Vathi Beach

About

A secluded beach at the end of a small canyon, big rocks make it look like a lagoon.

Vathi lies at the mouth of a little canyon in the far south of Heraklion. Big rocks almost close off the bay, so the water looks like a lagoon in shades of blue and turquoise. There is sand, a sandy and rocky seabed for snorkelling and a few tamarisks, but no facilities.

Getting here involves a dirt road and, in places, a short walk, so it is rarely busy. There are no facilities at all: bring water, food, shade and good shoes. The surrounding landscape of the Asterousia is wild and beautiful, with hardly a building in sight.

Phaistos covers the western Messara, the largest plain of Crete, and its coast on the Libyan Sea. Here lie some of the most important Minoan sites, Phaistos and Agia Triada, and the beaches of Matala, Kommos, Kalamaki and the long Messara bay. Inland, towns like Moires and Tymbaki are busy farming centres, while villages such as Zaros, Vori and Kamilari are perfect for a slower pace. The area is warm and sunny, with a long swimming season.

Anreise

About 1 hour 40 minutes from Heraklion (79 km south west), the last part on a dirt road.

On the map

34.95251, 24.75451 · See on map