The Best Beaches in Crete

Crete is one of those Greek Islands that is often overlooked in favor of the more commercialized islands such as Santorini and Mykonos. If there is one thing I learned about our trip to Greece, it is not to sleep on Crete! Here are two of the best beaches in Crete!

Elafonisi Beach

First is the jaw dropping Elafonisi Beach, also known as the beach with the pink sand. With its aqua crystal clear waters, interesting rock formations, and endless photo opportunities, it’s no wonder Elafonisi is ranked the top beach in Crete.

During our stay in Crete we rented a car. This is the only island we visited where I would recommend doing so, as the roads are not as intimidating or narrow, yet everything is very spaced out. Many of the best beaches in Crete are rather remote. You can get to these places by tour bus, but we preferred to beat the crowds and come earlier.

Although this beach can be quite busy, if you venture away from the chair rental area, you’ll find plenty of space to lounge, swim, and take pictures. It’s worth noting that to get to the sandbar part of the beach (where all these photographs were taken), you have to walk through chest deep water. So bare that in mind when thinking about what to bring to the beach. Unless you plan to stay on the main beach and rent a chair, you’ll be making this journey. It only takes a few minutes, and the water is calm and clear.

The water remains pretty shallow around the beach otherwise, and is as warm as bath water. If you have a drone, this is the perfect opportunity to capture some incredible footage. This beach is even more amazing from a aerial perspective.

Check out my Elafonisi Beach Vlog Below!

Preveli Palm Beach

The next beach you absolutely should see while in Crete is Preveli Palm Beach. This is far and away the most unique beach I’ve ever been to, with a river that splits through a forest of palm trees, feeding out to the ocean. It’s easy to see why it’s one of the best beaches in Crete.

I will warn you, it was quite the hike to get to. It took us about 30 minutes to hike down a steep cliff in the blistering heat. So wear proper footwear, and bring a hat and water bottle. We consider ourselves to be relatively fit, and this was a challenge for us, especially coming back up.

If you can brave the hike, it really is an incredible beach. More specifically, the river, which is the main focal point. The river water was a little chilly, but refreshing on a hot day. We spent the afternoon swimming up and down the river, which was never too deep for us to stand.

You can also explore the palm forest on foot, but we weren’t prepared and only had flip flops. Rookie mistake, I know. At the very least bring some water shoes, the beach is a little rocky.

This truly was such a special and unique experience, we felt like we were swimming down the Amazon, sans the piranhas and other deadly creatures. So if you’re up for an adventure, and want to get both your hike and swim on, then Preveli Palm Beach is the place for you!

I hope this blog post has inspired you to get out there and see two of the best beaches in Crete for yourself!

Check Out my Preveli Beach Video Below!