Agios Nikolaos Beach
You might prefer to walk another 20 minutes east of Pedi to the better beach of Agios Nikolaos. The path is quite rocky and involves a steep descent over large rocks so if you don't fancy the hike take a water taxi from Pedhi. The beach (the only sandy one on the island) is shaded by tamarisk trees and is well served with sun beds, shades, a tavern and toilets. The gently shelving sand makes it ideal for children

Agia Marina Beach
From Pedi you can also take a water taxi or follow the paint splodge-path out to the tiny shingle beach of Agia Marina at the north east tip of the island. The walk will take you about 45 minutes. The beach has a tavern, sun beds and shades and overlooks a monastery-capped islet which is easy to swim to

Pedi Beach
Head two kilometres downhill east of Horio and you'll come to the fishing village of Pedhi which has a narrow beach lined with hotels and tavernas. There's a regular bus service from Gialos, via Horio, to this burgeoning resort which is popular with local families and visiting yachts

Nos Beach
The nearest beach to the port town of Gialos is Nos (Navtikos Omilos Symis) which is a five minute walk north past the bell tower and boatyards of Harani. It's a tiny beach and tends to get over crowded during July and August.

Nanou Bay Beach
One of the most popular beaches is at Nanou Bay nestling at the base of some imposing cliffs on the island's east coast. It's a 200-metre sand and pebble beach with a scenic backdrop of pine trees. You can reach it by water taxi or if you're feeling fit it's a wonderful three-hour walk from Horio - head out to Panagia Strateri in the centre of the island then veer off to the left and descend for about 45 minutes through a forested gorge. Reward yourself with lunch in the beachside tavern then take a water taxi back

Agia Vasilios Bay
A hike of about 90 minutes will get you to the island's most beautiful bay at Agios Vasillios where you'll find unspoilt Lapathos Beach. There's a spectacular and very steep descent to the beach - if you go on an organised boat trip be prepared to swim to the beach as there's no jetty here

Agios Emilanos Beach
A three-hour walk west of the port town will take through pine forests to remote Agios Emilanos Beach where a tiny monastery is tethered to the island by a causeway