Hydra anchorage guide · Saronic
Hydra Yacht Anchorages: The Complete 2026 Guide
Where to anchor around Hydra - Greece's car-free, donkey-only island whose harbour anchorage is one of the Mediterranean's most photogenic.
Hydra is unlike anywhere else in Greek chartering.
No cars are permitted on the island.
Transportation is by donkey or on foot.
The harbour-town architecture - 18th-century captain's mansions in tiered ascending semicircle - is among Greece's most beautiful settings.
Anchorage at Hydra is a different problem than the Cyclades.
The harbour is deep and small; mooring is the norm rather than anchoring.
The surrounding coastline has limited side-anchorages.
This guide covers what works.
The anchorages
5 anchorages around Hydra
Use this guide for: (1) understanding the practical constraints of Hydra anchorage; (2) planning the perfect Hydra evening (anchor at sunset, tender into harbour for dinner ashore, return for the iconic harbour-lit overnight); (3) side-anchorages for daytime swimming.
Hydra Town Harbour
37.349°N, 23.466°E
Depth
Stern-to mooring (deep harbour, 30-40m bottom)
Holding
Mooring chains laid by harbour authority
Shelter
Excellent from all directions
Ashore
Hydra Town - restaurants (Sunset, Omilos), shops, art galleries, walks
The signature Hydra moment. Yachts moor stern-to along the harbour wall. Space is constrained - for yachts above 40m, harbour entry needs advance arrangement with the port authority. The harbour-mooring experience at evening (lights coming on across the amphitheatre town) is unforgettable.
Best for: The Hydra experience, harbour evening, dining ashore
Vlychos
37.343°N, 23.450°E
Depth
8-15m
Holding
Good (sand and weed)
Shelter
Good from north, open south (rare issue)
Ashore
Small beach, single beach taverna (Marina), no road access - donkey or walking path from Hydra Town (20 min)
The main daytime swim anchorage 2nm west of Hydra Town. Quiet, family-friendly, excellent fresh-fish taverna ashore. Yachts typically morning here for swim, then move to Hydra Town for evening.
Best for: Daytime swim, lunch ashore, escape from harbour bustle
Bisti
37.317°N, 23.412°E
Depth
10-18m
Holding
Good (sand)
Shelter
Excellent from north
Ashore
Beach taverna (Bisti), uninhabited beach, walking trail to Hydra Town (45 min)
Western Hydra. Quieter than Vlychos. Bisti taverna is family-run, excellent fish. The walk to Hydra is for fit guests only - recommend tender transfer for the elderly.
Best for: Quiet swim, off-the-beaten-path lunch
Mandraki
37.354°N, 23.487°E
Depth
6-12m
Holding
Good (sand)
Shelter
Good from north
Ashore
Small beach, single hotel/restaurant (Mandraki resort), tender access to Hydra Town (15 min walk)
East of Hydra Town. The closest beach anchorage to the harbour. Resort restaurant is a beach-club style lunch venue. Good first-stop on Hydra arrivals.
Best for: First-day Hydra orientation, beach lunch close to town
Plakes (Dokos Island, off Hydra)
37.337°N, 23.348°E
Depth
6-12m
Holding
Good (sand)
Shelter
Excellent from all directions
Ashore
Uninhabited Dokos island - single small chapel, no taverna
5nm west of Hydra. The Saronic's most isolated anchorage. Dokos is uninhabited. Total privacy. Best as a self-contained morning anchor with breakfast aboard before pushing on.
Best for: Maximum privacy, private morning at anchor
When to visit
Hydra harbour fills with yachts every evening in July-August. Mooring arrangement essential 1-2 days in advance for large yachts. Shoulder seasons (May-June, September) have ample harbour capacity. October Hydra is one of Greece's best charter moments - warm, quiet, beautifully lit evenings.
Captain's note
If Hydra harbour mooring is the goal, captain pre-arranges with port authority via VHF 6 hours before approach. For yachts above 50m, harbour entry can be denied during very full evenings - anchor at Mandraki and tender in is the fallback. Hydra is one of the Mediterranean's must-do anchorages but the logistics require planning.
Continue exploring
Charter Hydra
Speak with George P. Biniaris directly. MYBA-standard contracts, full Greek charter fleet.