Swimming in the beautiful St Paul’s Bay

For the past few days, the sea at St Paul’s bay has been calling out to us, to come and have a swim, so yesterday we did. Taking a short walk up the hill towards Lindos from our hotel, lead us to the headland overlooking the bay. The view was incredible. Looking down from the cliff top we could see the tiny St Paul’s chapel off to our right, the beaches below us, and the mighty Lindian Acropolis towering over us, with the village nestled at its base. Excited about swimming, we quickly made our way down to the little beach.

Unlike the sand at the other beaches in the area, which tend to be shingle or very course sand, St. Paul’s bay has light golden sand, the type you just want to sink your toes into as the waves wash over your feet. The bay is sheltered on almost all sides, with many large rocks crying out to be jumped off, and perfect for snorkelling.

I fell in love with this hidden haven the second I saw it. I wish we could have spent more time here. The gentle shelving sandy beach, draws you out into the warm clear, and ever so inviting water. The further you go out into the bay, it deepens, and the sea goes through many colour changes, turquoise, emerald green, too aquamarine, and finally to a deep blue. The water is so clear that you can see the beautiful corals, and many different fish swimming around you.

Finding a break in the shear rock walls surrounding the bay, we passed through and out into the Aegean, it was breathtaking. After swimming in the very calm bay, the open water, although not rough, was a shock to the system, and definitely cooler. Swimming against the current was exhilarating, rising and falling with the crests of the waves, and glimpsing the entrance off in the distance. A short while later we eventually swam through the entrance into the bay again, passing bellow the cave used in the classic WWII film ‘Guns of Navarone’.

Heading back towards the beach, our mammoth swim was close to its end, so we were ducking and diving under the sea, looking at the marine life, and enjoying the amazing island Greek island that is Rhodes.