Crete Beaches Guide

The island of Crete is home to more than a fascinating ancient civilization with accompanying artifacts and ruins...it has great beaches too! The island is broken into four major areas; to the West is Chania, east of Chania is Rethymno, then Irakleio and Lasithi to the far east of the island. Each of these areas has a distinct collection of beaches, each with its own beauty and personality.

In Chania you will find the gorgeous Mpalos Lagoon. There is camping available nearby, and limited accommodations and resources; so many choose to make Mpalos Lagoon a day-trip destination. Nevertheless; the fine pink and white and beautiful, deep waters of the lagoon make it an idyllic spot. You can walk to this beach from Kalyvianni if you fancy a trek...it could take several hours. A boat leaves from Kissamos, which is the best way to reach the lagoon as the roads are in disrepair. The lagoon is perfect for snorkeling, as the water has high visibility and gets very deep.

In Rethymno, look for Episkopi beach. This long beach has fine, golden sand and good waters for swimming on still days, though tends to get a little windy. On one end of the beach you will find hotels and restaurants, though on the far end the beach is empty but for bathers. For a less windy beach, make your way to Mpali beach, 15 miles south of Rethymnon. This beach is protected from the wind as it sits inside of the still bay of Mpali.

If you are in the Irakleio area, the Agia Pelagia beach is a nice, still, tourist-friendly beach about 8 miles west of Heraklion. The nearby town of Agia Pelagia is host to many quaint cafés and restaurants, as well as a few hotels. The Ammoudara beach is only 2 miles west of Heraklion and is more popular than Agia Pelagia, though there are small stretches of beach without any buildings. This is an excellent beach for windsurfing.

The eastern beaches of Lasithi are characterized by the presence of pebbles as opposed to fine sand. The municipal beach is the most popular beach on this part of the island and even has a mini golf course. Other beaches include the beautiful Plaka beach, which, along with Diriros beach, has a stunning collection of the majestic Tamarisk trees. Elounda beach is popular with nudists, though you must walk along a trail away from the main, sandy beach to find a secluded spot and Kato Zacros beach is your best bet for great seafood restaurants.

Of course, there are hundreds of beaches throughout the island, and, due to the island's friendly nature, many of these are nudist beaches. Though wind can at times be an issue, the beaches of Crete are generally calm, beautiful and as inviting as any in the Greek isles.