In an ideal world I would have rented a car and spent a few weeks making my way along the beautiful coastline of Crete; exploring every hidden gem it has to offer and taking time to enjoy the turquoise waters. But in reality, with only 7 days on the island, and some much needed rest and relaxation compulsory for a few of those 7 days, a choice needed to be made about which beaches were going to make the cut.
Before landing in Crete, Elafonisi and Balos were both on my radar. Although Balos beach looks absolutely beautiful, I was put off by the large amounts of tours going to Balos beach at once. From Platanias, there is a trip to Balos beach costing €48 which includes a coach from your hotel to Kissamos port, the ferry and then the coach back to your hotel. Similarly, there is a trip to Elafonisi costing €28 which simply includes transportation. There is also a public bus which runs from Chania – Elafonisi beach at 9am and makes the return journey at 5pm which is available in the summer months from June through to August.
Falassarna beach, from Chania is around 90 minutes, (around 75 from Platanias) by public bus. The bus runs 3 times throughout the morning, and 3 times for the return in the afternoon, the final being at 5pm. The bus costs €6 per person, each way. The journey is 100% worth it. The sand is soft and warm, the sea is beautiful. Although busy, the sheer size of this beach means it’s not overcrowded – and even in the high season of June it was easy to find a quiet spot.
There are several places along the beach where you can put your towels and umbrella down for free if you would prefer, however we opted to rent 2 sun loungers and an umbrella from the main beach which in total cost €8 for the day. This included waiter service for any food/drink we ordered from the nearby beach restaurant.
Because of its location, the beach does get a little windy which means you have to be extra careful with the sun protection – it doesn’t feel like you’re burning in the slightest. The water is crystal clear and perfectly cool. The beach stretches for miles and if I had more time in Crete, I would definitely dedicate a couple of days to testing them all out.
After a day of enjoying the sun, sand and sea – I would recommend checking out Adam’s tavern just up the hill from the main beach. We enjoyed souvlaki, Greek salad and tzatziki- and polished it all off just in time to get the final bus back into Chania. I would thoroughly recommend Falassarna beach and will definitely be back to check out more on my next trip to Crete.
If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous to do on your trip to Crete, why not try the amazing Samaria Gorge hike.
