How to Take an Elafonisi Beach Day Trip from Chania, Crete
Are you wondering how to take an Elafonisi Beach day trip from Chania, Crete?
Read on for everything you need to know about visiting this beautiful beach!
On my recent trip to Crete, I knew I had to visit Elafonisi Beach after seeing it ranked as the number one best beach in the world by TripAdvisor. Was the water really that shallow and clear? Was the sand really pink? I wanted to visit and find out if it really looked as amazing as the photos. (Spoiler alert, yes it does!)
Elafonisi Beach (also spelled Elafonissi Beach) is located on the western end of the island of Crete. If you are staying in Chania, the second-largest city in Crete, Elafonisi Beach is about 1.5 hours away.
It makes for a great day trip from Chania. Of course, it’s possible to stay overnight at Elafonisi Beach (there are several hotels just a short drive from the beach) but in my opinion, one day is plenty of time.
This guide contains everything you need to know about taking a day trip to Elafonisi Beach, including your options for getting there, the best time to visit, and important things to know before you go.
⭐ Short on time? These are the top tours and activities I recommend. If you book directly through a link on this page, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Stay to Wander!
Best Tours to Elafonisi Beach:
- Elafonisi Beach day trip with lunch stop in Elos Village
- Elafonisi Beach and Falasarna Beach tour with snacks
Getting to Elafonisi Beach
How can you get to Elafonisi Beach from Chania? You have three options. Let’s take a look at each one…
By Car
Renting a car and driving yourself to Elafonisi Beach is the best option, in my opinion. You can pick up a rental car in Chania (typically around €50 to €65 for the day) and make the drive to Elafonisi Beach.
It takes about 1.5 hours (longer if there’s traffic) and it’s a very scenic drive. You’ll start on the highway, then turn onto a more rural mountain road for the rest of the drive, passing through the Topolia Gorge. There are charming small villages along the way in case you want to stop somewhere for breakfast.
The road can be narrow and winding at times, but it’s always in good condition, so it’s not a stressful drive. Having your own car gives you maximum flexibility and you can spend more time at the beach.
On a Tour
Another option is taking a guided tour from Chania to Elafonisi Beach. This could be a good option for solo travelers or anyone who doesn’t want to drive. You can just sit back and relax on the way instead.
However, the drawback to this is that you don’t have control over the schedule. All the tours I could find include a maximum of four hours at the beach, so that’s important to keep in mind too.
This full-day trip is a good option if you’d like to take a tour, though. It includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Chania, fours hours at Elafonisi Beach, and a one-hour lunch stop in Elos Village.
If you’re looking for something a little different, this full-day tour actually visits two beaches. You’ll spend 2.5 hours at Elafonisi Beach and two hours at Falassarna Beach. It also includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Chania, a snack box and drinks, a local olive oil tasting, and umbrellas for the beach.
By Bus
Finally, it’s possible to take a bus from Chania to Elafonisi Beach. This tourist route is operated by KTEL, and it only runs from April through October. You can buy your bus tickets online or at the bus station.
The KTEL bus departs Chania at 9 AM and arrives at Elafonisi Beach at approximately 11 AM. The bus then leaves to go back to Chania at 4 PM, giving you roughly five hours to spend at the beach.
Tickets are currently €10.90 each way. This is not a bad option for solo travelers on a budget, but if you have two or more people, it honestly makes more sense to just rent a car and have more flexibility.
Things to Know About Elafonisi Beach
When you arrive at Elafonisi Beach, here’s what you can expect. First, whether you’re driving yourself or taking a bus, you won’t be able to park right at the beach. All of the parking lots are located at the top of a slight hill, and then you have to walk down to the beach, which takes ten to fifteen minutes.
Most of the parking lots are only €5 for the whole day. I parked at the closest parking lot to the beach, which had restroom facilities and was just a minute away from the path down to the beach.
There are very few options for food once you get down to the beach (and it’s not very good from the reviews I’ve seen), so I’d recommend bringing lots of snacks or a picnic lunch with you. There’s also a nice mini-market before you walk down to the beach, and a couple of restaurants near the parking area.
On the beach, you can rent umbrellas and lounge chairs. It was €20 for two when I was there, which I found to be a decent price. In terms of other beach facilities, there are the couple of aforementioned beach bar places that serve mediocre, overpriced food and some not-so-nice public restrooms for €1.
When it comes to the best time to visit, I went on a Sunday the very beginning of June and the beach was not too crowded yet. July and August are peak tourist season, and the beach can get very busy. If you’re visiting at this time of year, I recommend getting a very early start in order to beat the crowds.
It’s a large beach, though, so you can easily find quiet areas even on a crowded day. The water is beautifully clear and very shallow for long distances in many places, making this a great place to swim or relax.
Where to Stay in Elafonisi Beach
Although I think that one day is plenty of time to experience Elafonisi Beach, you might be a bigger beach bum than me and want to spend more time here and stay overnight. In addition to Elafonisi Beach, there are other beaches on this quiet western end of Crete that you can explore if you have more time here.
The best place to stay right by the beach is Elafonisi Resort. This family-run hotel has great ratings and is located just a ten-minute walk from the beach. The rooms are modern and airy, and some have private balconies or terraces. Some are also self-catering with kitchen and laundry facilities.
Lafo Rooms is another good option. You can choose between hotel-style rooms or larger apartments. You’re also just a short walk from the beach and the couple of restaurants and mini-market.
How to Visit Elafonisi Beach on a Day Trip from Chania, Crete
This guide showed you how to take an Elafonisi Beach day trip from Chania, Crete.
Elafonisi Beach is certainly worth a visit if you’re looking for a beautiful, spacious, secluded beach. It’s certainly one of the best beaches in Crete, and among the most beautiful in Greece (and the world!)
This is one of the best day trips to take from Chania if you’re looking for a relaxing beach day.
Enjoy your visit to Elafonisi Beach!
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