Crete
- Spots4
- Water in Sep25°
- Free to enter3
Every spot in Crete
Typical water temperature in September.
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Balos Lagoon
Beach, Kissamos · Natura 2000 protected area (Gramvousa)
White sand runs out between the Gramvousa peninsula and the small Tigani headland, closing off a lagoon only a few centimetres deep, with deeper water for swimming on the right-hand side of the bay.
25°Sep -
Elafonisi
Beach, Elafonisi · Protected area (Natura 2000): no vehicles past the barrier, dunes and cedars fenced off
A low sandy islet about 1.5 km long sits roughly 150 m off the beach, and a shallow channel lets you wade across to its dunes.
25°Sep Free -
Falassarna
Beach, Falassarna · Natura 2000 protected area
Five sandy beaches run into one another at Falassarna, and the two in the middle get the most people.
25°Sep Free -
Vai
Beach, Vai · Protected palm forest: fenced, no entry to fenced areas, no camping, no fires
A 60-hectare palm forest, guarded by the Forest Service, grows right behind this beach of fine sand and pebbles, 24 km from Sitia.
25°Sep Free
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Questions about Crete
Can you swim in Crete in October and November?
Yes. The sea around Crete is typically about 23 °C in October and 20 to 21 °C in November, after 25 °C in September. The swimming season runs from May to November.
How do you get to Balos?
Either by day boat from Kissamos port, about an hour each way, or by a rough dirt road to a car park above the lagoon and then a path down to the sand that takes 35 to 40 minutes, uphill on the way back. There is an access fee for the protected area; the amount is on the official site.
Which Crete beaches are in protected areas?
Balos and Falassarna are Natura 2000 sites. At Elafonisi cars stop at a guarded barrier, and the dunes and cedars behind the beach are fenced off. At Vai the palm forest behind the beach is fenced, and camping and fires are banned.
Which Crete beaches can you reach by bus?
KTEL Chania-Rethymno buses serve Falassarna from Chania and Kissamos, and run a summer service to Elafonisi. For Balos, the bus goes to Kissamos port, where the day boats leave. Vai has KTEL buses from Sitia bus station.