Crete · CRETE BEACH TRIPS
127 tours
Balos, Elafonisi, Falassarna, Preveli: the beaches that make the postcards are all at the ends of long roads or short boat rides. These trips do the getting-there for you. Below is how much time each one gives you on the sand, whether the boat ticket is separate, and which pickups run from your side of the island.
A 7-hour boat cruise from Kissamos to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa, with a Venetian Castle hike, swims, and scenic sea views.
“Water was so nice, ride was smooth. Wkuld totally recommend”
From Chania, ride an air-conditioned coach to Elafonisi, Crete’s famed pink sand beach, with Topolia Gorge views and guided stops.
“Mona & George were beyond gracious, hospitable, timely, informational and patient. Elafonisi is very beautiful in October. Two lounges could be rented for the whole day for €20. An inexpensive beer is less than four euros and an ice cream is four euros. The beach is very beautiful although I wouldn't call it pink. The water is of a variety of blues but always clear.”
Elafonissi pink sand beach day trip from Rethymno. Air-conditioned bus, guided stops, and hours of turquoise water time.
“It was very good, pick up, on time , from hotel. Good guide , good English , good knowledge . Good driver . We had an over all good day. Beach was beautiful although a bit crowded but that was to be expected this time of year. We found hidden spots that were less crowded . Good with a couple of stops on the way as it was a long drive from Rethymno.”
Rethymno to Preveli, Damnoni, and Plakias with waterfalls, palm-forest river swimming, and gorge views in one long day.
“Our guide Barbara was very good! The transportation was great and on time! Would recommend x”
Pink sand, clear water, and countryside stops. From Rethymno, spend about 4 hours on Elafonisi in a guided day trip.
“Very friendly and while driving we got to know many interesting things about Crete by Stella. We had a great time and would book the tour again :)”
4WD safari to Preveli palm beach and gorges, with Spili fountain, plus lunch and unlimited wine. Hotel pickup included.
“Very nice trip into the remote country. Breathtaking views , amazing food and very nice people. What a way to experience the local culture, nice people, scenery and food .”
Elafonissi Beach day trip from Chania with pink sand, 4 hours to swim and explore, plus a stop in Elos Village for lunch.
“The beach and island is absolutely beautiful and we did locate some of the famous pink sand (here and there). Our young driver was very skilful navigating the narrow Cretan roads and did a fantastic job at getting us safely to/from the destination. The pickup from a pre-determined location was on time and our guide made every effort to make sure everyone was happy. Please note the activity offers many pick-up locations, however not necessarily from Your hotel, so you may need to travel to a pre-determined spot. The bus itself was a little cramped (I measure about 5'6" or 176cm) and my knees where against the seat in front…”
Elafonisi Beach day tour from Heraklion, with pickup and an air-conditioned coach, plus 4.5 hours at pink-sand Elafonisi.
“BEST TRIP EVER !!! At first we were hesitating due to length of the journey but it was so worth it !! Driver picked us up on time outside our hotel. 4 hours journey, mid stopped for 20 mins was very nice. The guide lady explained the island very well. We spent 4+ hours on the island, so beautiful and warm. And on the way back was very fast ! Really enjoyed thank you.”
Cruise to Balos Lagoon from Heraklion, swim in crystal water, then tour Chania’s Venetian harbor and old streets.
“Great day, worth the early start, Balos is beautiful, guide was great and informative. The only thing that let it down was the bus, the seats were so uncomfortable and for such a long journey it would have been better if the seats were more comfortable. The coach driver George was great tho!”
4-hour cruise from Kolymbari to Menies Beach and Chironisia Bay for snorkeling, swims, and ancient plus WWII underwater sights in Crete.
“So happy for we booked to do this! Everything was so easy with pick up and drop off from right outside our hotel. The boat was quite busy but the two swimming spots we went to didnt have any other large boats so it didnt feel too crowded. And the water was beautiful. I’d definitely recommend this!”
Pink sand, a cave stop, and a long Crete bus ride from Chania. Get 4 hours at Elafonissi with A/C and guided stops.
“The beach was beautiful, but very crowded. This is worth noting. Its not like the pictures, ie secluded and serene. Its also a decent walk from bus stop to the beach so elderly may struggle. The bus trip itself too a very long time. Its 4-5 hours in transit, so you are really only at the beach for 4 hours. The bus goes all over the place picking people up. We would have happily paid double the ticket to go direct. The bus was air conditioned and comfortable. There is a major rest stop both ways, which is nice. Fair warning the road to the beach is winding and high…”
Chania jeep tour to Balos Lagoon viewpoint and Falassarna Beach, with reserved loungers and Cretan lunch plus pickup and small-group comfort.
“Absolutely wonderful experience from pickup to drop off! Yiannis was an incredible guide for the day and had so much information to share about Crete and Greece from history to culture to food or even favorite restaurants or places to travel. The beach was also incredible with clear blue water and reserved loungers, along with a very nice lunch right at the beachside restaurant. Definitely recommend this!!”
South Crete day trip from Heraklion with Matala beach time, hippie caves, and Odigitria Monastery, plus hotel pickup and guide.
“Matala was nice, although 5 Euro to get past a fence to look at the hippy caves!! The Gortyn ruins were disappointing with very limited structures and no signs providing any information. We couldn’t get reception for the information via the QR code. There seemed to be more ruins of the old city outside of the ticketed complex.”
A long day from Chania to Elafonisi’s pink sand, with coach comfort, guided stops, and a traditional Elos lunch break.
“What a great trip this was! Daphne was such an amazing tour guide. She shared so many cool and interesting facts along the way - from the olive trees, the animals, the food and the traditions. Would 100% recommend this tour. There are a few tricky roads to navigate that would be better taken by someone as experienced as our coach driver. Felt we were in the safest hands. The restaurant we stopped off at for lunch - Kamares - was absolutely incredible! It was one of my favourite places to eat on the whole island. You must go!”
Full-day bus and boat trip to Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon from Rethymno, swim stops and fortress views for about $64.
“Alles hat gut geklappt. Unser Guide hat gut deutsch gesprochen( Auch englisch). Alles auf den Programm haben wir gemacht und man hat auch genügend Zeit gehabt bei beiden Orten. Würde es nochmals buchen”
