Vai beach
The palm beach of Vai is located in the north-eastern corner of Crete. From the capital, Heraklion, it is 153 km by car, and the journey takes around 2½ hours.
Most people who watched TV in the 1980s will probably remember the world-famous Bounty Bar TV advert. For many, it brings to mind a Caribbean beach, but surprisingly enough, it was filmed at Vai.
Vai beach
Vai is an almost 300 m long natural beach, set right in front of an exotic palm forest. With around 5,000 palm trees, it is by far the largest palm forest in Crete.
The sand is fine and golden, although mixed with a few pebbles at the northern end. The water is crystal clear with beautiful turquoise shades. The beach has all the necessary facilities, including sun lounges, sunshades and showers.
The palm trees and beautiful sandy beach make Vai one of the most popular beaches in Crete and in July and August the beach is usually quite crowded. Those who’d like a bit more peace and quiet can head over to Psili Ammos beach, which lies just 200 metres from Vai. Psili Ammos can be translated as ‘fine sand’, and there is certainly plenty of it on this beach. On the other hand, there are no facilities here.
The second-largest palm beach on Crete is Preveli on the south coast. Preveli is easier to reach for those holidaying in western Crete.
Child-friendliness
There can be limited space for playing on some days, but the water is relatively shallow and there are rarely any waves at Vai beach.
Water sports
There is a good range of water sports on the beach, including jet skiing, banana boat rides, water skiing and windsurfing. You can read more about the options at Natura Watersports, which is located on Vai beach.
Beach restaurants
At the southern end of the beach lies Palm Beach Vai Restaurant, which also serves as a beach bar. We have had good experiences there ourselves, and the restaurant also receives positive reviews on Tripadvisor.
Nearby holiday resorts
The nearest large town is Sitia, which is situated 25 km to the south-west. An authentic and charming coastal town, set in a beautiful bay surrounded by wonderful scenery. Sitia does not have many hotels, but for families we recommend Sitia Beach City Resort & Spa, which is located very close to both the town and the beach.
The nearest major holiday resort is Agios Nikolaos, which lies almost 100 km to the west. Just like Sitia, Agios Nikolaos has retained much of its Greek charm and is surrounded by stunning natural beauty. The town’s centrepiece is a lake which, for a long time, was believed to be bottomless.
Vai map
The palm beach of Vai can be seen in the middle of the map, while you can find the impressive palm forest towards the west. The car park is close to the beach, and there are also two restaurants/cafés here. The path leading down to Psili Ammos beach is also clearly visible on the map. For many, Vai is the most beautiful beach in the Lassithi region.
