Elafonisi Beach, Crete
Crete, the island where culture, authenticity, natural beauty and gastronomy meets. Some of the most amazing beaches in Greece are located on Crete island. Elafonisi is one of them and it is an absolute must!
Elafonisi lagoon is famous for its pink sand, which at many parts of is is actually crushed shells,that makes it exotic and wonderful. It is situated in the region of Chania, and 76km away from Chania town. It is ideal for all levels of swimmers because the water is quite shallow and safe and the bay is protected by strong winds or big waves, no matter what time of the day you visit the beach. It is a Natura 2000 protected area.
You will enjoy swimming, relaxing in the sun with a nice cocktail in hands, but you will also find time and space to avoid the crowds. The eastern part of the lagoon can get quite busy in August, bit the rest of the long sandy beach is rarely too crowdy. The best time to visit Elfaonisi, if you want to escape the summer crowds, could be anytime between May, June, early July, September or even October.
The road to the beach is adventurous as there are some turns and it is quite narrow, but you will never forget the beauty of the landscape.
Travel tip: As the lagoon is a shelter for various sea turtles, plants and animals, it is forbidden to remove any plants, animals or shells from the beach. At many points, the water is up to 1 meter so you can easily walk all the way from the one side to the other of the peninsula.