UPDATED FEB 2020. Take a hike. No seriously, while you’re visiting Crete you can take a quick hike over a mountain and swim in some of the clearest and most beautiful water in the world. In today’s post, I’m sharing a complete guide on how to visit the red sand beach in Crete. Here you’ll be able to find all the useful information like where to park, what to expect on the hike, other things to do nearby, and some other surprising tips like the dress code. Or lack thereof. I hope it can help you plan your own adventure.
Red Sand Beach In Crete – How To Get There And What To Expect
Disclaimer
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The basics
Location: Matala, Crete
Driving time: 2.5 hours from Chania/ 1 hour from Heraklion
Cost: Free (may need coins for parking depending on where you park)
Parking: Lot or street parking (details below)
What to bring:
- Sun protection – hat, water, snacks or energy gels
, sunscreen - Comfortable shoes
- Swimsuit
- Lightweight towel
- Camera (I used a GoPro and this floaty selfie stick)
, sunscreen
)
View of the red sand beach in Crete from the top of the hike
Where to park
When it comes to parking, you have a couple of options.
The first is that you could park in the parking lot for Matala Beach. This costs €2 for the whole day.
For free parking, you can park along the street before the parking lot turn off, but this requires a little luck. Epar.Od. Gortinas – Matalon is the street name.
If you are there early, you are more likely to be able to find a free park, or you might have to do a little carpark stalking.
The trail is marked in Google Maps and there are a couple of signs around the area as you walk towards it so it should be easy to find the start of the trail.
There is also a short cut through a side street that I’ve marked out on the map below.
How to hike to the red sand beach
The hike itself is not too difficult and takes about 30 minutes depending on your fitness level.
It’s well-marked, but of course, if you’re not paying attention you could miss something so keep an eye out for markings. Basically, you just need to go up and over the mountain and you will be at the beach.
There is a gate at the top which you enter through before starting your descent.
The most important thing to know about the hike is that it’s open the whole way with no shade.
If it is a hot day you will definitely need to wear sunscreen, bring water, and cover your skin.
Since it is such an open hike and beach, my biggest tip is to plan your visit earlier in the day to avoid the harshness of the sun and heat.
It’ll also give you the best chance of finding free parking.
Trail markings
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Is the red sand beach really red?
I have to say I thought the sand would be a little redder given that it’s called the red sand beach, but to me, it was more like a dark orange.
Perhaps at different times of the day or different times of the year, the color is more vibrant. I don’t think it’s a reason not to go but just a heads up.
Is it a nude beach?
Speaking of heads up, you should probably know that this is a nude beach.
I had glanced over a quick Google search before going and read someone mention about seeing nude people there. I thought it was just like every other swimming spot in Europe that I’ve been to where there always seems to be one or two naked people in a section of the beach.
Nope, I was so wrong to assume that.
This is a full-blown nude beach with mostly middle-aged people letting it all hang out.
Of course, you can keep your swimsuit on – I did.
To be honest, I don’t really get why I’d ever need tanned genitals.
I wanted to share the heads up in case you have kids or just don’t want to be around that.
Also, given it’s a nude beach, if you plan to take any photos, you have to take a lot more consideration of where you are pointing the camera to be respectful of the people around you.
Getting these blog photos was a little tricky and took some patience.
The bar
If you need a drink, there is a bar on the beach.
Given by the number of signs around for the ‘best mojitos’, I’d say they’re pretty proud of their mojitos so it might be worth a try.
I didn’t get a drink so I can’t vouch for how good it is, but the option is definitely there if you need anything.
There are also umbrellas near the bar but there are not many and they get taken up early.
There’s pretty much no shade at the beach either so it may be a good idea to bring your own umbrella if you have one.
Other things to do nearby
If you still have time for more fun in the sun after your visit to the red beach, you can also visit Matala Beach and the Matala Caves (it costs 2 Euro to go into the caves).
I chilled out at Matala Beach as well and it’s a little more crowded but still another beautiful spot to visit.
If you want to do a bit of shopping or grab some food there is a big area by Matala Beach.
They have a bit of everything whether you want to get a takeaway Gyros, sit down for a full meal or even just grab an ice cream to cool off and there’s a lot of different souvenir shops as well.
Matala Beach is a good spot to visit after the red sand beach
Where to stay in Crete
If you plan to visit the red sand beach in Crete, definitely book your stay at Eleonas Country Village.
I rambled about how amazing it is last week but it really is a wonderful place to stay if you are visiting Crete. It’s not too far from this beach area so you’ll be back in time for delicious dinner at the taverna on site.
If you prefer to stay somewhere else, I recommend searching on Booking.com. This is what I use to book accommodation when I travel and I can always find a good deal there.
If you join the Genius loyalty program you can also get bonus discounts or free upgrades.
Other guides to help you plan your visit to Greece
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