Discover why Elafonisi is one of Crete's most visited beaches: pink sand, crystal-clear waters, a remote location, and a few more secrets… 😉
Elafonisi is one of those places full of contradictions:
- Everyone (in their right mind) agrees that its beauty is spectacular.
- However, some fall in love with it at first sight.
- While others feel disappointed the moment they arrive.
Why does this happen? The answer is simple:
Expectations are to blame.
Well, we could also add the fact that being in the right place at the WRONG time doesn't help either.
That's why I'm going to explain what you'll really find in Elafonisi and how—or rather, when—to enjoy it as it deserves.
Shall we begin?
The real Elafonisi
Pink sand
Its pinkish hue, the feature that has made it world-famous, is caused by the erosion of corals and shells from marine organisms.
However, don't expect to find that explosion of color you see when searching for photos on Google Images. This is the first mistake that will lead to disappointment.
The shade of pink is muted, closer to coral. And its intensity will depend on the time of day and how the sunlight hits it at any given moment.
And that doesn't take away from its beauty at all. You can remove all the digital contrast adjustments you want, this place is still unforgettable.
Turquoise sea
And what about the color of the water? Crystal-clear, turquoise…
No matter how much people boost the saturation, it will still feel like you've reached the Caribbean Sea when you see it with your own eyes… until you dip your feet in.
Why? Because when it comes to tropical temperatures, “no way, José.”
The water is COLD. So much so that you won't believe you're swimming in the Mediterranean. Still, in the middle of summer, who doesn't feel like cooling off?
If your answer is “Not me,” you have an alternative: splash around like a sperm whale in the sun-warmed shallow pools that form in certain areas.
Paradise beach
Being located at the southwesternmost tip of Crete, you might expect to arrive at a spot isolated from civilization, almost untouched… especially if you look at the conditions of the road leading there (very bad, in case it wasn't clear).
Nothing could be further from the truth. The influx of tourists is so heavy that the label “paradise” loses its meaning by the minute.
The truth is that a large part of the sand is taken over by paid sunbeds and umbrellas, which gives it a somewhat “artificial” look. But the worst part is the crowd of people packing the shoreline during the summer months, especially July and August.
Running away from the crowds? You have 2 options to enjoy this beach as it deserves: choose the right time or the right spot.
Keep reading and I'll explain right away. 😉
Elafonisi Island
The beach is actually a narrow spit of sand connecting Crete to Elafonisi Island, which gives it its name.
Therefore, depending on the tide, you can walk across to the island barely getting your feet wet or wading in waist-deep water.
If you head along the southern coast of the beach towards the end of the island, you'll see that the paid sunbeds disappear completely and the number of tourists drops as you move away from the main area.
Looking for some relative privacy? Want to escape the crowds?
Keep walking until you feel comfortable. The sea never loses that turquoise color and there's plenty of sand for everyone here.
This is one way to avoid the crowds, but there are more:
When to go
The big question.
The months of July and August are the busiest, so during this time you'll have plenty of (too many) chances to share Elafonisi with hundreds or thousands of tourists (I really don't know how many can fit). 🙂
Solutions:
- I recommend choosing June and September to enjoy it with a bit more breathing room. Although the temperatures aren't quite as high, you can still enjoy delightful sunny days.
- Just want to take great photos and enjoy the panorama? In April and May it rarely rains and the high season hasn't started yet, so you'll be able to admire this beach in all its glory.
- If you have no choice but to go in July and August, make the most of the early morning and late afternoon hours, when the crowds are much lighter.
We visited Crete in early October 2013 and, despite the time of year, we had a great swim. That said, the wind was already quite chilly.
How to get there
By car
In my opinion, the most convenient way to get around Crete is by using your own rental car.
Even if the roads to reach Elafonisi are ‘backroads’, so to speak, they're easy to drive on. You just need to maintain a low speed, nothing serious.
Plus, at the beach there is plenty of parking space. Of course, that was my impression during October, but it's likely that spots run short in July and August.
Bus
If you prefer not to rent a car and you're in Chania, you can take a bus that takes 2 and a half hours to arrive for 11€ (October-2013).
Buses to Elafonisi also leave from Paleochora. However, if you're in that town, I recommend the next means of transport.
Boat
If you want to avoid the road and parking hassles, the best option for you is to take the ferry departing from the port of Paleochora, which takes 1 hour to reach the beach for 8€. When we were there, it left at 10 in the morning and returned at 4 in the afternoon.
If you also feel like adding stops at other coves along this coast, you have the option to hire a private taxi-boat for 2 (120€) or 4 people (180€).
Where (not) to stay and (definitely) eat
What am I talking about?
About Innachorion restaurant, which also has some accommodation.
Since we only planned to spend one night and wanted to enjoy the sunset on the beach, we looked for the closest possible place to it. Having made no prior reservation, as on almost our entire Crete road trip that year, the only available spot was the rooms across the road offered by Innachorion restaurant (you can see its location on the map at the end of this page).
The night cost us 35€ without breakfast (a very standard price in Crete outside peak season) and it was awful. Partly because our neighbors gave us a rough night.
Although the worst part was the room and THE BATHROOM. Cleanliness was nowhere to be found, water leaked out of the shower, and the room wasn't basic… it was bare-bones.
The final straw was that breakfast turned out to be total slop (I know that sounds harsh, but that's the exact word I wrote in my travel journal that morning, so I'm staying true to myself), despite having paid an extra 6€ per person.
You get the picture, right? I don't recommend this accommodation.
That said, despite not having such great reviews, dinner at the restaurant seemed perfectly fine to me for 26€/couple. Could it be down to contrast bias?
We'll never know… 🙂
Here are other accommodation options in the area.
Useful links
- Taxi-boat Paleochora-Elafonisi.
- Hotel deals near Elafonisi (not the one I tried, much better ones). 😉
- Flights to Crete: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo, and Vueling.
- 5% discount when booking your travel insurance with IATI.
And here you can check out the rest of my trip to Crete:
- Discover the joy of swimming in the lagoons of Balos Beach.
- E4 route between Paleochora and Sougia: a coastal trek.
- Trekking through the Samaria Gorge.
Got any questions about Elafonisi? Drop them in the comments so I can try to help you out. 🙂