Are there any seaside places in Crete not affected by pollution and mass tourism?

Question

Name those with good swimming beaches and not far from towns where some good nightlife occurs during summer time and just before and after the season.Tell from personal experience if possible with details on where to stay,eat,etc.

Answer 1

Sweaty bodies and noise every plce. No fun now.

Answer 2

Generally speaking, the further away you go from the main airport (Heraklion), the quieter it tends to get. The major resorts of Rethymnon, Hania (Chania), Agios Nikolaus, Hersonissos and Malia are all very touristic with Hersonissos and Malia being geared towards the 18 - 30 type of holidaymakers. Rethymnon (1 and a half hrs from airport) is a cultural town - large, not particularly attractive on the outskirts however along the Venetian front and down at the port it is lovely. It has beautiful beaches (blue flag standard) which extend out for around 11 miles to the east taking in a long line of now joined up villages which tend to be quiet. An ideal resort for you to stay near Rethymnon is Sfakaki which has a couple of decent restaurants a super(mini)market or three and has great transport links with the larger town.The local bus goes through all the villages on the way to Rethymnon - has great safe, clean beach too! The south of the island is usually a degree or two warmer than the north and the sea is warmer also. The problem with the southern beaches is that they tend to have very steep slopes from the waters' edge into the sea and get deep very quickly. The waves can also be quite rough. On the south, I would recommend Plakias as being a quiet resort with many tavernas and quiet bars. It is not far from the slightly busier resort of Agia Galini both resorts tend to have many German and Scandinavian tourists. On the far east of the island a more remote destination you may wish to consider is Kato Zakros which whilst does have facilities is quite well off the beaten track and has quite a long transfer time from the airport approx 2 and a half hrs. Nearer to the airport on the east is a quiet, mixed age tourist resort called Sissi (Sission) about 1 - 1 and a half hours' transfer time from the aiport, which has a beautiful harbour, a plethora of restaurants (the fish taverna down on the harbour is great - take care with buying fish in Greece tho' it is EXTORTIONATE in comparison to UK prices - sold by the kilo usually), plenty of new comfortable accomodations and a lovely sandy coved beach with watering hole situated to the right of the village as you look out to sea. Sissi is in close proximity to the town of Malia (7kms to the west) should you wish to take in the bars and dancing bars and shopping there. In the centre of the north coast of the island you could maybe also have a look a a resort called Ammoudara. It is situated just to the west of Heraklion - actually it's joined onto it, and is used by many of the greeks as a place to escape from the main town. It has wonderful beach offering watersports in restricted areas. The only con in this resort is that there is a Power Station in the proximity (unseen except for the red and white striped chimney stacks which emit steam - the steam never reaches the resort as it's alway blown inland). In Ammoudara I would recommend Petousis Apartments as a base which has an island wide reknowned, excellent, very competitively priced restaurant attached to it which is unusually open all year. It (Ammoudara)is also close to the village of Lygaria as mentioned by a previous contributor and also Agia Pelagia. As far as recommending other accomodation is concerned, that very much depends on what you're looking for! Everything is available! Nightlife is very restricted except in the major towns out of season. The smaller tourist towns and villages basically close down for the winter season which lasts from the last week in October until the end of March. Quieter areas do close even earlier and open later. Good luck. Hope you find something useful in this lot!!!!!

Answer 3

I been to crete twice. First time I stayed i went to Malia and I stayed at the illos appartments which was right in the town and beach was about 7 mins walk down the road. The bars and resturants are great!! In Malia there is a old village there with cobble streets with tavenas and local shops and the locals will great you as you walk pass! very polite here. Second time I went i stayed in agios Nicholas which was hilly resort and we stayed at the aghia apartments which was on the harbour, the view was beautiful! found this resort to be pricy and people wasn't nicer. The beaches were nice but a long walk up the hill where i stayed!! didn't really go with the heat! Best place is malia you will love it!!!

Answer 4

There are some beautiful places in Crete, the south side of the Island in particular has less tourism than the north. I can't really recommend places to stay (because my parents live there so I stay with them!!) but I can strongly recommend the Rough Guide to Crete as a very honest and factual travel guide!

Answer 5

I agree that the South is a god bet for getting away from the worst of mass tourism. Hard to find peace and quiet and nightlife. I like Paleochora - not too quiet not too busy. If by nightlife you mean clubs and disco dancing you might have to look hard to find much of it here.

Answer 6

Lygaria beach appartments seems a beautiful place to be if you are not worried about heights. Quiet, clean, spacious, a walk to the beach and good nightlife nearby. Check it out and let me know if you would like to buy my holiday from me, as I cannot go. (2nd October just a week booked with an appartment for two)
carolyn

Answer 7

i would recommend agia pelagia!!the beach is great,the water clean,and if you have a car,it's 15 minutes away from iraklion,where there is plenty of nightlife!
agios nickolaos is good,too!
mallia has some good beaches,and great nightlife,but too many tourists,who get drunk!the same for hersonissos!