The Beach in Plakias is one long bay. In front of the village, it has a lot of pebbles, and is certainly not at it’s best. However, if you walk east you can follow the road right along the bay. The beach gets better as you walk along, and there is a lot more sand. At the far end, the cliffs provide a nice area for snorkelling too.
Plakias beach is rarely crowded, and you can always find a fairly quiet spot somewhere. There are several showers along the way, which is a nice way of getting the salt off before getting back to the serious business of sunbathing. But beware, the gentle breeze tends to make you underestimate how strong the sun is.
Plakias sea is fairly safe for swimming – usually there are no currents or anything nasty.
There are rare occasions when the sea gets very rough. This is great for fools (like me) who like to make a total idiot of themselves in the waves – but look out for the kiddies then, as the waves can get nasty. And if you want to get an all over tan, make your way to the far end, where it’s been ‘clothing optional’ for years and the majority of the folks there happily discard their swimwear. One other warning - if you go snorkelling around the rocks, look out for the black urchins. The spikes are nasty if you stand on them - but not life threatening!

Plakias is the perfect holiday spot, located on the south coast of Crete. Built along a fabulous beach, which has been awarded with The Blue Flag. Everything you need is available in Plakias, shops, supermarkets, a wide variety of places to eat and drink, nightclubs, travel & estate agents. The beautiful south facing curved bay in which it sits is ideal for swimming, recreation, relaxing & sunbathing.
The surrounding hills provide wonderful walks, on trails through the olive groves and beyond.There is a small harbour (where you can get a boat to several other beaches) and following the beach road you'll end up on a rough track leading to Souda Bay after about 3km. Plakias is one of the most southern places in Europe. Looking into the horizon, across the sea you can see the southern-most part of Europe, the island of Gavdos. This geographical position contributes to the fact that the area of Plakias is very warm all year round.