Laganas Zante

beach report and Zante map

Laganas beach Zante

LAGANAS has become synonymous with 'lager lout Brits' as it has grown into one of the most popular clubbing and boozing destinations in the Greek Islands.
Noted for its tacky nightlife, Laganas has more than its share of boozed-up youngsters partying throughout the night . A huge variety of clubs and pubs meet the taste of all who lack any - more than 100 bars at the last count. Expect chewing gum-plastered floors and smashed glass just about everywhere.
The beach at Laganas is long, flat sandy and packed with bodies, sunbeds and every sort of beach paraphernalia you could possibly imagine. The beach is huge, about 9km if you count the far flung extension at Kalamaki, and gently shelving with shallow water.
Parts of Laganas beach are also, remarkably, part of the National Marine Park set up (in theory) to protect endangered loggerhead turtles that nest here.
Turtles have no place in a booze-fuelled clubland and little has been done to protect them. Instead the turtles are exploited by the short-sighted locals on crass tourist sightseeing trips. The turtles are shy and nervous creatures and, frightened by tourist boats, they fail to lay their eggs.
Swarms of boozed-up youngsters swarm the disco-lined main street at night. Fights are common and lethal stabbings sometimes make the headlines. Even the locals have petitioned to curb the loutish and indecent behaviour but too much cash is involved for authorities to care. Fast food is what you might expect. Laganas Zante has two Subway sandwich shops, a McDonald's, KFC and a Pizza Hut, just like Stoke-on-Trent. Stoke has more Greek restaurants though.
Laganas Zante is one of the main 18-30's resorts in the Greek islands and anyone outside that age range, or outside that IQ range for that matter, won't find much to their liking.