Andros Yacht Anchorages: The Complete Guide

Andros sits in the Cyclades.

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi (Etesian) northerly, strongest mid-July to mid-August (around Force 5 to 7, gusting higher in open water).

Plan south legs downwind and overnight on lee and south coasts.

May, June and September are calmer.

This guide covers the island's main anchorages with the practical detail charterers and captains actually use: depth where a published cruising source documents it, holding, and shelter direction.

Where a figure was not documented we say so rather than guess.

The Andros-Tinos channel is a known acceleration zone where the wind is often 5 to 15 knots stronger than forecast.

Ashore: Chora (Andros town) with its neoclassical mansions and museums, the Sariza spring at Apoikia, and one of the greenest Cycladic landscapes with gorges, running water and the signed Andros Routes hiking trails.

Andros is the northern gate of the Cyclades and the greenest island in them, and the Andros-Tinos channel is a known acceleration zone where the wind runs five to fifteen knots stronger than forecast, which shapes every decision below.

The five records: Gavrio on the north-west, the main port, four to six metres over mud with good holding and the best shelter on the island, busy with ferries and hazardous to enter at night for the reefs and unlit islets in the approach; Batsi on the south-west, sand with good holding, the preferred haven in stronger northerlies, gusty and exposed to the south and south-west, with limited berths; Palaioupolis bay south-east of Batsi, sand, reasonable Meltemi protection and fierce katabatic gusts in one, very exposed to the south; Achla under Cape Gria, solid sand off one of the best beaches on the island; Korthi on the south-east, a lovely cove exposed to the east and dangerous when the Meltemi blows, settled weather only.

The yachts that carry the Cyclades wind comfortably are the 20 metre and larger catamarans and the 26 metre and larger motor yachts: on the Greek Charter Index 2026 a 20 to 22 metre sailing catamaran runs EUR 31,500 to 43,500 a week, a 23 to 24 metre EUR 54,900 to 90,000, a 26 to 31 metre motor yacht EUR 35,900 to 75,000, per yacht before VAT and APA.

Where can a yacht anchor at Andros?

Andros has 5 anchorages in this guide: Gavrio (NW coast, main port), Batsi (SW coast), Palaioupolis Bay (SE of Batsi), Achla (under Cape Gria), Korthi (SE coast). Each entry below gives depth, holding, shelter direction and what is ashore.

Which Andros anchorages are sheltered from the meltemi, the summer north wind?

Palaioupolis Bay (SE of Batsi): Reasonable Meltemi protection, very exposed to S; fierce katabatic gusts in a Meltemi. Korthi (SE coast): A lovely cove but exposed to E, dangerous when the Meltemi blows.

How deep are the anchorages at Andros?

Gavrio (NW coast, main port) 4-6m. Depths are typical sand-bottom anchoring depths; the captain drops on current chart data.

What is the holding like at Andros?

Gavrio (NW coast, main port): Mud, good. Batsi (SW coast): Sand, good. Palaioupolis Bay (SE of Batsi): Sand. Achla (under Cape Gria): Sand, solid.

When is the best time to anchor at Andros?

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi, the northerly that blows hardest from mid-July to mid-August, around Force 5 to 7 and gusting higher in open water, and Andros meets it first in the channel to Tinos, where it blows harder than anywhere the forecast describes. Gavrio and Batsi are the lees; the east coast is for the calm. Andros is quiet in every month, an island of walkers and neoclassical Chora rather than of fleets. June and September are the months the Andros Routes trails are walked from a quiet bay, and on the Greek Charter Index the shoulder months price 15 to 25% below peak on the same rate card with three to four months of lead time rather than a year.

What does the captain plan around at Andros?

Gavrio, four to six metres over mud, for the sheltered night and the provisioning, entered in daylight because of the reefs and the unlit islets; Batsi, sand with good holding, in a stronger northerly, with the limited berths in mind and the gusts expected; Palaioupolis only with the katabatic gusts accepted; Achla under Cape Gria for the beach in settled weather; Korthi never in a Meltemi. The crossing to Tinos and Mykonos is done in the morning calm with the channel's extra wind planned for. Depths and holding here follow published cruising sources; the captain confirms the anchor drop against current charts on arrival.

Cyclades

Saronic

Ionian

Sporades

Dodecanese

Crete