Mavros Kolimbos beach
Mavros Kolimbos or Agios Panteleimon beach is located 51km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 16km east of Ierapetra. It is a small settlement near the shore, that has faced a mild development during the last decades. There are some rooms to rent around and some small taverns. Mavros Kolimbos is a nice beach with dark gray pebbles and usually calm water. The seabed is rocky in some places, making it ideal for snorkeling. It is totally unorganised, but there are some tamarisk trees around offering natural shade.
You can drive to here from Ierapetra by getting the main road heading east to Makrigialos, along the south coastline of Crete. There are also bus services to Makrigialos, that could stop in the area. If you come by car, it is worth visiting the nearby mountainous village of Orino at Thrypti Range and the Gorge of Red Butterflies. In the settlement, you can visit the church of Agios Panteleimonas, after which it takes its second name.
