Français
Which are worth the drive, which are worth the queue, and which you can reach before lunch.
In short. Crete’s most spectacular beaches are in the far west: Balos lagoon, Elafonissi and Falassarna, each around two hours from the Chania hills and each a full day out. Seitan Limania is the most dramatic close to Chania, reached by a steep walk down. For an ordinary swimming afternoon, the sheltered sandy bays of Almyrida, Kalyves and Georgioupoli in Apokoronas are far more practical — 10 to 15 minutes from the villages inland.
Almyrida
~10 minutes
Sandy, shallow and sheltered from the prevailing north wind, with tavernas and cafés along the front. The easiest option with small children and the one most people return to.
Kalyves
~10 minutes
Longer than Almyrida, sand and shingle, with a river mouth at one end and a real village behind. Usually quieter in high season.
Georgioupoli
~15 minutes
A very long sweep of sand heading east. Open to the wind and the surf, so bracing rather than sheltered — but there is a great deal of it.
More beaches near Chania
- Nea Chora: the town beach, a walk from Chania’s old harbour. Handy for a swim before dinner in town.
- Agioi Apostoloi: small sandy coves just west of Chania, sheltered and easy.
- Kalathas and Stavros: on the Akrotiri peninsula. Stavros is the shallow, enclosed bay where the final dance in Zorba the Greek was filmed.
- Marathi and Loutraki: sheltered coves on the east side of Akrotiri, about 30 minutes from Apokoronas. Good when the wind is up.
- Seitan Limania: the dramatic one, also on Akrotiri. More below.
Balos lagoon
~2 hours
A shallow turquoise lagoon on the north-west tip. Reached either by boat from Kissamos or by a rough unsurfaced track and then a walk down. Extraordinary, and extremely busy by mid-morning in season. Go early or take the late boat.
Elafonissi
~2 hours
A sandbar island in the far south-west with pink-tinged sand and water you can wade across. Wide and shallow, so it copes with crowds better than Balos, but the drive is long.
Falassarna
~1 h 45
A broad west-facing sand beach that gets real Atlantic-style surf and the best sunsets on the island. Less of a lagoon spectacle, more of a proper beach day.
Seitan Limania
~40 minutes
A narrow fjord-like inlet on Akrotiri with startling turquoise water. The nearest of the dramatic beaches — but it is a steep, loose scramble down and back, no shade, and tiny. Not one for young children or a hot afternoon.
South coast beaches
The south coast faces Africa rather than the Aegean, so it is often calm when the north wind is blowing. It is a mountain crossing away, which keeps it quiet.- Frangokastello: a long, shallow sandy beach below a Venetian fort, about an hour from Apokoronas. Very calm, and good with children.
- Sweetwater (Glyka Nera): a pebble beach near Chora Sfakion with fresh water seeping up through the stones, reached on foot or by boat.
- Preveli: south of Rethymno, where a river and a palm grove meet the sea. A long drive, best combined with a night away or an early start.
| Beach | From Apokoronas | Sand | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almyrida | ~10 min | Sand | Families, easy afternoons, tavernas |
| Kalyves | ~10 min | Sand & shingle | A quieter swim, village lunch |
| Georgioupoli | ~15 min | Sand | Long walks, space, some surf |
| Marathi / Loutraki | ~30 min | Sand | Sheltered coves when the wind is up |
| Seitan Limania | ~40 min | Pebble | Drama and photographs — steep access |
| Frangokastello | ~1 hour | Sand | Calm south-coast sea, Venetian fort |
| Falassarna | ~1 h 45 | Sand | Sunsets, surf, a full beach day |
| Balos lagoon | ~2 hours | Sand | The spectacle — go early |
| Elafonissi | ~2 hours | Sand | Shallow wading, pink sand |
Drive times are approximate, measured from the Apokoronas villages inland of the Almyrida bay, and assume normal season traffic. Anything in the far west or across the mountains takes longer than the distance suggests.
A few practical things
Choosing a beach in Crete: a short checklist
- Check the north wind. The meltemi blows from the north through much of the summer. When it is up, the north-facing beaches get choppy and the sheltered bays — Almyrida, the Akrotiri coves, or the south coast — are much more pleasant. Choose your beach by the wind rather than the plan.
- Bring shade. Most Cretan beaches have little or no natural shade. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available on the organised ones; on the wild ones, bring your own.
- Go early to Balos and Elafonissi in August. Both are genuinely crowded by mid-morning in high season, and the Balos track is hard on a small hire car. Set off very early, or go in May, June, September or October when they are transformed.
- Time it for the sea. The sea is warmest from late July through October. September and early October are the sweet spot, still warm but far quieter.
- Take water shoes for the pebble coves and the rocky entries at Seitan Limania and Marathi.
Which is the best beach in Crete?
Balos lagoon and Elafonissi are the two most spectacular beaches in Crete, both in the far west and both a full day out. Falassarna has the best sunsets. For an ordinary swimming day, sheltered sandy bays like Almyrida are far more useful, and it is ten minutes from our villas in Apokoronas.
What are the best beaches near Chania?
Seitan Limania for drama, Marathi and Loutraki for sheltered coves, Stavros for a shallow enclosed bay, Nea Chora if you want to walk from the town itself, and the Almyrida and Kalyves bay to the east for easy family sand.
Which Crete beaches are best for young children?
Almyrida and Kalyves in Apokoronas: shallow, sandy, sheltered and with tavernas a few steps behind. Frangokastello on the south coast is also very calm. Our family villas in Crete page explains how a family week works from a villa near them.
How long does it take to reach Balos from Chania?
Around an hour and a half to two hours by road from the Chania area, plus the unsurfaced track and the walk down. Alternatively, take the boat from Kissamos.
When is the sea warmest in Crete?
From late July through to October. September and early October give you warm water with far fewer people. See our best time to visit Crete guide for sea temperatures by month.
Are Crete's beaches sandy or pebbly?
Both. The west and the Apokoronas bays are largely sand; much of the north coast and the dramatic coves are pebble or shingle. The table above notes which is which.
Where should we stay to be near the best beaches in Crete?
The Chania region puts both the everyday bays and the famous western beaches within a day trip. Our two villas above Gavalochori, Villa Elia and Villa Levanda, are ten minutes from Almyrida and Kalyves, and each has its own private pool for the hot afternoons. Check the availability. Our where to stay in Crete guide compares town, coast and village bases.
Ten minutes from the sand
Two villas with private saltwater pools in the hills above Gavalochori, a ten-minute drive from Almyrida and Kalyves.
See the villas
Our area guide