Schinaria Beach, Plakias

Schinaria is the beach we would send you to if you only had time for one swim on the south coast and you cared more about the water than the sand. It is a small cove, not a long strand, and it is not where you come for beach football or a sunbed row that goes on forever. You come for the colour of the sea and for what is under it.

It is also one of the three sites we dive, and one of the spots on our snorkelling trips. The water is usually very clear, and the rock around the bay gives you something to look at from the first few metres.

What the cove is like

The beach itself is short, with pebbles, coarse sand and rock at the edges. On either side the coastline turns into low cliffs and boulders, which is where the snorkelling gets interesting: fish shelter along the rock, and the light reaches a long way down on a still morning.

The sea floor drops off quickly. You can stand in the shallows at the waterline, but a few strokes out it is already deep. For a casual swimmer that means you should be comfortable in water where you cannot touch the bottom.

It is an organised beach, so in season there are sunbeds, umbrellas and something cold to drink. That matters more than it sounds: a diver can spend a morning in the water while a partner, friend or child stays comfortably on the beach instead of waiting in a car park.

Under the water

Schinaria is a shore dive. Below the surface there are rugged rock formations, reefy sections, natural channels and deeper wall-style ground along the edges of the bay, and a large cave that people remember long after the trip. Octopus and moray eels sit in the crevices, still enough to miss if you rush.

Because the terrain varies so much, the same site can be a gentle first dive or a demanding one, depending on where we take it. We choose the entry point and the route on the day. Our dive sites page describes Schinaria alongside the old harbour of Damnoni and Peristerovolakas, and try scuba diving explains what a first dive involves if you have never breathed underwater.

How to get to Schinaria from Plakias

Schinaria lies east of Plakias, past Damnoni and Ammoudi, on the stretch of coast between Plakias and Preveli. The usual way in is by car: head east out of Plakias towards Lefkogia and follow the road towards Preveli, then take the turning down to the cove. The last part is a narrow road down to the beach, so take it slowly, especially in high season when cars come the other way.

There is no reliable public transport to the cove itself. Without a car, a taxi from Plakias is the practical option. If you are diving or snorkelling with us, message us before your first day and we will tell you where to meet.

When to go

The sea is at its warmest from late summer into autumn: typically 25–26 °C in August and 25–26 °C in September, and still 23–24 °C in October. June to September usually gives the most settled conditions. See Plakias weather by month for air temperature and wind, and our water temperature guide for the sea through the year.

Within a single day, mornings are usually the quietest and calmest time. The south coast of Crete is windy country: when the summer north wind blows hard over the mountains, it can come down onto the coast in gusts. Some days that leaves the water near shore flat and clear; other days it makes the sea choppy and uncomfortable. If you are going on your own, check the forecast and be willing to change beaches.

July and August are the busiest months. Arriving early gets you a place to park and the water mostly to yourself.

Swimming and snorkelling at Schinaria

For confident swimmers, Schinaria is one of the best places around Plakias to put on a mask. A few simple rules keep it relaxed:

• Stay near the shore and the rocks. That is where there is most to see anyway.
• Watch for boats. Small boats use the bay. A bright swim buoy makes you easy to spot.
• Do not go out alone in wind or swell. Conditions change quickly on this coast.

Wear something on your feet if you plan to scramble over the rocks, and bring plenty of water: shade on the rocks is limited. If you would rather have someone show you where to look, our guided snorkelling trips cover this reef from the surface.

Combining Schinaria with the rest of the coast

Schinaria sits in the middle of some of the best coastline in the area, so it is easy to build a day around it:

• Morning at Schinaria, afternoon at Preveli. Preveli Beach is further east, with its palm-lined river. Go early to the one that needs the walk, or save it for later when the light softens.
• A quieter beach day. Ammoudi and Damnoni are on the way back to Plakias and have easier, sandier entries.
• All the options side by side. Our guide to the beaches around Plakias compares them.

Looking after the place

Schinaria is small, and it stays beautiful because people treat it lightly. Take your rubbish home, do not stand on or collect anything from the sea floor, and give fishermen's lines and buoys a wide berth. For snorkellers and divers that is most of what it takes.