10 Top Chania Beaches On Crete – Beautiful Greece

This is our list of the best Chania beaches on Crete Island. From the wild to the top beach resorts, we have covered them all. 

If you’re lucky enough to visit the island of Crete, you should certainly check out the beaches in Chania.

Chania is packed with plenty to see and do, but it has some of the most stunning beaches on the island of Crete; this part of Crete is as wild and large as it is beautiful.

Located on the west of the island, Chania City is a superb spot for shopping, nightlife, and entertainment. Still, if you want to enjoy natural sights, you should venture outside the city and look towards the region’s beaches.

If you’re unsure where to head, let’s check out some of the best Chania beaches.

1. Elafonissi Beach

Best Beach In Chania

We’ll mention this first because it’s undoubtedly one of the main hotspots in Crete, not just Chania! The main reason why? Pink sand.

Yes, you read that right. Located southwest of Chania, you’ll find Elafonissi Beach, which features pink sand created by crushed seashells – literally millions of them. While the entire beach isn’t pink, the sand near the shore tends to shift between pink hues as the water washes in and out. Most people tend to sit there and watch in awe!

Of course, there’s plenty more to do on this hugely popular beach apart from looking at pink sand. If you’re visiting during the summer, it’s best to go early in the day to get a spot. Or, if you don’t like crowds, perhaps avoid July and August altogether.

There are plenty of facilities on the beach, including sunbeds, umbrellas, cafes, and bars. There are also showers and toilet facilities.

2. Balos Beach

In the northwest of the island, you’ll find Chania’s Balos Beach, one of the most popular and consistently rated one of the best beaches in Chania. You can easily reach the beach via an excursion, as many leave Chania itself during the summer season, or you can take a ferry from Kissamos.

It’s more than worth the effort of getting there, as this beach is as blindingly beautiful as you can imagine. With many mountains to one side and turquoise water lapping the soft sand, the water is shallow and lagoon-like, venturing into the open sea. Of course, this beauty makes it extremely popular, but that’s fine if you get there early enough.

There are plenty of facilities on-site, including toilets, showers, sunbeds, umbrellas, and bars/cafes for refreshments.

3. Falassarna Beach

Falassarna Beach is located close to the village of the same name and spans around 2 miles, with several beaches merging into one another. If the last option was busy and packed during the summer, Falassarna is slightly less so. Despite that, it’s totally worth the effort.

As one of the best Chania beaches, Pachia Ammos is the most popular part of the beach, with watersports and plenty of space. However, smaller coves are sheltered and calmer, ideal for families. Occasionally, a little bit of pink sand has traveled down from Elafonissi, too.

You can reach this beach by bus from Chania City during the summer until October. There are cafes and bars on the beach, umbrellas, and sunbeds to rent.

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4. Nea Chora Beach

If you’re staying in Chania City and want to head to a beautiful beach not too far away, Nea Chora is just ten minutes on foot.

Sitting next to the marina, this beach is sandy and has clear water with plenty of facilities nearby. The fact that it’s close to the city means it can get quite busy during the summer months, especially at the weekends, but again, get there early.

There are sunbeds and umbrellas to rent and toilets and shower blocks on-site. There are also many restaurants and cafes just over the street, making it an easy beach day, which is just as stunning as any other beach you’ll see.

5. Glyka Nera (Sweet Water Beach)

One Of The Top Beaches In Chania Crete For Instagram

Glyka Nera is certainly an Insta-worthy beach, and its name means ‘sweet water.’ That is because the water is from a freshwater spring, so it’s perfect for cooling off during harsh summer temperatures. The beach is situated right under a sheer cliff, which gives it a stunning appearance, and the pebbled shore and clear water add to the view. There is some shade at this beach, which makes it great for cooling off once more, and it’s perfect for chilling out and enjoying the scenery.

However, to get to this beach, you will need some energy. There are parking spots available, but you will need to hike through the trees, and it can take anything from half an hour to an hour, depending on how much energy you have and how hot it is. Is it worth the hike? Totally! Once you get there, you’ll find a small cafe and toilet families.

6. Karavopetra Beach

Between Koundoura and Paleochora, you’ll find beautiful Karavopetra Beach. It’s one of the lesser-known beaches, so if you enjoy off-the-beaten-track destinations and peace, this one is for you.

While the beach is sandy, you’ll find huge rocks along the shore, some of which are very odd in shape and interesting to explore. You’ll also find a massive tower of rocks next to the seashore, which would make for fantastic photo opportunities.

Of course, to get to this beach, you’ll need to drive and park up, then walk, or you’ll need to take a local bus and walk down to the beach itself. There are no facilities on-site, so bring whatever refreshments you need.

7. Kedrodasos Beach

Despite being a short distance from busy Elafonissi, this beach is quiet, chilled out, and perfect for enjoying the natural beauty. The water is stunningly clear, and the sand is golden and soft. It’s also backed by fragrant juniper trees, giving plentiful shade and a wonderful scent in the air. A word of warning: This beach is quite popular with nudists, but it’s never going to be packed with people wearing no clothes because it’s pretty hard to get to, so there are no issues there!

You can drive to the beach, and then you’ll need to walk for ten minutes. You’ll need to wear comfortable shoes (not flip-flops) as you’ll probably need to scramble over a few rocks, but it’s not so difficult that most people can’t get there. That doesn’t sound hard, but you’ll understand why we said it’s hard to get to when you see the terrain.

There are no families on site, so again, take your refreshments.

8. Seitan Limania Beach

Seitan Limania Beach is one of Crete’s most popular spots, and it’s located close to Chania city, so it’s pretty easy to get there. Not particularly ideal for children because you need to walk down a very steep and rocky path to get there (lined with mountain goats), but it’s more than worth it once you see the stunning view.

The beach is skinny; in fact, it’s just a sandy strip, but around it is steep rocks and the most blinding blue water you’ll ever see. It’s extremely popular, so ensure you get there early during the summer.

To reach this beach, you can drive and park at the top end of the cliff, but some buses run throughout the summer, usually until the end of September. However, take your own refreshments as there are no on-site facilities- remember that the less you take, the easier it will be to get down the path!

9. Gramvousa Beach

If you take the ferry from Kissamos to Balos Beach, you’ll have the opportunity to stop at Gramvousa Beach just before. This is another stunning beach that is sandy and has extremely clear water. A clear view of an old fortress from Venetian times standing on the cliff above adds to the appeal.

You can hike up to the fortress and check out the top view, which often looks over neighboring islands on a very clear day. However, if you want to visit Balos Beach and this one on the same day, you will not have much time. Perhaps schedule a day for each one to get the most out of them.

There are toilets on this beach but no cafes, so take your snacks and refreshments.

10. Glaros Beach

Glaros Beach is the ideal choice for a day chilling out and has excellent facilities, so it’s perfect for families, too. If you look towards the west from your place on the beach, you might also see the island of Agiou Theodorou, which gives the beach an extra element of enjoyment.

The beach is golden sand, and the waters are clear, shallow, and safe for swimming. You’ll also find that many boa trips stop by this beach during their daily routine, so at particular times of the day, it may become a little busier before calming down once the boat has departed.

You can easily reach this beach by driving or taking a bus from Chania itself. There are toilets, showers, cafes, sunbeds, and umbrellas on-site.

Region Of Chania Beaches FAQs

Crete’s best beaches are not just in Chania; stay tuned for more beaches in Crete soon.