Elafonisi beach is one of the most beautiful places in Crete: turquoise water, pink sand beach, lagoon and mountains…
The beach is not so secret anymore but still worth a visit!
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit: map, access, tips, things to do… and why is the sand pink?
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Crete:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Crete: DiscoverCars
The unmissable boat tour: Gramvousa island + Balos Lagoon
Fun activity: Quad excursion off the beaten path
My favorite places to stay:
- Chania: see best rated hotels – e.g. Casa Delfino
- Palaiochora: see best rated hotels – e.g. Blue Horizon Hotel
- Rethymno: see best rated hotels – e.g. Leo Hotel
Why visit Elafonisi Pink Beach in Crete?
Elafonisi is a small island separated from mainland by a shallow warm water.
It has become famous because of its pink sand and unique flora.
The 4 mains reasons to visit are:
- PINK – It is often referred to as the Pink Beach of Crete because it some areas the sand turns pink (and we will see why later in the article)
- SHALLOW – The transparent waters are very shallow for a big area. So it is great to just soak and enjoy the scenery
- QUIET sometimes – It used to be secret and quiet, but it has more and more tourists. However, if you stay for the night, you can enjoy the peace and quiet early and late
- SUNSET – It is a fantastic place for sunset (see picture further in the article)
Best beach in Crete?
- Elafonisi (also written Elafonissi) is often listed one of the 3 best best beaches in Crete – I included it in my own list of amazing beaches
- BEST BEST OF – And it is even very often included in lists about the best beaches in Europe, like this one
Virtual tour – video
Below is a very short video of the area with the beach, the pink sand, and the lagoon. Sorry it is very short, it seems that I was so amazed by the views that I forgot to film a lot…
More photos after the planning tips.
Planning Tips and Map – Elafonisi Beach, Crete
Where is the pink beach in Crete? Map & location
- The pink beach is located in the Chania Region
- At the South West tip of the Crete island
- Chania to Elafonisi – 1h40 drive
- Palaiochora to Elafonisi – 1h10 drive
- Rethymno to Elafonisi – 3h drive
- Heraklion to Elafonisi – 4h30 drive
- Do not mix it up with Elafonissos in mainland Greece
- Below is a map to help you understand the location of the Elafonisi pink beach in Crete:
This highlight is included (with GPS coordinates and practical tips) in my Travel Guide eBook that helps you easily plan your road trip around Crete:
Plan your dream trip in Crete thanks to my guide
- 5 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 60+ pre-selected locations
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
- Tips to make the most of your time
- 150+ original photos to help you choose
How to get to the Elafonisi beach?
Elafonisi used to be more isolated and secret. Now you can find several ways to visit it.
- SELF-DRIVE – The best way is to go by car – and enjoy a road trip around Crete. The road to the beach is generally easy and in good condition (coming directly via the main road through Topolia gorge or following the West Coast) – the last 800m to the carpark are not paved.
- DAY TRIP – Companies offer day trips from Chania and Rethymno that include the drive through Topolia gorge and time to enjoy the pink beach – you just seat back and relax – Check out the options and book
- BUS – You can take a public bus from Chania that also stops at Western villages – You can check the timetable close to your departure date HERE – it takes over 2h
- BY BOAT – In Summer you can find boats operating from the town of Palaiochora
Need to rent a car in Crete?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Prefer a compact car for the narrow streets in villages
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Visit Tips
- CARPARK – There is a large carpark but it is not paved like the last 800m. There are big bumps and holes. Take your time
- From the carpark you can find pathways to the sand area, and then the sand is quite hard further from the water so it is easy to walk around
- Free access
- You can find small shops and snackbars as you walk to the beach (April to October)
- Toilets and shower near the shops
- In Summer there is a lifeguard
- Few sunbeds on the beach
- DO NOT take pink sand or shell with you, it is a protected area
- When the wind picks up, it is a great spot for kitesurfing
Best time to visit Elafonisi
Elafonisi used to be a local secret spot but it is now a very famous beach.
So during the day in Summer, the beach get crowded (but not as much as it could be, thanks to its isolation)
The best time to enjoy the pink beach is early morning or late afternoon when all the day trippers have gone. So I recommend spending the night there and enjoying the sunset (see my complete guide about the best places to stay in Crete)
Elafonisi beach hotels – where to stay
- You can find a few accommodations close to the beach (not on the beach though), they are up the unpaved road.
- I stayed at the Elafonisi Resort by Kalomirakis Family – Very close to the beach is the Elafonisi resort with its modern villas surrounded by Olive trees. See my own photos at the end of the article – or check out pictures and availability
Where to stay in Crete?
My favorites:
- Chania, a charming town: See best rated accommodations
- Rethymno, history, beach and central location: See best rated options
- Heraklion, main city: See best rated options
- Palaiochora, for stunning scenery, away from crowds – See best rated options
- Mochlos, for a very quiet area: see best rated options
- For a sandy beach and some nightlife: Malia or Bali
Why is Elafonisi beach pink?
Is the sand really Pink at Elafonisi ?
Yes and No and it depends:
- Yes there is pink sand at the beach, especially at the limit of the water. My photos below is without filter.
- But no, the entire beach is not pink – if you see picture like that, they have been photoshopped. So don’t be disappointed!
- It depends – the quantity of pink you see varies everyday – it depends on the tide, the season, the light and much more…
Why is Elafonisi beach pink?
Sand is formed by corals being crushed by the waves into tiny particles.
When the shells are pink, the sand turns pink.
As you can see below, in another area of the beach, I have found shells not crushed and some of them are pink.
Please do not pick up the pink sand or the shells!
Is Elafonisi beach always pink?
Elafonisi has some pink sand, but the entire beach is not pink.
The amount of pink sand varies everyday, it depends on the tide, the season, the light…
Exploring Elafonisi Beach in pictures
Elafonisi from above
To give you an idea of how the beach and lagoon are structured, I have purchased this aerial photo of Elafonisi.
You can clearly see the island and the large lagoon area and sand space.
To reach the island you must walk at least a little in water
Arriving at Elafonisi
As you arrive from the carpark, it does not look fascinating at all.
You find a large sand area (hard sand at the beginning) that must be crowded in Summer.
So you have to walk a little to get to the water.
Quality of the beach
Once you are close to the water, you can appreciate how transparent it is. And because of the light color of the sand it appears turquoise under the sun.
In the background are some of the mountains of South West Crete.
By the limit of the water is where the sand appears more pink.
At the furthest point where you can go without crossing water, you can find beautiful rocks:
There are a few sunbeds with umbrellas near the water. However in Summer they are taken over fast, so you have to come early to get one.
As you can see in the picture below, the water is shallow for a long time and you can walk quite far.
The water is warm and transparent.
Normally there are no big waves, but it can also get very windy.
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But I also like other drinks and sweets!
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Elafonisi Lagoon & Island
The Elafonisi island
- Size – the island is 1.3km long for 400m wide
- Flora – The island is a protected nature reserve with rare plants.
- There are several walking path on the island for you to explore but do not leave the footpaths!
- History – As in many other places on Crete, locals were hiding there and have been killed during the war of independence
- You can also find a wooden cross on the island which commemorates an Austrian shipwreck from 1907 (the Imperatrix)
- At the West end is also the small chapel of Agia Irini and the very basic lighthouse (the old one was destroyed during the Second World War)
- It seems that Elafonisi means “Deer island” but there are no deers in Crete, so the origin of the name is unknown
You can walk to the island through the lagoon. You will have water at the knee level.
The Elafonisi lagoon
Considering the water is shallow all around the sandy beach, it is a great place to visit for families.
Those shallow water are home to a rare species of protected turtles: the loggerhead sea turtles. There are little chances to see them. But if you spot one, please stay away.
Sunset at Elafonisi
If you can, I recommend spending the night near Elafonisi (but book early, there are not many accommodations around).
This is a beautiful spot to enjoy sunset.
Below are a couple of pictures of my experience:
Hiking to nearby beaches – Kedrodasos beach & E4 path
If you like hiking, Elafonisi is on the famous E4 walking track through Crete.
You can hike all the way to Palaiochora (7 hours).
Or you can just hike to the next beach of Kedrodasos near the Cedar forest if you are looking for a quieter environment.
When facing the island, walk to the left, this is where you will find the beginning of the trail.
You just follow the signs and markings that are yellow and black. They are quite easy to spot.
It is quite easy at the beginning but then you have to climb on a few big rocks.
Sadly I had a strained ankle and I had to turn back.
Some people have written it took them 20min to get to the beach. This surprised me. I know my ankle was hurt, but still, this is not a place where you can walk really fast.
But it is a very enjoyable walk!
Note that because of its isolation, you may find naturists on this beach.
So here is a picture of Kedrodasos beach from another photographer:
Elafonisi Resort
If you want to stay near Elafonisi, I recommend the Elafonisi Resort by Kalomirakis Family.
This is where we stayed (I selected it myself and paid entirely for it).
It is located in an olive tree farm.
There is a main building as well as separated nice spacious villas.
- The decor is modern,
- the kitchen is fully equipped
- the terrace is large
- the bathroom is good with a large shower
The only things I did not enjoy as much were the lack of wifi away from the main building (but they will probably work on it) and the a la carte mode for the breakfast.
Below are a few of my own pictures.
See more pictures, latest prices and book on Booking.com
Other thing to do around Elafonisi
The other main attraction in the region is the Chrissoskalitissa monastery, only 5km away.
It was built during the Venetian period (17th century) on a rocky hilltop by the water.
It is famous for its staircase where the legend says that one step is made of pure gold but only people with pure heart can see it… I did not.
It is opened daily from 8am to 7pm. Your shoulder and knees should be covered.
Want to see more of the best Crete has to offer?
- 40 best landscapes in Crete (in pictures) – read article
- 20 best things to do in Crete – read article
- The 27 best beaches in Crete – read article
- The most beautiful archaeological sites – read article
- The most beautiful churches and monasteries in Crete – read article
- The best destinations in Crete, where to stay – read article
- Advice for planning your road trip in Crete and your itinerary – read article
- Tips for driving around Crete – read article
- The most beautiful boat trips around Crete – read article
Planning a trip to Crete?
Check out my travel guide eBook to help you plan:
Plan your dream trip in Crete thanks to my guide
- 5 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 60+ pre-selected locations
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
- Tips to make the most of your time
- 150+ original photos to help you choose
And keep track of your own trip!
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