Golden Sand Beach(Ntivari Beach)

Located to the northwest of Gialova, Golden Beach – also called Divari Beach, Paralia Divari, Golden Coast, Paralia Ntivari, and Chrysi Akti Beach – is a long, popular, and curve-shaped beach with light brown sand, a sloping incline, a nearby lagoon, and nearby wetlands.

Although Golden Beach does not have lifeguards, it has a couple of other amenities including a small wooden jetty and nearby watersporting equipment rental facilities.  In addition, there are a few seasonal beach bars near the western and middle part of Golden Beach that offer sun loungers and umbrellas if you purchase drinks from them.

Golden Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, paddleboarding, and boating.  Golden Beach is ideal for beginner swimmers, snorkelers, paddleboarders, kayakers, and canoers because the water here is calm, clear, and shallow.  If you are planning to swim, snorkel, kayak, canoe, or paddleboard near Golden Beach, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents.

Golden Beach does not offer wheelchair access for visitors with disabilities.

Getting to Golden Beach is easy – this beach is easily accessible from the nearby town of Pylos.  Street signs along the roads near Pylos offer directions to Golden Beach.

There are multiple small free parking lots along the road adjacent to Golden Beach – there is also a free parking lot near the western end of this beach.

We recommend visiting this beach early in the summer – particularly during the months of July and August – because this beach can get quickly crowded.

Golden Beach and its surrounding areas are home to African chameleons – these chameleons are not found anywhere else in Europe and they also use Golden Beach as a nesting site.

There are many great attractions near Golden Beach.  If you like birdwatching, the nearby Gialova Lagoon and the wetlands around it are a fantastic birdwatching site and you can see many kinds of resident and migratory birds here including plovers, spotted redshanks, imperial eagles, and marsh sandpipers.  In addition to birds, you can see many kinds of other animals around this lagoon including mammals, fish, and reptiles.  Old Navarino Castle (also called Paleokastro) is a historic castle that was built by local Frankish rulers in the 13th century – while this historic castle is now in a derelict state, it nevertheless offers amazing views of Gialova Lagoon, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Messenian coastline.  If you like golf, the Bay Course is an 18-hole golf course that was designed by famous golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. –  this course offers a fun and challenging session of golf, along with amazing views of the Navarino Bay.  The Palace of Nestor is an archeological site that is a 17-minute drive away and has remains of the Mycenaean-era palace of the mythical Greek king Nestor – this site offers an interesting insight into the history of Bronze Age Greece.  If you are looking for another attraction near Golden Beach, New Castle of Pylos (also called New Navarino Fortress and Pilos Neokastro) is a historic castle that is a 20-minute drive away and was built by Ottoman Turks in the 16th century –  this castle has a church and a museum that offers many interesting historical exhibits.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Golden Beach.  Flame is an upscale steakhouse that is known for serving excellent steaks – it also serves other amazing dishes for lunch and dinner including salads, seafood, and burgers.  Anama Restaurant is another upscale restaurant that offers amazing seasonal Greek and Mediterranean dishes with international influences including barbecued veal, pasta carbonara, crayfish risotto, salads, and croquettes.  Notre Maison Restaurant has a warm ambiance and it offers delicious Greek cuisine including smoked pork, Greek-style veal, boar stifado, kagianas, Greek-style pastas, and seafood.  La Cucina Italiana serves a variety of delicious Italian dishes including pizzas, many kinds of pastas, risotto, seafood, and carpaccio.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Golden Beach, Ionis Cafe is a waterfront restaurant that serves excellent dishes for breakfast, lunch, and supper including burritos, sandwiches, seafood, waffles, and crepes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Golden Beach, there are many great nearby options.  The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino is a 5-Star hotel that offers many amenities including multiple restaurants and bars, multiple pools, a kids’ club, a water park, a tennis center, a spa, a fitness center, a hot tub, complimentary breakfast, a convenience store, and a golf facility.  Another great upscale hotel is the 5-Star The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino that offers many amenities including multiple restaurants and bars, a garden, a spa, a gym, a hot tub, tennis court, rental facilities for bikes and watercraft, a gift shop, a convenience store, complimentary breakfast, two golf courses, multiple pools, and a gym.  Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star ZOE Seaside Resort that offers many amenities including a pool, a bar, and a restaurant.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Golden Beach, the 3-Star 12 Gods Resort offers many amenities including a cafe, a library, and a pool.