Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In summer, there are two daily buses from Rethymno (€4.50, 1¼ hours) and one from
Plakias (€2.30, 30 minutes).
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Beaches Between Plakias & Agia Galini
Preveli Beach
BEACH
(
Παραλία Πρέβελη
; Palm Beach)
A collage of natural beauty, Preveli Beach is like an ex-
clamation mark idling at the mouth of the Megalopotamos River at the end of its mean-
der through the rugged Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Where the canyon meets the beach, the
stream's chilly water tumbles through a jungle of oleander endemic palm trees into a la-
goon hemmed in by soft sand and the shimmering Med. Its stunning setting makes Prev-
eli one of Crete's most celebrated strands.
A steep 1km path leads down to the beach from a car park (€2), 1km before Moni
Preveli. Alternatively, drive 5km along a signposted dirt road from a stone bridge and the
excellent
Taverna Gefyra
off the Moni Preveli main road. It dead ends at
Amoudi
Beach
from where Preveli Beach is about a 1km walk over the headland. There's a snack
bar for cold drinks and snacks.
Triopetra
BEACH
(
Τριόπετρα
)
Triopetra is a big beach named after three giant rocks jutting out of the sea.
A headland divides the sandy strip into 'Little Triopetra' and 'Big Triopetra'. The former
is home to
Pavlos Place
(mains €5-12, rooms d/tr/q €36/40/45; Apr-Oct)
, which has fab-
ulously fresh fish caught by the owner himself as well as inspired salads and vegetable
sides prepared with home-grown organic produce. There are also a few simple but com-
fortable rooms that are often booked up by yoga workshop participants.
Because of submerged sand shelves, Little Triopetra is not ideal for swimming, so
head to the 'big' beach for that. There are two more tavernas with rooms along here.
Triopetra can be reached from Agios Pavlos (about 300m is drivable dirt road) or via a
12km winding asphalt road from the village of Akoumia on the Rethymno-Agia Galini
road.
Agios Pavlos
BEACH
(
Αγιος Παύλος
)
Cradled by cliffs, Agios Pavlos is little more than a couple of small tav-
ernas with rooms and a beach bar set around a picture-perfect crescent with dark, course
sand with the distinctive silhouette of Paximadia Islands looming offshore. A steep stair-
