During my time in Chania on Crete I did a few day trips to the famous beaches in the West of the island. Elafonisi was on my list, but my roommate at the hostel had told me he wasn’t that impressed. He also said he went as part of a tour and felt as if it was a long day for just 3,5 hours at the beach, with stops at restaurants where he didn’t want to go. I wanted to see it for myself and decided to take the public bus. It meant I had a looooooong day at the beach, but at least I didn’t have the obligatory stops of an organised tour.
I must say that from the moment my eyes saw the beach I was simply blown away. What’s not to like! It’s the perfect lagoon, with lots of shallow water that is so clear it looks fake. It’s like one of those tropical swimming pools only outdoors and without the chlorine. The beach itself isn’t super big and for the most part it’s filled with parasols and sunbeds. Since I’d had way too much sun already I decided to pay the 10 euro rent for a parasol and beds. There was no other shade to be found anywhere else. Since the offer of parasols is limited, I’m glad I came early.
I left some stuff on my bed, packed the rest in my dry bag and went out to explore the area. The beauty of Elafonisi beach is that you can go beyond the beach where the majority of people sit. If you’re not too lazy you can walk through the shallow water to a small island. On the other side of the island you’ll find much quieter beaches with water that gets a bit deeper too.
The island has some protected areas that are fenced off and you’re asked to take away any rubbish, although I think people should do that anywhere. You are allowed to use the beach though and if you have your own parasol and don’t mind carrying it, this side is even more beautiful than the lagoon. I walked passed people who had found their own private part of the beach, with only occasionally people like me walking through.
Elafonisi is known as the pink beach. Google it and you’ll find photos with lots of pink sand. However, you have to be lucky to get these kind of shots. The pink sand isn’t always there. It is caused by some shells with the red/pinkish color. I was lucky to see a lot of pink glow where the water hit the shore.
At the end of the island is a hill with a little church and you’re allowed to walk to it. So I kept going, my feet in the water where I could. At the very end you have to walk through the loose sand to climb the hill. I put my flipflops on since the sand was already getting hot. Sand was flying everywhere.
It was worth walking all this way. There was a beautiful view towards the mainland and the lagoon, although you can’t quite make out the lagoon itself. There is a refreshing wind so that you don’t notice the intense sun so much. When I was back at my sun lounger I even got cold in the shade! I loved that I could spent about 2 hours walking on the island, taking photos and having little swims in the gorgeous water.
When I got back to the lagoon all the sunbeds were full. I can’t imagine what this beach is like in a normal year. I’ve read about traffic jams and massive crowds. I feel so lucky to have been able to enjoy this extraordinary piece of Greece like this.
Elafonisi: all the info
How to get there: you can drive, take the public bus or go with an organised tour. A tour costs about 25 Euro, whereas the public bus costs 20 Euro. Going by public bus you’ll have more time on the beach.
Currently (due to COVID-19) there is only one bus at 9AM from Chania, which returns at 5.45PM. The bus ride takes about 2 hours since you’re going through the mountains. The distance from Chania is 76km.
At the beach: there are some vendors so you can get drinks and snacks, but there is no town close by. It’s best to bring some food and water. The standard price for 2 sun loungers and a parasol is 10 Euro. Alternatively, bring a parasol as there is no shade. There is a toilet you can use for a small fee.
Staying: there is no real village close to the beach, but there are a few accommodations just a short drive away.
Kind of reminds me if the coast of Maine was found in the tropics!