Family owned for over 20 years Bella Vista is supplied by sea via a small harbour half a mile south of Emerald Bay by its rickety vehicle that’s never left the Island from the day it first arrived. Every day it climbs a well worn track out of site from Emerald Bay.

For the visitor white steps can be found leading up to Bella Vista taverna from Emerald Bay itself. Numerous hand made signed strategically placed along its path (amongst the trees) invites the visitor to climb even further to reach this spectacular view.

Sitting at our table we couldn’t help notice how quite and cool it was up here. An oasis of relief ‘as I described it to Cristina’ sitting under our bamboo shelter sipping our diet coke’s it’s very easy to let the mid-afternoon drift by, whilst the activity below went on in silence. This is by far the best place to take in the vivid colours of Emerald Bay.

Touristic hippies like us can be seen strolling up and down the beach in quite contemplation, an afternoon walk along the beach is a regular route that the sunbather frequently uses to cool themselves in the breeze. Far out to sea day tripper boats can be seen coming in through the haze from Paxos, silent on their motion only there ‘V’ shaped wake on a mirror sea indicates there direction of travel.

Looking around local wine made on Anti Paxos is proudly displayed on the bar next to the till. Its a quiet place a sanctuary of stillness, the ideal place to contemplate your thoughts as everyone else is down on the beach. We found ourselves simply buying drink after drink on top of the mezes, simply to sit in our perfect spot overlooking the bay. Every so often we’d get up and take another photo trying to improve on the last.

In front of the taverna is a little courtyard in the sun with a small Greek Windmill and a 3 blade propeller from an old World War 1 bi-plane we were told. It was here we found the old grandfather sitting in the shade pealing his potatoes surrounded by cats.

If there’s a place I’d recommend for taking very good photos in Greece. Emerald Bay on Anti Paxos is very hard to beat.

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Seeking shelter from the afternoon heat we chanced upon Voutoumi Taverna by accident only a sign in the distance indicated that anything was there. Its inviting shade was are motivation to explore.

Standing at its entrance, Voutoumi Taverna has numerous terraced levels protected from the sun by a timber-framed roof covered in bamboo leaves etc’. This makes Voutoumi Taverna well camouflaged and deceptively large.

It’s here that we met the owners Sophocles and his business partner. Their typical Greek welcome to new faces was reassuring and very soon found ourselves at their table eating and talking as if we’d known each other for ages.

Island life Greek style is a lifestyle most of us hope to achieve at some time, yet sitting at their table I never thought we’d be able to achieve such a vivid vision of what Island life is actually like. Until we got talking to Sophocles here in Emerald Bay.

Over the next two hours we touch on all types of Island life issues, from the number of houses on the Island of Anti Paxos to the growing and harvesting of Wines and Olive Oil. Anti Paxos has no Olive trees, according to Sophocles Anti Paxos only grows grapes for white, red and rose‘ wines. The number of litres produced is too small for export so its essentially home-brew for their own needs only. Any excess is given away to family and friends that visit.

“There are 120 houses on the Island but nobody stays on the Island all year round,” says Sophocles. “They are summer houses owned by people from Paxos, we use them when we are working the grapes.” Sophocles was only too happy to explain Island life to us and what goes on during the winter and spring. Cristina was particularly taken by his voice his soft melody accent she found alluring.

Audio Interview — Sophocles owner of Voutoumi Taverna, Emerald Bay, Anti Paxos

I could go in talking forever about our time spent there, but for posterity I chose to record an interview with Sophocles instead. So here is a 6 min recording of Island life for all to hear…

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Anti Paxos is a small island 2 miles south of Paxos its 1 mile wide 2.5 miles long with only a few houses, that are very difficult to see on this lush green island. The island has no fresh water or electricity either, what it does have is Emerald Bay.

Named Emerald bay due to its brilliant green/blue clear water, which is created by white ‘chalk like’ sandstone that covers the bay. The clarity of the water has an underwater visibility of more than 300 yds.

Leaving Mongonisi on Paxos and are adopted home ‘Carnayo Gold’ we headed to Emerald Bay. It’s August and the height of the Italian season; Dimitris and Francesca (Carnayo Gold Lounge Bar) recommended to get there early to anchor in a good spot before all the other boats arrive.

Anchoring off shore we dropped our anchor, Cristina said she could see it all the way to the bottom 8 meters below. Once in the white chalk sand we dragged the anchor into a clump of weed securing us to the bottom. All around white cliffs blue/green water and slowly bobbing yachts can be seen.

Swinging on our anchor I make breakfast as Cristina returns from swimming in the aquarium (As she calls it), over breakfast she describes her findings in detail with pleasure. We’d heard plenty about Emerald Bay and were looking forward to exploring further.

Rowing our little inflatable dinghy to shore we soon make camp on the beach amongst the early visitors to the bay, looking back out to sea every colour from dark blue to emerald green in every graduated colour possible can be seen. Just like an abstract painting the white yachts at anchor ad to the scene creating an abstract of primary colours in motion before our eyes. To the north of the beach is a concrete causeway where day-trippers from Paxos arrive, this causeway creates a man made rock pool that’s used to store many inflatable dinghy, as the people from their yachts begin to come ashore.

There’s plenty of opportunity to snorkel along the rock outcrops that extend from either ends of the beach, but for us it was the bays stark natural beauty and specifically the colours that left us mesmerised. Anchoring over night in Emerald Bay is not very safe so most of the yachts return to Paxos in the evening leaving the place empty over night.

Our next port of call was Taverna Voutoumi. Only 100 yards behind the beach and a world away from the hot sun soaked beach. Located amongst the dense green foliage that covers all of Anti Paxos it provides a welcoming watering hole for those that seek shelter during the hottest parts of the day.

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