A guide for the best Chania beaches

Chania is a wonderful region in the western part of Crete. The picturesque town of Chania, its amazing beaches and wild nature make it perfect for an active and unforgettable vacation. Here’s a guide to some of the best Chania beaches, from the famous to the hidden gems.

 

The most popular and best Chania beaches

Depending on where you are staying, make a plan to visit some of the most popular Crete beaches. Visiting all of them in just one week or ten days of vacation is impossible. The water is crystal clear everywhere around the island so I won’t mention this fact again in the descriptions of each beach.

Here’s what we have visited this summer, and you can decide where you would like to go and enjoy 🙂

Balos Beach

The most famous beach and landmark of Crete is Balos Beach.
It is known as the “Greek Maldives” because of its turquoise-blue water, and white-gold sand.

 

Balos Lagoon is located 53 km from Chania. You can reach it by car driving from Kalivani town on dirt road 8 km, and then hiking 1 km to the beach. Another option is an organized boat tour from Kissamos port, which is more pleasant and easier, especially if you’re travelling with the children.

The lagoon is a stunning combination of white-gold sand, shades of blue, green and turquoise water, and a rocky hill that creates a breathtaking view. The shallow water is perfect for walking, swimming, and relaxing in an amazing environment.

 

Even though it is very crowded in July and August, it is one of the must-see beaches in Crete. There is only one small canteen in the lagoon, so it’s better to bring water and everything you need with you. There are also a few sunbeds and umbrellas because it is a nature-protected area.
You can read more about this fantastic place, the boat tour and Gramvousa Island here👇

 

Elafonisi Beach

Elafonisi is one of the most beautiful Greek beaches, and it is often ranked among the top beaches in the world.

It is known as a “Pink paradise” because of its soft and pink sand, which comes from countless tiny pieces of broken sea shells.

 

But, the beach’s actual colour is more of a light pink mixed with golden sand. So don’t expect pink sand on the beach as you can see in many photos on the internet. These images are either photoshopped or enhanced with filters.

 

Nevertheless, the beach is amazing, and it might be one of the most beautiful Greek beaches I have ever seen 🙂

 

It reminds me a bit of Balos, with its shallow lagoon with warm water that connects the beach to a small islet.

 

There is a limited number of sunbeds and umbrellas. A set costs 20 EUR, and an additional sunbed is 4 EUR. There are two beach bars, changing cabins, and a toilet (1 EUR). Watersports like windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, and SUP rentals are available as well.

By the way, Elafonisi Beach is a part of the Natura 2000 program because of its unique flora and fauna, including the famous Carreta Carreta turtles.

 

 How to get to the Elafonissi Beach

The beach is located on the southwestern side of Crete, about 75 km from Chania. It takes approximately one hour and a half to drive there, following scenic but winding mountain roads.

You can visit it by car, by bus or by boat from Chania and Paleochora ports.
If you go by car, there is a smaller and larger parking lot, which is about 650 m away (8-10 minutes of walking). The parking costs 5 EUR per day. From Chania’s main public bus station, you can catch the bus that departs promptly at 9:00 AM. Keep in mind that the last return from Elafonisi is at 4:00 PM.

Even though we arrived at the beach around 10 AM, it was already crowded. But when we saw a huge number of tourists were also coming to the beach, we decided to explore further. So, we visited the Monastery of Panagia Chrissoskalitissa, located a few km from Elafonisi, on the cliff above the beach, and later the Agia Apostoli beach.

 

Falassarna Beach

The beautiful Fassarna Beach is located about 59 km from Chania, and 15 km from Kissamos, on Crete’s west coast. It can be reached by car, or bus from Chania, in about 40 minutes.

A winding road leads you to the wide and three km long beach, which is divided into five parts. On the left side, you can see many olive trees and various vegetation.

 

Falassarna is a well-organized beach with a large parking lot, many sunbeds and umbrellas, showers, a beach volleyball court, and various water sports facilities. Even though it’s one of the most visited beaches in Crete, there is no feeling of being overcrowded because of its size.

 

The water is incredible, clear and perfect for swimming, and snorkelling. The beach is ideal for long walks. Several bars and taverns are spread along the beach, making it perfect for a full day’s stay.
In some moments, the strong wind blew, but overall, our day at Fallasarna was perfect 🙂

 

If you continue driving to the end of the road and then take a dirt road for about 5 minutes, you will find the ruins of the ancient Hellenistic harbour and town of Fallasarna.

We heard that the best sunset can be seen from this beach, but we left it before the sunset… Maybe we will see it some other time.

 

 

Stavros or Zorba’s beach

This beach is located about 17 km from Chania, in the village of Stavros on the Akrotiri Peninsula. The best way to get there is by car. Another option is by bus from Chania, which takes approximately 40 minutes, but check the KTEL schedule.

 

I’m sure that many of you are familiar with the film “Zorba the Greek” and the fantastic music composed by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. This beach was the filming location of the famous scene where Anthony Quinn danced “sirtaki” in 1964. Becaouse of this, the beach is also known as Zorba’s Beach.

 

The small bay is surrounded by a mountain, making it interesting to watch it, especially when the people climb into the nearby cave, close to its top.

The water is shallow at the beginning, but there are some stone slabs at the at the water’s entrance.

 

Zorba’s Beach is well organized, with showers, and excellent sunbeds and umbrellas. The set price is 30 EUR, but a large part of the beach is free if you want to bring your umbrella and towels. There are several taverns with fresh seafood and Cretan dishes to complete your perfect day on Zorba’s beach.

 

Seitan Limania Beach

If we translate “Seitan Limania” into English, it means “Satan’s Harbour”. “Seitan” is the Turkish word for “devil,” and the beach was used as a small port by the Ottoman during its rule of Crete. It got this name probably because of the strong currents and the rugged rocks that surround the bay.

 

It was initially only known to locals, but its unique landscape and turquoise water have made it a popular spot among tourists since 2010.

Seitan Limania, also known as the Stefanou Beach is nestled between two canyons. It is a small and unorganized beach with fine pebbles and sand, so make sure to bring everything you need with you. The last chance to buy drinks and snacks is at the small canteen before the parking lot. And take care of your belongings. The goats are usual visitors on the beach, and they like to rummage through your bags searching for food 🙂

 

How to get to Seitan Limania Beach

The beach is located about 20 km northeast of Chania, on the east side of the Akrotiri Peninsula. If you coming from Chania, follow the road towards the Chania airport, Chordaki village, and small signs that lead to the beach. Drive carefully because the road is very winding.

Alternatively, there are buses from Chania, but you need to check the KTEL schedule (3-4 trips daily). Boat tours are also available, but keep in mind that the boats stop near the bay, and you’ll need to swim or snorkel to get closer to the beach.

 

From the parking lot, you have to hike down the mountain for about 15 minutes to the beach. Forget flip flops, and wear comfortable shoes because the path is rocky, narrow and slippy.

 

I have to admit that we saw Seiatan Beach partially 🙂
We arrived about 10 hours in the morning, but the parking lot was already full. And when we noticed that more people arriving, we decided just to take a few photos from the top. Interestingly, drone shooting wasn’t possible. Perhaps it is because of the gorge, or the fact that the area is protected and near both the civil Daskalogiannis Airport and the navy airport. 

Nevertheless, this hidden beach is a paradise for adventurers and hiking lovers. It’s certainly, one more stunning beach to remember.

 

Ravdoucha Beach

Ravdoucha Beach is a hidden gem in the Chania region. From the small village of Ravdoucha, located on a hill in the Rodopos peninsula, follow the narrow and zig-zag road about 1,5 km to the beach, and drive carefully.

 

On the right side, you’ll find s a small harbour with two taverns, while on the left side is a beach surrounded by steep rocks, olives and tamarisk trees. The incredible nature formed small rocky pools of water. This beach is pebbled, so water shoes are recommended.

 

The view of the rocks and waves is amazing, just be careful because the rock slabs at the water’s entrance are very slippery.

 

There are several villas, small hotels and taverns around the beach if you like to be accommodated in this part of Chania.

We arrived there around 2 PM, but all the sunbeds nestled in the shades of trees were already occupied. Since it was a very hot day, we took a few photos and then headed to Agia Apostoli-Golden Beach.

 

 

 

Kalyves Beach

After an unsuccessful visit to the archaeological site of Aptera (it is closed on Tuesday), we headed to Kalyves Beach. It is located about 19 km east of Chania, on the south coast of Souda Bay, in the charming village of Kalyves.

 

Kalyves Beach is sandy and shallow, well protected from winds, and it boasts a Blue Flag. Several cafes and taverns along the smaller part of the beach offer sunbeds and umbrellas. The second and bigger part is partly organized, with plenty of space to step up your umbrella and towels. There is also a small harbour at the end of the beach. 

A set of sunbeds and an umbrella is 10 EUR, but you can get them free if you are a customer at some bars or taverns.

 

Kalyves is a peaceful tourist resort, surrounded by green fields, olives and three rivers. One of them, Xydas runs onto the beach and into the sea. The village has a rich history which ties to ancient Aptera, as well as Venetian and Ottoman influences. Today, you can see the old traditional houses alongside modern ones in its narrow streets.

Kalyves is a great option for families and those seeking a quiet vacation. The area offers a variety of apartments, hotels, shops, and restaurants with excellent local specialities such as grilled seafood, mezes (small dishes), and salads. We enjoyed fresh fish and Greek salad at Elena restaurant, it was very delicious, and the prices were lower than in Chania restaurants.

 

Chania beaches

Well, I hope you enjoy discovering the most popular Chania beaches.
Some of them are among the best beaches in Greece, and worldwide famous.
However, there are many beautiful and interesting beaches in Chania, such as Agia Marina, Platanias, Georgioupolis, Kalathas, Frangokastello, Loutraki, Paleochora, etc. Nea Chora beach is the closest to Chania town.

We also visited the famous Matala Beach located about 68 km southwest of Heraklion town.
👉 You can read more about this stunning beach known by ancient caves and hippies here.

So, just relax, enjoy a Nescafee or Freddo cappuccino, and indulge yourself in the soothing sound of waves, marvellous Chania beaches and the blue sky.