- Atokos island draws visitors to swim with wild pigs
- Island located in Ionian Sea near Ithaca and Lefkada
- Pigs roam freely at One House Bay known as Pig Beach
- Access only by sea via Piggy Cruises from Lefkada
- Island protected under Natura 2000 network
The uninhabited Greek island of Atokos has become a major travel sensation, drawing visitors from around the world to swim with its resident herd of wild black pigs. Located in the Ionian Sea near Ithaca and Lefkada, this 4.5-square-kilometre private island has earned the social media nickname Piggy Island. The island is home to a herd of Mediterranean black pigs and wild boars.
How the pigs arrived remains an unsolved riddle. Local lore suggests they were either left behind by sailors years ago or are descendants of livestock that managed to swim ashore from a historic shipwreck. The pigs roam freely along the pebbles of One House Bay, popularly called Pig Beach. To cool off from the summer heat, they paddle out into the shallow water, unphased by nearby boats and wading tourists.
Because Atokos is uninhabited by humans, there are no hotels or ferry ports on the island. Travelers can only access the beaches by sea. Daily Piggy Cruises operate out of nearby tourist hubs, primarily departing from Nydri Harbour in Lefkada as well as from Ithaca and Sami in Kefalonia. The island is a protected ecosystem under Europe’s Natura 2000 network and local skippers enforce strict rules for visitors including maintaining distance and not touching the animals.
