Being Greece's largest island with about 300 sunny days a year, finding stunning beaches in Crete is easy. Whether you prefer white and pink sand beaches or rocky ones, Crete has many places to enjoy the bright blue sea.
During our European road trip, we managed to get from Athens to Crete by ferry after visiting the fascinating Meteora Monasteries. We stayed on the island for about ten days before taking a ferry to the Instagrammable Santorini.
The particularity of Cretan beaches is the variety of shades of blue of the water - depending on what side of the island you're staying at. However, what they have in common is the crystal-clear water that makes this island a paradise!
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Where And How To Find The Best Or Hidden Beaches in Crete
First, you will have to get to Crete.
Book a flight (check on Skyscanner for the best deals!) or take the ferry from mainland Greece.
When you look at the map I made below, it's easy to see that no matter where you stay in Crete, a beach will always be nearby. For the best ones, you should either look for a place in the Western part of the island or head down to the South.
Granted, the hidden gem (my archaeology professor whom we met in Sissi suggested) lies a bit apart (read below). But with approximately 340 km in length, it is pretty close, provided you choose a more central location.
You must have a car to reach even the most remote beaches in Crete. The best way is to book through Rentalcars for the best deals and no hustle regarding insurance or extras.
To look up the various locations, you must download an offline map beforehand or get internet on the road. For this, I suggest an App called Airalo, which allows you to buy an e-sim with a certain amount of data. It works perfectly, and it's not expensive.
1. Elafonisi - A Pink Beach in Crete
Pink sand beach and turquoise sea: Elafonisi
I always wanted to see a pink sand beach! I kept admiring pictures of Insta-worthy pink beaches from around the world, but I would never have guessed that there is one in Crete.
Of course, we had to check it out!
Elafonisi is a tiny island of about 1,5 km x 300 m on the Southwestern coast of Crete.
The name 'Elafonisi' means 'deer island' due to a legend about a ship carrying animals that came across the island: a pregnant deer fell into the sea, swam to the island and gave birth there. The name was born.
How To Get To Elafonisi
By car | We had our rental car, and we advise you to do the same if you plan to explore Crete. It is the easiest and most comfortable way to travel around the island.
If you plan to stay in Chania, it's a 90 minutes drive to Elafonisi Beach's parking lot.
From Kissamos, where we stayed (see below), it will take about 1 hour, and there is only one road leading down to the parking lot. So it takes a lot of work to get lost.
However, the road is relatively narrow and winding, and there might be better options to drive on the gravel road than a lowered sports car. But it leads you through beautiful Cretan sceneries, lots of nature, with hardly any traces of civilisation.
By bus | During high season, reasonably regular public buses connect Chania and Kissamos to Elafonisi.
Or you could book abus excursion/tour to have the best possible times by fixing them yourself. These tours usually leave early enough so you can escape the crowds arriving with the regular busses. Book yours here!
By boat | If you stay at Palaiochóra (sometimes written 'Paleochora'), the ship will take you to Elafonisi at 10 am and return around 4 pm. The trip itself is about one hour. Unfortunately, as I suffer from seasickness, this was not an option for us.
Where To Stay Near Elafonisi Beach
We stayed in the Village Drapanias, not far from Kissamos. We recommend This place as it was very spacious, in a beautiful setting (those olive groves!), with lovely hosts.
And that terrace was just incredible! Huge and with a perfect sunset view!
From Kissamos, it's about a 1-hour drive to Elafonisi. This is fine, especially as no bigger cities are closer to the island, so the choice of accommodation is limited.
As I said, other options would be to stay in Chania and come by bus or in Palaiochóra and take the sea route.
Reasons To Visit Elafonisi Beach
Pink sand
Pristine turquoise water
Beautiful but threatened sea daffodils
You can walk to the island on a narrow sand spit or by wading through the shallow water at low tide and quiet sea though our bottoms got wet. But hey, you're in paradise. So who cares?
This way, you get to the less crowded parts of the island, which still bear a bit of wilderness and authenticity and hidden, secluded beaches.
Depending on the tide and the movement of the waves, the sand beaches turn pink due to microorganisms and seaweed. They were not bright pink when we went, but they were still stunning.
Soft pinkish sand and turquoise water - paradise
The island itself is a protected nature reserve with beautiful white sea daffodils. Why protected? Because this specific flower is threatened with extinction in this part of the world.
Attention
Please keep off the dunes, and don't venture behind the cordon!
We saw people do it, and it angered us as these areas are protected.
The protected sea daffodils in Elafonisi
Warm shallow water
Pristine water!
When you get to the highest point of the tiny island, you will see a plaque commemorating a tragic event: the Austrian 'Imperatrix' shipwrecked right in front of the island in 1907, and the wreck still lies on the sea ground about 10 m off the island's shore. Forty people died when their life raft capsized and were buried on the island.
Diving down to the wreck is possible but only in perfect weather conditions. And best if you're an experimented diver.
Good to know:
Get there early!
In summer, the first beach accessible from the parking lot is packed with people as of 10 am.
Take your stuff and wade through the water to get to the other side of the island, and you'll have some peace on these hidden beaches even during the busiest time of the day.
Take a good book and relax away!
If you don't have a car and are staying either in Chania or Rethymno, check out the following tours with good ratings to get to one of the best beaches in Crete:
2. Bálos - The Most Impressive Beach in Crete
This view is just heavenly - undeniably one of the best beaches of Crete
A little piece of paradise! And one of the absolute best beaches in Crete!
The Bálos lagoon lies on the Northwestern tip of Crete, about 40 min from Kissamos and 1h20 from Chania.
How To Get To Bálos Beach
By car |There is an entrance fee of 1 € / 1,20 US $ when arriving at the road's starting point to Bálos. From there, you drive on a dusty gravel road for about 8 km to the parking lot. Then it's another 2 km on foot from the highest point down to the beach.
By bus | Busses regularly travel from Kissamos, Rethymno and Chania. Check out the tours we recommend down below!
By boat | A tourist ferry leaves from Kissamos port every morning. It's not a direct one, as it stops at the islet of Imeri Gramvousa. From here, you will get a water taxi to Bálos.
Where To Stay Near Bálos Beach
For Bálos, we also stayed at the Village Drapanias in Kissamos, the best area.
Still, Bálos is only about 1h20 from Chania, and you have more busses starting here than in Kissamos. So if you prefer to stay in the more popular Chania Town, especially if you want to visit more than just beaches in Crete, that's where you should look.
Reasons To Visit Bálos Beach
All shades of turquoise colours
Again pristine water
The backdrop of Cretan mountains
Bálos took our breath away, quite honestly. The different shades of blue and turquoise were almost too perfect to be true. They looked painted.
Swimming and snorkelling in that water was like in a pool: the visibility was extraordinary. Except here, you'll have white sand underneath your feet and little shiny fishes nibbling at your toes.
And the water temperature is perfect.
Paradise views!
Crystal clear water in the Bálos lagoon
The little peninsula visible in every picture of the Bálos lagoon is Kap Tigani, only connected to the mainland by a natural land bridge. It used to be a proper island, but then it broke off due to tectonic movements).
While no sea plants are growing in this lagoon due to the shallowness, the sand is very soft and consists of shell- and coral remnants. The dunes are practically devoid of vegetation as well - unlike in Elafonisi.
You might also wonder what the little grey lumps are that arrive at the beach regularly. It's pretty sad and scandalous: this is tar, and it's said to come from big tankers illegally cleaning their tanks out in the open sea...
Good to know:
Here again, during high season, make sure to get there early.
We arrived around 11 am and had to park the car approximately 700 m from the actual parking lot. And when we left somewhere in the afternoon (3 pm), the queue of parked cars stretched for at least 3 km after ours.
There's only one little kiosk and two toilets. Be prepared and bring lots of water. It gets scorching as there is no shadow, except if you rent one of the parasols.
If you don't have a car and are staying either in Kissamos, Chania or Rethymno, check out the following tours we recommend to get to one of the best beaches in Crete:
3. Matala Beach - Caves And Turtles
We didn't make it to Matala Beach, on the far South side of the island, because we ran out of time.
But a friend recommended this place, so I still wanted to list it here. We plan on returning to Crete and extensively checking out the Southern coast of that beautiful island anyway, so this post serves as a reminder to ourselves as well.
How To Get To Matala Beach
By car | Still the best option to be free in your movements. The drive from Heraklion to Matala Beach is approximately 1 hour.
By bus | It's a bit longer as the journey from Heraklion to Matala Beach will take about 2 hours. But if you don't have a car and plan a day trip down to Matala, this is a good option. Be sure to check the timetables, though, as the last bus down leaves somewhere around 3 pm already.
Where To Stay Near Matala Beach
If you're staying on Crete's more popular Northern coast, finding a place in the Heraklion district would be a good idea.
It's where you will arrive if you visit Crete from Athens on mainland Greece by ferry.
From this part of the island, it's only about 1 hour to get to Matala.
Unfortunately, we only stayed one night in the cute village of Agia Pelagia, but this would be our base to check out the centre and North of Crete once we go back.
That's mainly because of the lovely Peggi from Bellair Village: we booked just one night at her apartment to catch the ferry to Santorini the following day, but she immediately grew close to our hearts.
Her place is budget-friendly with a gorgeous view from the balcony, the perfect place to watch the sun setting on the left and then again rising on the right side. Peggi and her husband are delightful: warm, welcoming, funny and helpful.
We were pretty late when we arrived at the place, but Peggi kindly offered to cook something for us: she made the best Greek salad ever and incredibly delicious Souvlaki!
Not to mention the Raki they made themselves! She told us that her Moussaka is also the best in Greece and that we would have to return if only to try it!
Matala Village is also supposed to be charming (according to our friend). So if you want to take more time in that area, I suggest you look for accommodation here.
Reasons To Visit Matala Beach
Located on the South coast of Crete, the sea you encounter here is not the Cretan or Mediterranean but the Libyan Sea.
That being said, the waters here are as pristine as anywhere else around Crete, and the beaches must be incredibly comfy. If you're lucky, you might spot the Caretta Caretta (or loggerhead) turtle that loves to check out that particular beach from time to time.
Good to know:
The Caretta Caretta turtle loves making its nest on and around Matala beach.
Matala's particularity is that the place's history dates back to the Neolithic Age. Men have used the limestone caves covering the cliff for hundreds of years.
Matala Beach became very popular in the 1970s when the Greek hippie movement used the caves as homes, decorating them according to their taste.
These caves and the beach make this place look like paradise on Earth - or on another planet - and worth visiting.
Fun fact:
In Greek mythology, Matala is said to be where Zeus crossed the sea in the shape of a white bull to seduce Princess Europa.
Check out the following activities that Matala Beach offers:
4. Spinalonga - History And Viewpoints
Spinalonga is afortified islet lying on the Southeastern coast of Crete. It's not so much one of the most famous beaches in Crete but a place with a fascinating yet sad history.
The Venetians used this little island to protect their salt pans in Elounda.
Then, later, the Ottomans occupied the islet before it was turned into a leper colony from 1903 until 1957. It was one of the last active leper colonies in Europe.
The last resident of the Spinalonga islet was a priest who stayed there until 1962 because, in the Greek Orthodox church, it is customary to commemorate the death of a person for five years.
There are a few very pretty pebble-stone beachesaround the island, so we list it as one of the beaches to visit in Crete.
Also, if you drive to Plaka, you will enjoy a beautiful view of Spinalonga from above.
View of Spinalonga island (left) and Plaka (right) from the road on top
Pebble beach with view of the Spinalonga islet in Plaka
How To Get To Spinalonga
By car | Drive to either Plaka, Elounda or Agios Nikolaos, from where small boats take you to the islet
Small pebble stone beaches and shallow waters make it ideal for travelling with children.
Also, the fort and the ancient leper colony give you a cultural extra when venturing to the islet, and the boat ride sounds fun.
Book your boat tour from either Plaka, Elounda or Agios Nikolaos to Spinalonga below:
5. Richtis Gorge - A Hidden Gem And Its Beach
The Richtis waterfall in Crete
While visiting the archaeological site of Sissi, my former uni-professor (who kindly gave us a tour) talked about thishidden swimming spot not far from where we were.
It's not unknown; the Richtis Gorge is famous for the beautiful but quite intense hike leading through it. But we found it a hidden gem nonetheless because we went for a swimming session at the beautiful waterfall immediately instead of spending hours hiking in the Greek heat.
Richtis Gorge is a protected park in the East of Crete, between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia, and it ends at Richtis Beach, one of the few reasonably secluded beaches in Crete.
How To Get To Richtis Gorge And Beach
With the hike | There are several possibilities, most starting at the traditional village Exo Moulina on top of the gorge. The walk is only about 4 km but can take 4 to 5 hours because the way back to the town (where people leave their cars) goes uphill.
Without the hike | Drive down the narrow, dusty dirt and gravel road to Richtis Beach. From here, it's only a short 15 min walk through the fantastic jungle-like scenery to reach that beautiful waterfall. Most people do the entire hike as they came for this. Or they don't dare to descend to the beach by car as the road doesn't look inviting. We were travelling with our 4x4, so we were okay.
Where To Stay Near Richtis Gorge And Beach
We were staying in Mália (about a 1h20 drive) at that time as we used this as a base to explore the Southeastern part of Crete.
We had the cutest little hotel with a charming restaurant that served delicious Cretan food: the Camelot Royal Beds.
Check it out when you plan on staying in the area, especially if you are looking for budget-friendly options.
If you prefer to be closer to the Richtis Gorge area, look for accommodations in Agios Nikolaos, a little coastal city you should visit anyway and from where it will take about one hour to get to the Richtis Gorge.
Given that the waterfall only has a tiny swimming spot, there were relatively few people when we went. Most of them just stopped on the way down from the hike, took a few pictures and left again.
Sure, we visited the place late afternoon, meaning the waterfall and the little cove were already in the shadows. But it was still warm enough to plunge into the water (you can - it's deep enough!) and shower underneath that dreamy waterfall.
Showering underneath that fall is awesome!
The good thing is, after checking out this marvellous nature spot, you can still walk down to the Richtis Beach at the end of the gorge: impressive waves crashing into the rocks, amazing to watch.
Good to know:
Richtis Beach in Crete is beautiful but not suited for swimming, especially not with kids, as winds get very strong, and the undertow shouldn't be underestimated either.
And on the way back from Richtis Beach, stop at the 'Café with seaview' to watch the most gorgeous sunset! The Café itself seems to be permanently closed (updated 2023), but the view remains.
Beautiful Richtis beach
The secluded beach and the scenery from above
Sunset views on the drive back
Our Personal Favourite Amongst The Best Beaches in Crete?
I will have to say Bálos Beach.
Why? Because even with being in the midst of the high season and arriving way too late, it didn't feel crowded.
The whole bank stretched pretty far, and we had some beautiful spots to ourselves, enabling us to take amazing pictures without having other people in them.
There are spots where people pay for a parasol and a canvas chair, but these are limited. As soon as you leave the main assembly point, there's hardly anyone around you.
We loved this beach and will return to these pristine, turquoise waters!
Basically alone in the crystal clear water!
So that's it, these were our favourite beaches in Crete. Check them out while visiting the island, and let us know your thoughts!
Feel free to comment, share and pin this article for your future Cretan travels - and to support our writing!
As ever,
xx
Cyn
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