Falassarna Beach

Falassarna faces due west across open sea, which gives it two of its characteristics: the sunsets, watched by crowds from the sand every evening in season, and the swell, which makes it one of Crete's better beaches for bodyboarding and occasional surfing when a westerly runs. The sand is fine and pale with a faint pink cast from crushed shell in places, and the bay is long enough, over a kilometre in several sections, to absorb crowds. At its northern end lie the remains of ancient Falasarna, a Hellenistic harbour town whose stone-cut harbour basin now sits well inland and above sea level, lifted by the earthquake of AD 365 that raised western Crete several metres.

What you actually see

• The long sandy bay - over a kilometre of fine pale sand facing west.
• The sunsets - the evening ritual, with open sea to the horizon.
• Ancient Falasarna - a Hellenistic harbour now stranded inland by uplift.
• The surf - west-facing swell on windy days.

When to go

May, June and September for warm sea and space; July and August fill the organised sections. Wind can pick up in the afternoon, which suits surfers and troubles sunbathers.

Honest expectations

The beach is exposed and can be windy, with real waves and occasional undertow on rough days. Facilities cluster at the southern end while the north is empty. The drive from Chania takes about an hour.

Nearby

Balos lagoon lies north around the peninsula; Elafonisi is south down the west coast.