Beaches of Crete

Part Two: West Coast

 

9. Balos Beach

15 km northwest of Kissamos

One of the most beautiful beaches in Europe; an expanse of low water with sand on its fringes in endless hues of blue and yellow; the rock formation of Cape Tigani, resembling a frying pan; access by boat or via a difficult road from Kissamos, which acts as a welcome barrier for tour buses; some umbrellas and sunbeds on strategic spots and many tourists

9/10

 

10. Gramvousa Beach

Imeri Gramvousa Island, some kilometers north of the Balos beach

A beautiful sand beach near the pier of Gramvousa, under a cliff with a Venetian fortress; mostly visited by tourists on daytrips to Balos, otherwise totally empty

9/10

 

11. Falasarna Beach

14 km west of Kissamos

A coastline with diverse beaches; a big organised beach to the south and smaller wilder beaches to the north; fine yellow sand and turquoise water; gets less hype than the nearby Elafonisi and Balos beaches and thus surpasses them both; an archaeological site to the north

10/10

 

12. Elafonisi Beach

40 km southwest of Kissamos

The most famous of the beaches of Crete; pink sand made of crushed shells of foraminifera organisms; a lagoon between the Elafonisi island and the mainland; endless hues of yellow, pink, blue and green; totally spoilt by mass tourism: overcrowded, selfies, umbrellas and sunbeds on the most scenic spots; the Disneyland of Cretan beaches

8/10

 

13. Kedrodasos Beach

1 km east of Elafonisi

The favourite beach of Chania locals; crystal clear water, white sand and crooked trunks of junipers; unorganised and wild, with a laid-back atmosphere; gets a fraction of visitors compared to the nearby Elafonisi; no longer a hidden gem, as shown by the growing number of visitors, the amount of tents under the junipers, tourist boats making stops in front of the main beach, and some plastic bags floating in water

10/10

 

14. Ammolofoi Beach

3 km southeast of Elafonisi

The first beach after Kedrodasos, visited mostly by hikers on their way between Elafonisi and Krios; huge stones and debris on large pebbles and sand; a perfect setting for a shipwreck

8/10

 

15. Viena Beach

7 km southeast of Elafonisi

A remote beach on the site of an ancient town, with fragments of columns scattered around and pieces of pottery assembled and displayed on a stone like at a museum; visited only by occasional hikers or visitors by boat

8/10

 

16. Krios Beach

10 km southeast of Elafonisi & 9 km west of Palaiochora

A peaceful beach with small pebbles and clear water; the starting point of the difficult hike to Elafonisi; rarely crowded

8/10