We are traveling via cruise ship to each of the following islands: Corfu, Mykonos and Crete with our 4 teens. By this point in the trip they will be on travel overload and I am trying to determine the best beach for them to hang out relax and maybe engage in some water sports. Given that we do not have transportation besides the bus, I would love some recommendations. We are willing to hire a car or transport if it makes sense.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Debbie.
Im only going to Crete, but I have teens ;) Where on Crete are you going? There are many beaches - Im not sure what makes a beach better for teens? Elafonisi, Falasarna, Preveli, and Plakias are highly recommended (the first two especially are renowned, albeit swarmed for that reason). There are 2 (or 3) beaches right outside Chania, so if you are staying there, these would make sense. What do you mean by water sports? There are not waves like a surf beach on Crete. Wind-surfing is offered at some places, but we aren't doing that so I haven't researched it. Scuba diving; same thing. Flat water canoe trips are possible on the south coast of Crete...
Good luck--
Debbie when you say "Crete" --- it is about 168 miles long. You need to say do you mean that you will stay there, or you are there for 5-7 hours as a Cruise stop?? If it is just a day on your cruise, stopping at Heraklion, it's hard to get to a good beach within 30 miles. If you mean a cruise stop at Mykonos, it's easy to taxi or take a bus to a beach for a few hours. As others have said, "water sports" such as surfing, boogie boards etc depend on waves, and aegean doesn't have any.
Janet,
We are arriving via cruise and will be in Corfu from 7am-4pm, Mykonos 7am-6pm and Crete (Chania) from noon-10pm. I have read somewhere that some of the island beaches offer water skiing and other boat sports.
Sounds like we can take the bus to beaches in Corfu and Mykonos but maybe need to hire a driver (there are 7 of us) to get to a beach in Crete from our port.
Are there any particular beaches that are more lively for teens? Also I understand some beaches are more rocky than others. We prefer the sandier beaches if you have any recommendations.
Many thanks.
For Mykonos, Paradise Beach is definitely fun for a young crowd with music and Beach Clubs, but you may be put off by a larger proportion of topless, and even some full nude sunbathers, than some of the other beaches. Super Paradise is much the same. Psarrou and Platus Gialus would be much more family friendly.
If there are 7 of you, For Crete you would need to hire more than a driver, you'd need a driver with a 9-passenger Van. As for Chania, please be sure where your cruise ship will land -- will it be Souda Bay?? That is east of Chania quite a bit look at this map ...
https://www.google.com/maps/search/Chania+Crete+wider+area/@35.5009243,24.0164997,14z?hl=en
Do you see Souda Bay?? Do you see the Seafront of Chania where it says "Old Venetian Harbor"? That's Old Town Chania, where the grownups will want to spend their time wandering the very atmospheric & picturesque town. If your 4 teens want to swim there, see THat little "hook thing" at the far left of Old Harbor? Just beyond is "Nea Chora Beach" (= New Town Beach"). Not fancy but right on the small roadway, water is clean, good for a swim, lined with cafes that serve pizza & other teen stuff.
Here's what you could do (ENLARGE MAP NOW )all 7 of you take the bus in to Chania to the Bus station, which is direcly South of the Old Harbor ... walk up to OLD HARBOR, and walk around LH side of it out to the Point... there is the NAVAL MUSEUM ... lots of history but ONE THING that teens will go for -- a full-scale working Model of an ancient Greek warship, with OARS... it is full seaworthy, was built for the 2008 Olympics in Greece. Then One of you could walk west with the teens along seafront for about exactly 1/2 mile and Voila! Beach. If you can trust them to be on their own, give one of them a phone and instruct them to phone you every hour on the hour, give them pizza money, then leave. The beach will be perfectly safe, and so will they, unless you have some crazies in the bunch. The adult could go back & sightsee with theother grownups & assign someone else to pick them up, or else (by phone) assign them to walk back the way they came at 4 pm or so.
Janet,
thank you! Your input is just what I am looking for. Any suggestions for Mykonos or Corfu?
As for the port, the itinerary just says Chania, so not sure which port.
When the itineary doesn't give details, CALL. ASK. It is your right. If you look at the map, there is no harbor next to Chania city large enough for a large cruise ship. As for the other ports, Rick steves has I believe a forum for cruise lines where you could get your other answers. Or you could do your own research, if there is time.
Our port in Crete is Souda Bay so your recommendations are perfect. Thanks Janet.
I Love Janet's Crete answer, my immediate reaction too was NO! Don't miss Chania!
So here is another idea - go into Chania town, all of you, for say 3 hours - wander the old harbour & little lanes, even the teens will be impressed. There will be buses from the ship, if you are in moored in Souda, it takes 15 mins.
Then go (via booking a mini-bus taxi probably easiest, or 2 ordinary taxis), try taxi4crete, to Marathi, which around the bay from Souda, 15-20 mins drive. it's a lovely sandy beach with a fantastic fish taverna. An experience you can all enjoy for a few hours, then taxi back to the ship.
Re Corfu:
Stay away from the northern part of the island--teens will find it boring. Mostly villas, rentals. South part of the island (where I stayed away :)) will be more what they are looking for. Your cruise ship will most likely have the names of the best/easiest beaches for a livelier hangout.
Jwugg, are mini-bus taxis available now? just 2 years ago, they were hard to get, and certainly not at taxi stands... they had to be reserved online, at least in the Athens area. As a matter of fact, my athens friends a few years ago said that (typical Greek bureacracy) minibusses required some different kind of licensing, so that was why so few taxi firms used them. If it has changed hurrah! because every group of 4 that even has an infant in addition could not take a normal taxi (4 passenger + driver).
PS debbie, Jwugg gives very sensible Chania advice.
Jwugg and Janet,
thank you both for the great advice. Since there are 7 of us, I am ok taking 2 taxi's when we need since 7 is a tough number. Do you know how much the bus rides usually cost and do the buses run pretty frequently? Want to make sure we have enough Euros on hand.
Yes Janet, there are a couple of minibus taxis now in Chania. I know that the excellent Kostas at taxi4crete has 1. Pre-booking required. More than the price of a taxi of course, but less than 2.
Debbie, I don't know the price from Souda to Chania on the bus, but it's around E2 each. & the cruise ships sometimes do a (usually free) transfer service which stops outside the Agora (covered market), from where it's only a 5 min stroll down to the harbour.
if the young adults are fit and enthusiastic, the gorge at Samaria on Crete, in a national park of the same name, is famous for being a little remote and a lot rugged. Some details and photos here: https://www.west-crete.com/samaria-gorge.htm
The one chance I had to go, a long time ago, it was closed by spring floods.
I have to go with Jwugg on this discussion. There is a reason cruise ships have added Chania to their ports of call and its not beaches. Chania old town and Venetian harbour is an experience of stepping back in time as you wander the back alleys. This is a walled city, won't that interest the teens. Give them a chance to experience an ancient city and absorb its varied cultures. Hopefully there is a street market on the day you arrive. The Agora is a large structure with all kinds of food and interesting items as well. They are not going to be bored.
If they loose interest after a few hours there is a decent beach just outside the city walls about a 15 minute stroll to the west.
Here is what Chania is all about. Images of the beach are toward the end of the album.
Oh yes I forgot our cruise ship was diverted to Chania and we docked at Souda. There were city buses lined up all day to pick up passengers. I don't know if there was a charge but if so it will be about 2 to 2,50 euro per person. We took a taxi which was a flat rate of 10 euros.
Chania http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632117917828/
Chania May 2016 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157671465596275
While the Samaria Gorge hike is world famous it takes 12 to 13 hours so is not a very good option.
