Pefkos and the quiet south: beaches beyond Lindos by scooter or ATV
Most visitors turn around at Lindos. Keep going for ten more minutes and Rhodes changes character: fewer buses, longer beaches and pine trees running down to the sand. This is a half-day ride we recommend to anyone who has already done the east-coast classics.
Pefkos
A low-key resort named after its pines, spread along a series of sandy coves with calm, shallow water. Great for families and for a slow lunch by the sea. From here Lindos is a short ride back for the acropolis at sunset; see our Lindos guide.
Glystra
A small horseshoe bay between Pefkos and Lardos, sheltered and sandy, with just a few umbrellas. One of the prettiest swims on the island when the wind is up elsewhere.
Lardos and Kiotari
Lardos has a village square worth a coffee stop and a long beach of sand and pebbles. Kiotari continues south with wide open sands and a handful of beach bars, rarely crowded even in August.
Gennadi
A traditional village a little inland and a long, quiet beach of dark sand and pebbles. If you want to keep riding, the road continues to Plimmiri and eventually Prasonisi, the kite-surfing tip of the island described on our Discover Rhodes page.
Route notes
- Distance from Rhodes town to Gennadi is about 70 km one way; on a 125cc scooter allow 90 minutes without stops. The ODESS 650cc ATV or a 300cc scooter is more comfortable for two.
- Fuel stations: Lardos and Gennadi. Fill up before heading further south.
- The main road is good; side roads to some beaches are gravel, which is where a quad earns its keep. Ride slowly and stay on tracks.
- Bring cash: small tavernas in the south do not always accept cards.
Pick a scooter or quad from our ATVs and scooters, and check the rental guide for what is included with every rental.