
If you want the story of the ship itself, read the shipwreck page. If you are still deciding whether the trip is worth it, best time to visit covers the season, and getting to Navagio lists the ports.
Is Navagio open: frequently asked questions
Is Navagio Beach open to visitors?
No. Landing and swimming are not allowed in 2026. You can see the beach from a boat in the marked sea zone, for up to 20 minutes per boat.
Can I walk down to the beach from the viewpoint?
No. The platform is for looking only, and it may be used only after the protective works are finished. The ground along the edge is a safety risk, and leaving the marked areas is dangerous.
Will Navagio reopen in November?
No. The order for 2026 closes the bay from 1 November until a new joint decision, so there is no automatic reopening. Plan an off-season trip around other places on the island.
Do boat tours still go to Navagio?
Yes, in season, within the permitted hours and sea zone. From mid-June to mid-September the hours run 8:00 to 21:00, then 8:00 to 19:00 until the end of October. Rough weather can cancel a trip.
Is a "Navagio beach tour" allowed to land me on the sand?
No. A tour name proves nothing about landing. Look at what the tour does in the bay: a pass through the sea zone is normal, a landing is not allowed.
Is navagio.org the official source for access rules?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no connection to the Municipality of Zakynthos, the port authority, the Greek Ministry of Culture, Visit Greece or any tour operator. Rules change, so check the current status before you travel.