Lassithi

East of the main beach of Hiona, there are several small coves, where you can find a quiet place to swim alone and nude. The first sandy beach is called Bondalaki. Continuing driving along a bad dirt track to the esat, you will soon meet several coves with pebbles and enjoy the eerie landscape with gorges and wild mounts in the background. The last cove is Skaria and is the easternmost beach of Crete. It is highly affected by the sea currents (there is a lot of rubbish). The previous beach, Pilos, is formed in clay ground and is ideal for seclusion.

The beach is mainly rocky and with sand in parts, and a smaller nicer beach is formed north of the main beach. In recent years a large hotel unit in the region has made great interventions to the beach and has unfortunately altered completely the rocky character of the coast. A pier has been built to keep sand and to cover the rocks.

Because the sea in the area of Papadiokambos is often wavy, there is an excellent alternative for swimming east of the settlement, on the east side of the peninsula Trahili. The short cape blocks the waves and the waters are almost always calm and azure blue. However, at a first glance you will think that there is no beach,

The longest beach at Koufonissi lies at the southeast part of the islet, overlooking Africa! Amazing clean water, rocky seabed ideal for snorkeling and smooth sand ideal for playing beach tennis. The only problem is the lack of shade.

The north part of Spinalonga Peninsula called Armos (just opposite the islet Kalydon with the fort of Spinalonga) is a special place with abandoned farms, mostly unknown due to the fact that there are no roads heading here. Apart from the well known beach of Kolokytha, at the southeast base of the peninsula, there are several unknown beaches at the north part of the peninsula. It is surely worth visiting them by canoe from Plaka.

West of Mochlos and east of Malavra springs, you’ll see the plaster mines of the area. The site is called Altsi from the Turkish word alçı, which means gypsum, plaster. This region hosts two small beaches, totally unknown to everybody, as it is not accessed due to the mines. Access to the beaches of Altsi is possible via the road leading to the mills that grind the stones (the paved road signed as a dead end before Mochlos).

Between Platani and the airport of Sitia there are huge uninhabited lands with low vegetation and wild sharp rocks, where even no roads exist. This area, called Melissokipi (aka Bee gardens), is crossed by several deep streams flowing into the sea (in winter). One of them, Vathys Potamos (i.e. Deep River) a small sandy beach is formed which unfortunately is strongly affected by the frequent winds.

If you head west of Papadiokambos settlement, especially on windless days (very rare!), it is worth leaving your car off the road, cross the wire fence and walk 2 minutes to the exit of the gorge starting close to Liopetro area and ending at the beautiful beach of Charkomatas, at position Roussa Limni. You’ll get impressed by the amazing formations of the gorge, shaped by laminated sheets of limestone.