Elafonisi — Attraction in Municipality of Kissamos

As others said before me I confirm that this is definitely a slice of paradise on earth! Don’t get too blogged by reading that it’s a pink sand beach, go with an open mind and enjoy the beauty of this beach lagoon. Elafonisi’s sandy beaches are fringed with pink coral sand and the crystal clear waters of the sea and the lagoon. As it is located at a remote corner of Crete you also get a sense of wilderness, being far from everything. One more Tipp, don’t get overwhelmed by seeing the amount of people, venture far from where you have parked your car. Walk to the island! Wade through the knee deep water of the lagoon (sometimes the channel closes and you can walk all the way without having to get your feet wet) and head to the island. There are many small beaches on the South side and the further you walk the quieter it gets. The water is generally quite shallow and warm. The drive here is ok, a bit of mountain turns, just drive slow and be alert of the traffic. Come early in the morning or go there around 5pm, those are a bit...

Elafonisi is a fantastic beach which I'd have rated 5/5 if it hadn't been overrun with tourists. Even after the number of sunbeds was reduced by the government earlier this year, the place was still heaving in mid September, even on the islet which is said to be quieter.

The lagoon is calm and shallow so the turquoise water is warm and safe for young children. There is indeed pink sand, though only at the shoreline and it's not as pink as the usually enhanced photos people share make it out to be. Still, the beach is very beautiful and I'm glad we visited.

You can hire paddleboards and sea kayaks for a fairly reasonable price and the supermarket near the car park sells all sorts of things. The freshly baked products are delicious and very reasonably priced.

There is a selection of tavernas and stalls selling local produce but I didn't sample any so can't comment.

The walk from the car park down to the beach takes a good ten minutes and isn't very suitable for people with...

Absolutely stunning beach. We were there at the beginning of August in the middle of the week and it was packed. The parking lot does accommodate a large amount of people and if you arrive by around 1130am, you should be able to get a good spot. It does cost 1 euro to use the washroom (washrooms were moderately clean. I was expecting sparkling given the cost but this is also a beach) and it costed 9 euros to rent 2 beach chairs and 1 umbrella for the full day (very reasonable). I would definitely recommend walking on the sandbar or through the water to the island where the pink sand is and stunning water. It was quite windy there when we were there so use caution with your umbrellas! The beach was packed but definitely still able to find beach chairs, beach space, and water space. Closer walk from the parking lot to the beach. There were some stands selling food and drink items that were reasonably priced. Would absolutely go back, this place...