Plakias lies about 36 km south of Rethymno, in a fertile valley that opens onto the sea. The settlement grew around the small harbour, where fishermen from Sellia settled. In the 1960s, the stretch of coast known as Gialia attracted hippies and independent travellers. Tourism expanded in the following decade.

The long beach of Plakias extends east of the village to the steep limestone cliff of Paligremnos. The spot is also known as Gonates. According to local legend, the hero Digenis Akritas knelt here to drink from a spring.

At the foot of the cliff are the old lignite transport tunnels. Small wagons ran on a Decauville railway, carrying lignite from the Myrthios area to a loading point on the eastern side of the bay.

The villages of Myrthios and Sellia overlook the bay. Inland, near Asomatos, lies Kourtaliotis Gorge. The surrounding area also includes Preveli Monastery and Preveli Beach and its palm grove. The river that runs through Kotsyfos Gorge crosses the Plakias valley, where an old watermill survives.

Ancient remains and local traditions

The present settlement is relatively recent, but archaeological finds in the area, mainly from the Roman period, point to earlier habitation. An ancient cemetery has been identified near the church of Zoodochos Pigi. One explanation connects the name Plakias with the stone slabs that covered the graves, while another traces it to the natural rock slabs along the coast. The identification of the area with the ancient Phoenix of the Lappaeans remains a hypothesis.

A local legend tells of two young women who took refuge in the church of Zoodochos Pigi while fleeing pirates. According to the story, the south wall opened and they escaped into the neighbouring olive grove.