Triopetra and Agios Pavlos beaches, a day trip from Plakias

Around Plakias the beaches are mostly coves between headlands. Further east, beyond Preveli, the coast opens out into long, wild stretches of sand facing the Libyan Sea with very little built around them. Triopetra and Agios Pavlos are the best known of these, and together they make a full day out that feels very different from a morning at Damnoni.

This is a day trip, not a quick swim. The drive is long and winding, the beaches are exposed, and there is far less around them than near Plakias. For people who like big open views, it is worth every bend.

Triopetra

Triopetra means "three stones", and the name comes from the three large rocks that stand in the sea off the headland. The headland splits the coast into two beaches, one on each side, so you can usually choose the one that is more sheltered from the wind on the day.

The beaches are long, with sand and fine shingle, and the water is clear and deep blue. There is space here even in summer, and the feeling is open and quiet rather than organised. A few tavernas and rooms sit near the beach, but this is not a resort, and what is open changes with the season.

Agios Pavlos

Agios Pavlos lies a short way along the coast from Triopetra. It is known for two things. The first is the small chapel of Agios Pavlos near the water, whitewashed and simple against the rock. The second is the sand dunes: a large slope of sand rising up the hillside behind the coast, which you can climb for a view over the bay and the rocks around it.

The rocks at Agios Pavlos are part of the attraction too, with layered, wind-shaped formations along the shore. The beach is sandy, and the water clear. Like Triopetra, it is exposed to the open sea.

How to get there from Plakias

The two beaches are east of Plakias, beyond Preveli, but there is no coast road linking them. You go inland through the villages and then back down to the coast on winding roads. Check the route on a map before you set off, fill up with fuel, and allow plenty of time. The last stretch down to the beaches is steep and twisting in places.

Without a car this trip is hard to do. There is no practical public transport to these beaches from Plakias.

A good plan is to leave early, swim in the morning while it is calmer, have lunch near the beach, and start back in the afternoon so you are not driving mountain roads in the dark.

Wind and sea safety

These beaches face the open Libyan Sea, and they are much more exposed than the coves near Plakias. On a calm day they are beautiful for swimming. On a windy day the waves can be strong, the backwash on the shingle can pull at your legs, and currents can form near the headlands.

• Look before you swim. If waves are breaking hard on the shore, stay on the sand.
• Keep children close, and do not let weaker swimmers go out beyond their depth.
• Do not swim out alone, and stay near the shore on any day with swell.
• Snorkel with someone, close to the rocks. Open water off an exposed beach is no place to explore on your own. If you want to see what lives under the surface, a guided snorkelling trip in the sheltered coves near Plakias is the easier way.

The south coast is windy country in general, and the summer north wind can come down over the mountains in strong gusts. Our Plakias weather guide explains the pattern. If the forecast is wild, save this trip for a calmer day and stay closer to Plakias.

What to bring

• Water, and more than you think. Shade is limited and summer heat is strong.
• Shade. An umbrella or a sunshade makes a long day much easier.
• Food, in case the places near the beach are closed or busy.
• Shoes for walking, if you plan to climb the dunes or walk between the beaches. Sand in the sun gets very hot.
• A full tank of fuel. Fuel stations are not frequent on the inland roads.

When to go

The best months for this trip are May, June, September and October, when the heat is gentler for the drive and the dune climb, and the sea is still warm enough to swim. The water along this coast is typically 19–21 °C in May and 25–26 °C in August; our water temperature guide has every month. July and August are the hottest and busiest months; if you go then, start very early. See Crete in October for why autumn suits day trips like this one.

Combining it with other days

Triopetra and Agios Pavlos take a full day, so pair them with slower days around Plakias:

• The day before or after, stay close. A morning swim at a beach near town, from our guide to the beaches around Plakias, balances a long drive.
• Preveli is on the way east, but it deserves its own day. Our Preveli Beach guide explains why.
• Frangokastello is the equivalent day trip in the other direction, west towards Sfakia. See Frangokastello from Plakias.
• Spili, the mountain village with its Venetian fountain, is an easy inland stop on other drives. See Spili.

For everything else about a holiday here, start with things to do in Plakias.

Looking after the place

The dunes are fragile, and the wildness of these beaches is exactly what people come for. Stay on the obvious paths across the sand where there are any, take all your rubbish home, and do not build fires or camp on the beach.