💎Pink-tinted Sand with Crystal Clear Water feels like heaven.
Located in the southwest corner of Crete, Elafonisi beach sparkles with pink-tinted sand and crystal-clear Mediterranean waters. If you're feeling adventurous, you can wade across Elafonisi's shallow lagoon to a small, uninhabited island, home only to a historic lighthouse, a chapel and more than 100 native plant species. Recent travelers hail Elafonisi as one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, if not in all of Greece However, Elafonisi's beauty comes with a few drawbacks. First, you must brave winding roads and harrowing mountain passes to get there. Once you arrive, your visions of pristine sandy stretches may be spoiled by the legions of tourists who have also made the trek, especially in the summer months. But never fear: You can avoid the throngs of visitors by venturing a little farther away from the parking lot. A short walk east or west and you will hit smaller yet more secluded shorelines bordered by a juniper forest. Another surefire way to beat the crowds is to visit in the off-season. From late October to April, you might just get the beach all to yourself.
You'll find Elafonisi beach about 45 miles southwest of Chania. During the high season (May to September) you can take a public bus from Paleochora or Chania to Elafonisi, but it only runs once a day. There's free parking available, so you may want to make the drive to the beach yourself. While there, take heed of the rules: Elafonisi is a protected nature reserve, so no umbrellas (besides the ones provided), fires, camping, littering or destroying plants.
