Getting from Thassos to Elafonisos

If you are heading to Elafonisos from Thassos you are making your way from the northernmost island in Greece to a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast, on the opposite side of the country. It has pink-tinged sand beaches that are among the finest in Greece and a setting of extraordinary natural beauty.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Thassos to Elafonisos. Elafonisos is accessible only by the short local ferry from Pounta on the southern Peloponnese, which takes around 10 minutes and runs every 30 minutes in summer. Getting there means taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala, which runs almost hourly in summer and takes around 1 hour 30 minutes, and then driving south via the E75 motorway and Athens through the Peloponnese via Corinth, Tripoli and Sparta to Pounta, which takes around 8 to 9 hours from Kavala. Having a car is essential as the KTEL bus connection to Pounta is complicated and infrequent.

Getting there by air

Elafonisos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Thassos has no airport. The nearest airport is Kavala. Taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala, flying from Kavala to Athens and then driving south through the Peloponnese to Pounta gives a total journey time of around 7 to 8 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Thassos to Kavala and fly from Kavala to Athens, then drive south through the Peloponnese to Pounta for the short ferry across to Elafonisos. Having a car is essential for the Athens to Pounta leg as the KTEL bus connection is slow and infrequent. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Thassos to Kavala and drive south via Athens and the Peloponnese to Pounta, which takes around 8 to 9 hours from Kavala. Plan the journey over two days if possible, stopping in the Peloponnese along the way.