Most of Corfu’s well-known beaches sit in sheltered bays lined with sunbeds and tavernas. Issos and Halikounas, on the island’s southwest coast, are something else entirely — long, open, and backed by dunes and a lagoon rather than a seafront road.
Where to Find Them
Issos and Halikounas sit next to each other on Corfu’s southwest coast, south of the village of Agios Georgios and close to Lake Korission. Rather than a single cove, they form a long, mostly straight stretch of sand facing open water, with none of the buildings-right-up-to-the-shore layout common on the busier east coast.
Lake Korission: The Lagoon Behind the Dunes
Separating the beaches from the inland road is Lake Korission, a large brackish lagoon and wetland that’s home to migratory birds, and separated from the sea by a band of sand dunes. It’s one of the more ecologically significant sites on the island, and walking the path between the lagoon and the beach is part of what makes reaching Issos and Halikounas feel different from a normal beach visit — you cross dune grass and open ground before the sea comes into view.
Kitesurfing and Wind Conditions
This stretch of coast is known among Corfu’s watersports crowd for consistent wind, and Halikounas in particular has become a regular spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing schools. If you’re not there to ride, the same open exposure means fewer wind-sheltered corners than you’d find on the calmer bays elsewhere on the island — worth knowing if you’re after still water for swimming with small kids.
Why They Feel Different from the Resort Coast
There’s no dense strip of hotels behind Issos or Halikounas, and the dunes and lagoon behind them make large-scale development difficult. The result is a wide, open beach that feels closer to a nature reserve than a resort — long horizons, dune grass, and far fewer people per stretch of sand than the coves further north.
Getting There and Facilities
Both beaches are reachable by car via unpaved roads leading off the main route through Linia and Agios Georgios, with informal parking areas near the access points. Facilities are minimal — a seasonal beach bar or two, but nothing close to full resort infrastructure — so bring water, shade, and anything else you’ll need for the day.
Best Time to Visit
Morning tends to bring calmer wind if you’re there to swim rather than kitesurf; afternoons pick up breeze that’s better suited to watersports. Either way, there’s little natural shade, so sun protection matters more here than on beaches backed by cliffs or trees.
Plan Your Visit with Corfu Compass NSK
Issos and Halikounas aren’t served by regular buses, and the unpaved access roads are far easier to manage with your own vehicle. Corfu Compass NSK’s car rental lets you reach the south coast on your own schedule.
Contact Corfu Compass NSK to arrange your rental car today.
