Lake Korission

In the southern part of Corfu, and on the western side, lies the island’s largest saltwater lagoon, Lake Korission. The lagoon is divided from the sea by a long “ribbon” of sand, with sand dunes rising in some cases to 15 meters high. There are two beaches created by this sandy strip, Chalikounas and Issos. Both of them are a kite surfers paradise, well known around the world, and there are a couple of beach bars where they flock to. However the beaches are so long, that if you wish to, you can easily have a part of them to yourself.
There is another aspect to Lake Korission though. It is a Natura 2000 protected wetland, the largest and most significant on the island. Over 126 species of birds have been spotted here, and the lagoon is a well known stop on the migration routes of many of them, amongst them flamingoes and egrets. Fish, amphibians, reptiles and butterflies are all in abundance here. There is a dirt road running across the dunes, accessible by normal cars too, as long as you are careful to stay in the middle and don’t go too near the sandy edges. As you reach the southern part of Chalikounas Beach the sandy spit is split in one place where the lagoon joins the sea, and there is a wooden bridge going across. From here you can access the cedar forests that cover a large part of the sand dunes.If you decide to explore, be sure to wear proper shoes and take water with you. Just before the bridge is a small building where the local fishermen are based. They practice a form of fishing that has remained unchanged for years, with the fishermen going into the lake in small flat bottomed craft called koritos. Lake Korission is a beautiful place where nature thrives and as it is facing West , if you decide to spend the day here you can also catch some pretty spectacular sunsets… On the way to the lake is a small Venetian fortress that is also worth a visit.