Rethymno prefecture offers to the visitor a variety of beaches ,
popular and well organised at the north coast while small isolated with crystal clear beaches are found at the south coast, ideal for nature lovers and for those seeking for relax and a taste of natural beauty.

NORTH BEACHES

Moving from Chania  to Rethymnon town after Georgioupoli beach (which belongs geografically to Chania prefecture but it is closest to Rethymnon town and is mostly visited by Rethymnon inhabitants) you pass along an endless beach of about 11km long. Wherever you stop you may find a nice place to swim, but the most well known spots of that beach are.

A small nice rocky coast unknokn to the many visitors. It is visited only by the Cretan people mostly due to the total isolation it offers and secondly due to the fish-tavern of  ''Agapi'' (love in Greek, the name of the owner) where you can find absolut fresh fish and many local tastes. You will never visit foreign people at the tavern since it is known only to the very friends.

Endless sandy crowded beach offering many facilities to the visitor. Cafes, restaurants, beach bars, umbrellas and sunchairs for your accommodation. Pay attention to the weather and to the weather-flags found at the coast, since when it is windy the sea becomes quite dangerous at the area. The beach is ideal for those seeking sun tanning and facilities, not for nature lovers.

At the end of rethymnon town beach is found Skaleta a settlement with plenty of traditional Greek tavernas, bars and shops and a nice beach.   Enjoy your swimming and stay for a sunset at one of the numerous tavernas.

Leaving Rethymnon behind and moving to Heraklion you will find a bridge. At the left you can see Geropotamos beach, a nice sandy beach with a beach bar - tavern.  Often windy is a nice solution if you wish to be close to Rethymnon town but you don't like the crowded beach of it. Mostly visit by Cretan people.

This beach is located at Panormos,  small   fishing  village with a nice coast. Offers many facilities to the visitor .

Well known resort, Bali is a picturesque fishing village with a nice harbour and many coves with small beaches. Many taverns , and cafes, quite crowded and turned into a popular tourist resort.

SOUTH BEACHES

The south coast of Rethymnon prefecture is full of small isolated wonderful beaches. Expept of those described below, search and find your own ones. Wherever you stop with your car or moto you will find a nice place to swim. Explore them, they will surely come up to your expectations.

A famous beach of Rethymnon prefecture. An oasis of palm trees and the river of Kourtaliotis ending at this wonderful lake - beach creating a delta. You can walk in the river towards the Gorge of Kourtaliotis which can been seen from the road which leads from Rethymnon to Preveli and Plakias.   The beach and the river are surrounded by palm trees and rich vegetation and are considered to be one of the most attractive places in Crete. It used to be an ideal place for camping and naturalism lovers but now camping is forbidden. The sea is crystal clear and the water has wonderful green colour.
The place is accessible only by foot or by boat. Many organized cruises with little boats depart from Plakias or Agia Galini and get you to Preveli beach.  Unfortunately most of the times during high season the beach is extremely crowded.

Located east of Plakias village a tourist resort with many cafes and restaurants. Sandy, well organised beach ideal for swimming and sea sports which becomes better and better when you move east towards Damnoni.  There you can find many small secluded beaches for the naturalism lovers as well as some organized ones providing quite few facilities such as sun chairs and umbrellas.

Damnoni used to be one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches of Crete but now it is a quite organised one with umbrellas and sun chairs. Though, it still remains one of the best all over Crete while there are many secluded small beaches around the main one accessible by sea or by dirt road wher you can enjoy the most clear water one can find and the best quality of sand. You will meet nudists. Explore the different coasts around , you might even find a beach where you can be on your own.

One of those dirt roads leads to Ammoudi a small cove , a paradise for nature and peace lovers. Beside Ammoudi you may also find more coves. The water is crystal clear and the sandy beach perfect. You will meet nudists.

Moving east of Plakias you will also find many small beaches untill you end up at Rodakino a small quiet village not very known surrounded by many small beaches accessible either by foot either by asphalt road wher one can be totally alone and isolated. Perfect for relaxation and for peaceful vacation.

Famous tourist resort this old fishing village, built aphitheatrical on a cliff ending at a coast offers a nice organised beach to the visitors who wish to enjoy swimming and sea sports. Moving east towards the end of the beach, you will see that it becomes more and more quiet and nice. You will meet and a small river ending in the sea. Picturesque area when you can enjoy swimming under the cliffs or at the long sandy beach. It is a well organised resort with many hotels, camping sites, bars, tavernas and other recreation centres, as well as all the facilities required by tourists and locals. Though it has managed to keep its traditional colour and picturesque style untouched by the touristic development. It is one of the many attraction of Crete.

Aghios Pavlos beach is located a little further from Sachtouria village (at its coastal settlement called Aghios Pavlos) is a wonderful gray-sandy beach but it is very difficult to be approached. It is located at the bottom of a sandy cliff where you have to walk down by foot while the sand  burns your feet. Not easily visible by the road. The road that leads thereis dirt road at its end while the road till Sachtouria is very narrow and quite dangerous. Usually it has few visitors.