SeaTV · Ionian Islands · Paxos
Lakka Bay, Paxos — Sailing & Anchorage Guide
A horseshoe of turquoise water at the north tip of Paxos — the iconic Ionian anchorage that fills before lunch and rewards anyone who arrives early.
Lakka sits at the northern tip of Paxos, seven nautical miles south of Corfu. The bay opens wide and shallow — sand bottom, water clear enough to see your anchor, a low village curved around the southern shore, and pine and olive slopes rising to either side.
For sailors crossing between Corfu and the southern Ionian, Lakka is the obvious overnight. It’s the only proper sheltered bay on the north end of the island, the holding is good, and there are usually three or four reasonable mooring options depending on conditions and crowd. The price for that combination: in July and August, expect to share the bay with 60–100 other boats.
⚠ Reality check: Lakka is open to the north. In summer thermal conditions it’s a dream — in any unsettled NE or N system it becomes uncomfortable fast. Check the forecast carefully before committing for the night, and identify Gaios as your fallback.
⚓ Quick Facts for Sailors
Coordinates
39°14.65’N · 20°07.75’E
Entrance Lights
Fl.R.2s.3M · Fl.G.2s.3M
Anchoring Depths
2–5 m typical, sand with weed patches
Holding
Good in sand once through the weed
Best Season
May to early October. July–August packed.
Fee
Anchorage free · Town quay water/electricity prepaid card
Wind, Weather & Approach Notes
The approach
From the north, the lighthouse on the western headland marks the entrance to Lakka clearly. The bay opens up only as you turn the corner — until then, the entrance can look surprisingly narrow from offshore. Coming in, the channel is wide and clear of hazards.
Wind protection
Excellent shelter in the prevailing NW summer winds — Lakka faces north, so northerlies and any north-easterly component are the enemy. The eastern shore offers slightly better protection in NE conditions; the western side feels the swell sooner.
Traffic
In high season the bay sees constant movement — yachts arriving, leaving, repositioning, plus tourist boats and small ferries from Corfu. Maintain slow speed, stay alert, and don’t anchor in the middle of the obvious traffic line. The water is shallow enough that wash from a fast tender carries.
⚓ Anchoring & Mooring Options
Open Bay · Most Common
Free Anchoring in the Bay
The standard option. Most boats drop anchor freely across the central and southern parts of the bay — water clear enough to spot the sand patches between weed.
Anchoring: 3–5 m, sand bottom with weed. Set deliberately — drag the anchor through the weed until it bites in clean sand. Reverse hard to confirm.
Swinging room: Generally fine, but in peak season it gets tight. Allow extra room if a wind shift is forecast — boats anchored close together swing differently.
⚠ Watch: Snorkel the anchor before you settle in. The water is shallow and clear — three minutes in the water saves a 03:00 wakeup.
Town Quay · Med Mooring
Stern-to or Bow-to the Village Quay
Limited space along the quay in front of the village — first come, first served. The advantage: walk straight off the boat into the bakery.
Berthing: Stern-to or bow-to depending on wind direction and how full the quay is. Use your own anchor — there are no laid lines here.
Services: Water and electricity available via prepaid cards bought from a local kiosk (small fee). Limited bollards — may need to share a stern line.
⚠ Watch: Quay depths shoal toward the inside. If you draw more than 1.8 m, work the outer end. Check before reversing in.
Long Line Ashore · Crowded Days
Anchor & Stern Line to the Rocks
In sections of the bay where the shoreline is rocky, you can drop the anchor and run a long line ashore — useful in peak season when the swinging-room math gets tight.
Setup: Drop in 5–7 m off the rocks, reverse in carefully, then dinghy a long stern line to a tree or rock. Allow for tide and wind shift.
⚠ Watch: Choose your spot deliberately — some sections of “rock” are sand-cliff that won’t hold a line under load. Test gently before letting all the chain out.
Where to Eat — Sailors’ Picks
Lakka village is small — three minutes to walk end to end — and most of the kitchens face the water. Standards are surprisingly high for the size of the place.
La Rosa di Paxos
An Italian-leaning kitchen on the waterfront, fresh pasta and good wine list. A change of pace from the standard Greek taverna rotation. €€–€€€ · Booking strongly recommended in season.
Diogenes Taverna
Old-school Greek classics, family-run, just back from the quay. Order the moussaka and the local wine. €€
Klimataria
A long-running village kitchen under a vine-covered terrace. Grilled fish, lamb chops, simple meze. €€
Ashore — Walks & Beaches
Lighthouse walk: 25 minutes to the headland on the west side of the bay, with views down the channel toward Antipaxos. Best at sunset.
Harami & Kanoni beaches: Small pebble coves on the eastern arm of the bay, accessible by dinghy or by walking along the coast path. Quiet outside peak hours.
Provisioning: Two small supermarkets, a bakery (open early — go before 09:00 for the good loaves), a butcher, and a fishmonger. Enough for a few days but limited compared to Gaios. ATMs on the village square.
Pro Tips for Lakka
Arrive before lunch. The bay starts filling around 14:00 in season. By 17:00 it’s a slot-machine hunt. Drop in by 12:00 and you’ll have your pick of the bay.
Snorkel the anchor. Visibility is excellent. Three minutes in the water tells you whether the anchor is in sand or just sitting on weed. Don’t skip this step.
Dinghy etiquette. Slow speed inside the bay — wash from a fast tender carries far in shallow water and tips over your neighbour’s coffee. Plane outside the entrance only.
Book restaurants by 17:00. The popular kitchens fill by sunset in season. Walk in and book on your way back from the lighthouse, then return for dinner.
If a north wind is forecast, leave early. Lakka is comfortable in NW; uncomfortable in N; untenable in NE. Don’t ride it out — Gaios is six miles south and properly sheltered.
Suggested Routes from Lakka
South to Gaios & Antipaxos
Lakka → lunch stop at Loggos → afternoon arrival in Gaios for shelter and shopping. The hop down the east coast of Paxos is roughly 6 NM. Add a side trip to Antipaxos (Voutoumi or Vrika beach) for a swim — but plan to leave Antipaxos by 16:00 to anchor for the night somewhere protected.
North to Corfu
Lakka → 7 NM north to Mourtos (Sivota) on the mainland, or directly to Petriti / Gouvia. A morning sail on the prevailing NW lifts you straight up the channel.
East to Mourtos (Sivota)
Lakka → Mourtos / Sivota on the Greek mainland is roughly 18 NM east. A full day’s sail with the choice of multiple sheltered bays at the destination.
More multi-day plans on the SeaTV Corfu sailing route page and the Corfu–Paxos–Lefkada–Kefalonia route.
✅ Sailor’s Safety Checklist
▢ Forecast checked — no N or NE component for overnight
▢ Anchor visually confirmed — snorkel the bite
▢ Fallback identified (Gaios = 6 NM south, sheltered)
▢ Swinging-room check — at least 2 boat lengths to nearest neighbour
▢ VHF on Ch. 16
▢ Dinghy lights ready — return after dark is common
Emergency Numbers — Paxos
European Emergency: 112
Port Police Paxos (VHF Ch. 12): +30 26620 32533
Police Paxos: +30 26620 32222
Medical Centre Paxos: +30 6982 639252
Diver (Babis): +30 6972 111995
Watch the SeaTV Visual Pilot Video
Approach footage, drone shots over the bay at sunset, the lighthouse headland, and quay-side detail — Lakka as you’d see it from the cockpit. Free for members.
Continue your Paxos passage
Move south to Gaios, hop east to the mainland, or loop back to Corfu.
→ Ionian Islands hub · Gaios, Paxos · East Coast Corfu · Petriti
“In Lakka, you anchor by lunchtime — or you don’t anchor at all.”
— SeaTV Visual Pilot · Paxos Edition
