10 Best Sights in Crete, Greece

To the north of Ayios Nikalaos in the Gulf of Malia are a string of beaches clustered around the town of Sisi. A pretty little inlet with a handful of tavernas, it is a classic Greek summer resort with little else to do but swim and eat. Avlaki and Boufos beaches, separated by a cliff, are the pick of the bunch. Amenities: food and drink. Best For: swimming; snorkeling.

You already know this beach from every postcard stand in Greece. Seemingly transported from the South Seas, an islet sits dramatically amid a shallow lagoon of bright blue-and-turquoise water framed by white sand. Approach by car along the 8-km (5-mile) very rough dirt road (€1 toll) and you will be rewarded by that picture-perfect panorama. Nevertheless, a half-hour descent on foot to the beach itself, and longer return, is the price to pay. Easier on the legs is to take the boat from Kissamos, which includes a stop at the deserted island Venetian fortress of Gramvousa. Like Vai, it can get very busy here; if you are coming by car, aim to arrive in the morning before the boats, or late in the afternoon once the crowds have left. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

A peninsula on the western end of the island, about 75 km (45 miles) west of Chania, extends into turquoise waters, with a lagoon on one side and isolated sands and coves on the other. The pink sands, rock formations, and colorful waters evoke the tropics. In places, the peninsula is broken by narrow channels, requiring beachgoers to wade through the warm, shallow waters, adding to the remote aura. The eastern, lagoon side of the peninsula has amenities and is popular with families (the water is never more than a few feet deep) while other parts, especially the western, ocean-facing side, are relatively isolated and frequented by nudists. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: nudists; snorkeling; solitude (western end); sunset; swimming; walking.

Often cited as the best beach on the island, Falassarna stretches along the western edge of the island, about 60 km (37 miles) west of Chania. The long expanse of sand is broken into several coves and has a little bit of everything—amenities on the main section, Pacheia Ammos, plenty of isolation in other parts, and even ancient ruins behind the northern end. One small disadvantage is a steady wind from the west, which can make the water choppy (but is a boon for windsurfers). Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets, water sports. Best for: nudists; solitude; sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

Fabulous, pine-and palm-fringed Kommos lies below the site of a Minoan harbor, once the port of Phaistos. At its far northern end lies the scrappy little resort of Kalamaki, where a few modest hotels and tavernas back the sand, but for the most part the beach is an unspoiled 2-km (1-mile) stretch of white sand washed by clear waters and backed by hills shaded with tamarisk trees. Kommos is especially popular with nudists, and it's also a nesting ground for the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), so avoid taped-off areas where the females have laid their eggs. Lifeguards watch over the southern end of the beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers, toilets. Best for: nudists; solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

Even the classical Greeks recognized the beauty of this palm grove at the eastern end of the island, which is unique in Europe. It stood in for the Caribbean in a famous television commercial for a chocolate bar, and it's easy to see why. Nevertheless, the sandy stretch with nearby islets in clear turquoise water is such a stunner that many bus tours come all the way east just to show off the sand and palms, so Vai can get jammed in the summer. If the sand in front of the grove of 5,000 palms is too crowded, follow the path south over the headland to a slightly less crowded cove. Amenities: food and drink; parking (€2.50); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

This beautiful crescent of sand is accessible by a 20-minute walk across a rocky promontory on a path from Matala, or by a boat that runs from Matala in summer. The trek includes a scramble up and over a headland and some steep climbs and descents, though it is manageable with moderate exertion. Your reward is a lovely, unspoiled crescent of golden sand washed by clear waters that is especially popular with nudists. Surf in the small bay can be rough, with riptides. Shade is scarce, though a small bar sometimes rents umbrellas and offers simple snacks. Amenities: food and drink (sometimes). Best for:nudists; solitude; swimming; walking.

If this cove at the northern end of the Akrotiri Peninsula, about 15 km (9 miles) east of Chania, looks familiar, you may recognize it as the location of the 1964 movie Zorba the Greek. The onetime fishing village has grown a bit since then but it's still a charming place, especially with this white-sand beach on a lagoon backed by a steep mountain (it was here that Zorba did his Sirtaki dance); a slightly wilder, less crowded beach is just to the west. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Head down the coast road to Kalo Chorio and you will pass many small inlets and strips of sand. Stop at any that take your fancy or carry on to Voulisma, an organized beach with clear, sparkling water. Often compared to a tropical shoreline, the sea is just as warm and the sand just as white. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers. Best for: swimming.

Follow the coast south from Vai, passing through the resort of Zakros, an important harbor and commercial center of Minoan Crete, and its ruins of a palace. The drive corkscrews down to Xerokambos, less of a destination and more of a series of stunning beaches. There are a couple of tavernas, a mini-market, and not much more except idyllic white sand and nothing between yourself and Africa apart from the warm Libyan sea. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.