Koufonisia is the small-island escape that many Naxos visitors dream about: a small, low-lying pair of islands south-east of Naxos with clear water, sandy beaches and one whitewashed village. Most people reach it from Naxos, which is the natural jumping-off point for the Small Cyclades.
The group is really two islands. Ano (Pano) Koufonisi is the inhabited one, where the ferries dock and where you will find the village, rooms, tavernas and a string of beaches you can walk to. Kato Koufonisi is the smaller island just across a narrow channel; the ferries from Naxos dock on Ano Koufonisi. Naxos, by contrast, is the biggest island in the Cyclades, with a proper town, an airport and ferries in every direction.
The crossing fits neatly into a trip that starts with a few days on Naxos. You can hop over for three or four nights on Koufonisia and return, or keep going to Amorgos, Donousa or the other Small Cyclades. At roughly 22 nautical miles, it is a short trip on a fast boat, though the slower local ship turns it into a scenic half-day cruise.
The big decision is which boat. Seajets is fast but costs several times more. Blue Star is the cheapest but runs only a few days a week. The Express Skopelitis is cheap and runs almost every day, but it is the slowest choice because it calls at Iraklia and Schinoussa first. In July and August book ahead, because Koufonisia's rooms and boats both fill up.
