Hi,

I've just come back from Pefkohori, which is just down the road from Hanioti, about a 30 minute walk.
To be honest I wasn't over impressed with any of the beaches in the area. In some places it is quite stony, some places it gets deep fairly quickly and in some places there are large stones that get quite slimy and slippery.

I can think of better places to go with young children where the sea is clearer and is very shallow for quite a way and where the sand is nicer.

Hanioti is nice, but it will get very busy in late July and early August as many Greeks from Thessalonika go there for their hols.

Daphne Apts are nice, but access is up a single dusty unlit road. Its also a good 10-15 min walk to the beach. I've been to Hanioti 3 times and the sand is course but by no means uncomfortable. Water is fine, but folks tend to wear beach shoes as there's often some stones at edge of water. Lovely sandy sea once you get past the first bit. I was going to post a link to another site for more info, but I see that you've aleady posted on it.

Just back from Hanioti Yesterday We find the beach very hard on feet and dont really do it so much with young kids as they prefer our hotel pool at the Lesse.
If you are doing the beach you need some beach shoes or flip flops.
The sea is lovely and turquoise.
There are one or two beach bars where you can buy a drink and then use there free sunbeds.
You can go to pefkohori which is just up the road where the beach area is more attractive it only takes about 25 mins to walk or a few mins in taxi.
There is also Polichrono which is the other way but a longer walk, but I think the promenade at Pefkohori is nicer.
Hanioti is a good place to stay, we have stayed three times and we love it.
The people are nice, there is lots of nice restaurants and the main square comes alive at night when all the restaurants, bars and waterfountain is lit up. My kids love it and are always sad to leave.

Hi we also arrived back from Hanioti yesterday after our 1st trip to Halkidiki and i thought the beach was fine although we used the beach in front of Manos beach bar where it was wider. We did see one or two people being helped from the sea because they'd trodden on sea urchins which is the main reason i think that some people wear the jellyshoes (6 Euros) to enter the water. It is a bit stoney as you enter the sea and it does get waistdepth quite quickly but having said that it always seemed very calm and i never personally encountered any strong currents, there were many children big and small playing in the sea, some on airbeds, some in small dinghys and some with armbands and no-one or nothing seemed to drift far from the shore., hope this helps.