Skinaria beach at Lefkogia
Skinaria Beach (or Shinaria) is located 33km south of Rethymno, 3km south of the village Lefkogia, in the east part of the wider Plakias area. Skinaria is a small beach with soft gray-beige sand and fine pebbles, with crystal blue deep water. The seabed is rocky, but on the north part of the beach, it is sandy.
Life thrives in the area, both inside and outside of the sea. On the beach, there are small ponds with fresh water that comes from springs that carry water from the mountain of Kouroupa. Around these lakes lush vegetation has been developed, reminiscent of tropical landscapes. Moreover, locals say that life in the sea is as vivid as that on the beach. Indeed, the seabed of Skinaria is one of the richest on the island. It hosts huge morays, blackfish, octopus, and generally all types of local marine biology, in abundance. Furthermore, water clarity is really impressive, usually exceeding 40m in the horizontal direction. Indeed, it is no coincidence that most scuba diving centers in Crete have Skinaria as their program.
The beach is slightly organized, with a tavern offering a few umbrellas and refreshments; the last time we visited the beach, umbrellas, and sunbeds were free if you bought refreshments. The beach can be accessed via a narrow road that starts from Lefkogia. The very narrow road that starts from Lefkogia leads to the beach after 2km. On the way to the beach, you'll see an amazing cylindric cave on your left hand, inside a rock.
