Beaches

Panagia Bay is the most protected of all bays of Dia island. It is located 2km east of the port of St. George and is surrounded by high rocky hills, full with oregano and herbs. If you are lucky you will see hares jumping from the bushes.

The waters of the entire area, and not only of Vyzaroplaka, are among the cleanest and clearest in Crete. The beach is protected from the summer meltemi and the westerly winds and almost never has waves.

Fylakas is a tiny beach at the base of the western side of Cape Fylakas of Tripiti in the Asterousia Mountains about 73 kilometers south of Heraklion and on the eastern border of the community of Miamou

Vala beach is located on the southeastern slopes of the Asterousia Mountains in a purely Cretan setting, with inaccessible gorges, bare rocks, steep cliffs and beautiful secluded beaches.

The wider area is full of salt pans, where you will see the famous salt pans of Asterousia filling hollows with seawater evaporated by the sun.

Kakoskalo beach is located 70 km southwest of Heraklion, on the borders of Tympaki and Agia Galini. The beach starts northwest of the port of Kokkinos Pyrgos.

In front of the settlement Agios Ioannis, west of Pontd, there is the small, sheltered beach of Ai Giannis. If you are looking for more seclusion, you can go to the beautiful beach of Elygia, to the east of the peninsula.

The area of Kouneni is located in the vicinity of the village of Pigaidakia, near Cape Lithino, in the “corner” of Messara, and is the southernmost territory of Crete. The highest point of the Cape is the windswept Mount Kefali, from which start vertical cliffs of 391m

Fylakes beach is located in Agia Pelagia. It is a tiny bay with fine sand and green shallow waters, protected by the high and verdant cliffs of Souda.

Plisimo is located east of the settlement of Treis Ekklisies on the southern steep slopes of Asterousia, near the point where the inaccessible gorge of Mesosfini empties.

Paliomantra is located in the area of Aginara, east of Platia Peramata and before we reach the area of Tsigounas. It belongs to the territory of the village Antiskari and is accessible by dirt road.

The sandy beach is formed in a small bay in front of the hotel Hellenic Palace. Opposite the bay there is an islet where you can go swimming, but beware for the strong currents. The beach is well organized with umbrellas and sunbeds, and there are several tamarisk trees nearby. Like most beaches in northern Crete, Santa Barbara is vulnerable to winds.

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 area is famous for the cave located close to the village, where in 1823 a large number of locals moved in the cave to escape from the Turks, but they massacred many of them after 15 days. Today, Milatos is touristically developed and hosts an important fishing harbor. The surrounding area is full with large olive groves and the coast is full of small rocky coves. Among them there are several beaches where you can swim.

There are several small and rocky bays in the area of Anogia at province Mirabelo. This area is also accessible by car though a wild landscape. One of these beaches is Vlychada Tzavlidon, which has large pebbles. There are impressive layers of conglomerate rocks on the walls of the beach, while on the west end there is a small arch at the base of which there is little spring with fresh water.

Vlychadia is located 31km north of Agios Nikolaos, on the north shores of the area of Mirabello. It is a small seaside settlement, where you can get after driving from Neapolis, through the villages Skinias and Agios Georgios. Around the dorp there are several small bays with secluded beaches, which are mainly rocky and pebbly.

The bay of Chomatistra is located 24km north of Agios Nikolaos and 9km north of Plaka, near the village Vrouchas and the Cape of Agios Ioannis - Aforesmenos. The wild landscape of the area is characterized by bare mountains, steep cliffs and strong winds.

Plaka is located 16km north of Agios Nikolaos, opposite the entrance of the lagoon of Korfos (or lagoon of Elounda), in one of the most beautiful places of Crete. A feature of Plaka is the wonderful views of the island Kalydon, on where the famous fortress of Spinalonga stands.

Dreros beach is shaped inside a hotel at Tsifliki area, 13km north of Agios Nikolaos, near the road that connects Elounda to the picturesque village of Plaka. It is shaped in a region surrounded by many olive groves and has wonderful views of the lagoon of Korfos (mainly known as Elounda lagoon) and the former leper colony, the fort of Spinalonga.

Elounda is located 10km north of Agios Nikolaos, near the northwest side of the Bay of Mirabello. It is famous for its expensive and luxurious hotels that host celebrities from all over the world. Apart from its glamorous character, Elounda has to offer visitors some of the most beautiful landscapes in Crete. These landscapes are highly dominated by the majestic small beaches of Elounda.