Things to do in Plakias

Is Plakias the right base for your trip?

Plakias is a small town on the south coast of Crete, in the Rethymno region, facing the Libyan Sea. It is quieter than the north-coast resorts, close to the water, and surrounded by beaches and gorges. That mix is why it works as a base whether you have come to dive, to snorkel, or just to swim, eat well and slow down.

This guide is honest about what the area is and isn't. Plakias rewards people who like sea time and a slower pace over nightlife and big-resort convenience. If that sounds right, a few days here go a long way, and a dive or a snorkelling trip slots into the holiday rather than taking it over.

We run a dive centre in Plakias, so the parts about the water come from the water. For the rest, we point you at what is genuinely worth your time, and tell you to message us for the local detail rather than pretending a web page can plan your whole holiday.

Who this guide is for

• Never breathed underwater. You are curious but unsure it is for you. A try dive starts in shallow water where you can stand, with an instructor beside you, and snorkelling needs nothing more than being comfortable with your face in the water.
• Coming with someone who dives. You would rather swim, read and explore. There is plenty to do while your partner is underwater, and the page for non-divers covers how the boat, the reef and the beach work for you.
• Travelling as a family. Mixed ages and mixed swimming confidence. We flag which beaches and days tend to work for groups, and when to ask us first. For children who want to try, see kids scuba diving.
• Already a certified diver. You want to know the water is worth it. Our dive sites page describes the three sites we dive around Plakias, honestly, including who each one does not suit.

The beaches around Plakias

The coast around Plakias has more variety than a single town beach. Here is how the main options tend to differ, so you can pick by what your group actually wants that day.

• Schinaria Beach. Clear, calm water, rock formations and a large cave, and one of the sites we dive from the shore. It is an organized beach, so partners, friends and family can relax on the sand or snorkel over the shallow reef while the divers are in the water.
• Plakias town beach. A long sandy beach right in town, within walking distance of tavernas and shops. The most convenient option if you don't want to drive, and the easiest for a casual swim.
• Damnoni. A well-known beach a short drive from Plakias, popular for a swim day. The old harbour at Damnoni is also one of our dive sites, with a gentle slope in the shallows. Conditions and crowds vary with the season and wind, so message us if you want the honest read for your dates.
• Preveli and the Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Preveli, with its palm-lined river mouth below the gorge, is one of South Crete's most famous spots and a classic day out from Plakias. It rewards a bit of planning rather than a spur-of-the-moment visit.

For all of them side by side, read the beaches around Plakias, compared.

A good day if you're not diving

Plenty of visitors here never put on a wetsuit, and the area still fills a day easily. Swimming and snorkelling in clear, generally calm water, unhurried lunches, and short drives to different beaches or a gorge make an easy rhythm without anyone being dragged along.

Because Schinaria is an organized beach, it works well as a meeting point: the divers go in from the shore while everyone else swims, snorkels, reads and waits with a coffee, rather than being stuck somewhere with nothing to do.

Where snorkelling and diving fit into your trip

The point of this page isn't to sell you a course. It's to show how time in the water can be one part of a good holiday here rather than the whole thing.

If it would be your first time

No certificate and no experience are needed for a try dive: a short briefing, your first breaths in shallow water where you can simply stand up, then a guided dive in a sheltered bay with an instructor beside you. If you would rather stay on the surface, guided snorkelling takes about two hours, equipment included, over the same reef the divers use.

If you already dive

We are an SSI centre and dive three sites on this stretch of coast: Schinaria from the shore, and the old harbour of Damnoni and Peristerovolakas near Souda from the shore or by boat, depending on conditions. Equipment is included. The diving page explains how a dive day works, and the dive sites page what each site is actually like.

If the whole group wants a day on the water

The full-day boat trip takes a maximum of six guests and is open to divers, first-timers, snorkellers and people who just want to come along. See what non-divers do here.

Two simple ways to plan your days

Rough templates, not rules. The idea is to mix sea time, food and rest so no one burns out, and to keep the middle of the day out of the strongest sun.

One relaxed day

1. Morning: an early swim, a snorkel or a dive at Schinaria while it is calm and cool.
2. Midday: lunch and shade in town, out of the peak sun.
3. Afternoon: an easy second beach, a nap, or a short drive to a nearby cove.
4. Evening: a slow dinner by the water in Plakias.

Three days, more variety

• Day 1: settle in. Get your bearings, swim at the town beach and eat locally. A gentle start after travelling.
• Day 2: sea day. A try dive, a guided snorkelling trip or a longer swim at Schinaria, with anyone staying dry set up on the beach nearby.
• Day 3: explore. A day trip towards Preveli and the gorge, or a slower beach-hopping day. Ask us how to time it around the wind and the crowds.

Getting to Plakias

Plakias sits over the mountains from the north coast, so plan the drive rather than assume it is quick. Rough guidance below; message us if you want specifics for your route or arrival time.

• From Heraklion airport: allow roughly two to two and a half hours by car. It is the busiest airport but the longest transfer.
• From Chania airport: roughly two hours by car, over scenic but winding roads. Often the more relaxed arrival.
• From Rethymno town: under an hour, and a common base for a night before heading down to the coast.

The last stretch is a mountain road with bends. A hire car makes the area much easier; without one, plan ahead. Ask us about the realistic no-car options for your dates.

When to visit

Most visitors come between May and October. The sea warms slowly: typically 19–21 °C in May, 25–26 °C by August, and it holds its heat into autumn, so October water is usually warmer than May water. The water is generally clear, and June to September gives the most settled weather. Our water temperature guide has every month and what to wear in it.

July and August are the peak: warmest water, but the busiest and hottest time. May, June, September and October are quieter, still warm, and often the nicer time to be here. Whenever you come, it pays to ask about your dates early for July and August.

For the month-by-month picture of air temperature and wind, read the Plakias weather guide. If you are coming late in the season, see Crete in September and Crete in October.

Where to stay

Plakias is small, and the choice is mostly about which end of it you want: the village seafront, the quieter Souda end, Myrthios on the hillside above the bay, the beaches at Damnoni and Ammoudi to the east, or Lefkogia inland. It comes down to whether you want to walk to the beach and the tavernas or prefer quiet and a view. Our guide to where to stay in Plakias compares the areas.