Beaches

The seaside village of Platanias is located 11km west of Chania. The wider area has faced a great development during the last decades and now is actually a suburb of Chania. The village is built on a hillside with fantastic view. During summer nights, the great clubs in the area host thousands of people, both Greeks and foreigners, who dance until dawn.

Kato Gouves (or simply Gouves) is a popular holiday resort located 18km east of Heraklion, in the foothills of Mount Ederi. In the past, the valley of Kato Gouves was cultivated by the residents of the village of Ano Gouves with vegetables, olives, and cereals.

The beach is shaped at the exit of a small gorge, surrounded by long cliffs. The circular bight of the bay conceals it from the open sea, making Vathy a natural hideout. It is no coincidence that pirates used it as their anchorage. The well-protected beach has almost always calm waters, although the surrounding beaches can be very wavy.

Kum Kapi is located east of the picturesque port of Chania, in front of the historic district of Bedouins, who used to live here in huts made of rushes. They were African economic immigrants, who firstly arrived on the island as slaves during the Turkish occupation.

Sissi (or Sisi) is located 26km west of Agios Nikolaos and 41km east of Heraklion, in close proximity to Malia. It is a peaceful traditional village with narrow streets and beautiful taverns. Its trademark is the harbor with the clean and calm waters.

The beach that stretches in front of the resort is a long bay with beautiful turquoise waters and coarse white sand. Here you will find all the services of a very well organized beach like umbrellas, snack bars, showers, changing rooms, water sports, scuba diving centre, great hotels, restaurants, horse riding centre etc.

The Golden Beach (greek: Hrissi Akti) is located 2.5km west of Chania and a few meters east of Agii Apostoli. It actually consists of two sandy beaches separated by a small hill. The west cove is the main Golden Beach and the east one is called Aptera Beach.

Kato Zakros is a traditional fishing village located 107km east of Agios Nikolaos and 40km east of Sitia. It is the picturesque harbor of Zakros village (located 7km on the west), situated in a fertile valley with olive groves surrounded by rough mountains. The area is one of the most remote areas of Crete and is ideal for those seeking tranquility, away from the bustling daily life of cities.