Elafonisi – Pink Sand Beach in Crete

Elafonisi – Pink Sand Beach in Crete. While we were staying in Crete with Kiani Beach Resort we went on several day trips. When I was researching things to do in Crete with kids. I found pictures online of these beautiful white and pink beaches in Crete with turquoise waters. I instantly wanted to go and see them in real life. To be honest I was a little sceptical on the basis that a lot of photos are edited online. Could a pink beach actually be real? A little more research told me it was possible from where we were staying, albeit it would be a lot easier if we had a hire car, something we could not do. 

Initially disappointed that we probably would not be able to visit the Crete pink beach. I resigned myself to a return trip to Elafonisi beach Crete when the boys are older and we are in a position to hire a car ourselves. However, I need not have worried. As the pink sands are such a tourist attraction, unsurprisingly there are various coach trips to it from all over the island. This is how we got on when we visited the pink beaches in Crete. 

The best beaches in Crete – pink beaches in Crete 

Although when we arrived at the resort I discovered that the tourist office within it could arrange a trip to Elafonisi. Organised through Lets Crete we knew it would be a long coach ride when we signed up. Made even more of a challenge with having two young kids with us. However, the lure of the pink sand was too much to say no to and I knew if I wanted to go on this trip then this would be the only way. Armed with things to keep the kids entertained we set off. On our trip, we stopped in the mountains for a comfort break which happened to be near a cave – the cave of Agia Sofia. I was really pleased as it gave the boys the chance to stretch their legs. The scenery was beautiful but had nothing on Elafonisi island.

Elafonisi – Pink Sand Beach in Crete

We arrived at midday and had three hours to explore. This is part of the problem with getting a coach trip, you are limited on time. It also means you have to accept you are likely to visit during the busiest times of the day. Quickly I realised that you could easily spend all day on the Crete pink beach relaxing and paddling in the shallow waters. However, three hours with two young children worked out about right for us. We did everything we wanted to do on that visit. Although I would like to go back one day and explore the whole area further.

Parking & Amenities at Elafonisi – Pink Sand Beach in Crete

Elafonisi beach Crete itself is a short walk down from the parking area and there is a tourist shop on route. Selling beach essentials such as towels for 8€ each and inflatables for 12-20€. So make sure you remember yours if you have children as it took the boys some convincing to move on! On the beach itself, there are a couple of snack bars. One is a bar selling soft and alcoholic drinks, and the other is more like a traditional cafe. We did not visit the cafe but the bar was reasonably priced considering there is a captive audience of day trippers. There really is nothing much else around.

There are also toilets but there is a charge of 1€ to use them, I would be lying if I said this didn’t annoy me. Although children are free I really don’t think we should have to pay to use toilets. And what would happen if you did not have any change? We didn’t wander too much from the first part of the main beach you come to. if we had more time I think we would have walked along to the left as there looked like it may lead to more amenities.

The Shallow Lagoon – Elafonissi Beach Crete 

However, since we were limited on time we headed straight to the lagoon. This is because the coach driver as explained it was warmer and more suitable for the boys. Who as you can imagine absolutely loved it. You could go out a fair way and explore the rocks without the water going over Charlie’s knees. I think they really enjoyed the freedom in the water it gave them. I am not sure I have been anywhere with such clear water.

It is necessary to walk through the lagoon to cross over at one point which came up to my knees. It’s easy to do since you are only walking on sand. Unlike many of the other Cretan beaches which are very rocky. I think this is why it is one of the best beaches in Crete for us. Especially when travelling with children. As here on Elafonisi beach Crete the boys could run free across the vast sand flats. We pitched up on the sand which runs between the lagoon and the other side. It was damp which I guess indicates that the sea will cover it at different times of the day. Again this is unusual as Crete does not have tidal patterns like many of the other places we have visited.

We did wander to the other side of the sand dunes. On this side, the sand is very dry and your feet sink as you walk across the beach. Which can make it heavy going for little ones. The sea is rougher and colder than the lagoon. But it seemed much more popular with lots of people sunbathing and kids playing beach games. This could be because we had arrived as the tide had left that particular part. I must admit I much preferred the quiet area we had chosen and the fact it had pink sand. Not to mention it was a lot easier to keep an eye on the kids. Rather than worrying about them getting too close to the crashing water.

How Pink is the Pink Sand?

So the pink sand… well I was prepared to be disappointed when visiting this Crete pink beach. Despite looking online and it being the main attraction of Elafonisi. I didn’t quite believe that there would be pink sand. And as we walked down from the car park all I could see was white sand and blue water. Gorgeous white sand. But white sand all the same. I did think to myself we have come all this way and there is no Crete pink beach afterall!

However, I was wrong as along the shoreline it definitely existed. It t is actually pink coral sand, made from broken coral. So I would imagine that if you visited in the early morning. Before the beach is disturbed too much then the colour is even more vibrant. I would also expect that there would be fewer people. We visited in October and I was still surprised by how busy it was. Anyway back to the pink sand. You can see it as you walk across the shallows. If you look down there are lines of it underfoot moved by the sea. It definitely gave a pink tinge.

However, I was after something more prominent like the photos I had seen online. The areas we found with the pinkest sand early afternoon were the lagoon and the beach past the sand dunes. This is a little walk but nothing significant.

Top Tips for visiting Elafonissi Beach

• It is a very popular spot, especially in the Summer months. Not unsurprising as it is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. For this reason, aim to get there early or later in the day if you want it quieter. We visited outside of high season yet still found it to be busy.
• The car park is quite large so you should not have trouble parking. Although the further you have to park towards the back the longer the walk to the beach. Which can be painful with little ones and all the various beach parfinalia you have to carry with you.
• It is possible to reach the beach by public transportation with a public bus from Chania city, which runs a daily bus service.
• Eladonisi Lagoon is the best area for small children to play in the crystal-clear turquoise water. Although we did not find the water very warm in October. The kids still enjoyed paddling.
• There are sun beds available to hire from the beach bars with orange fringed parasols. We did not do this so I am not sure how much they cost. My impression was that they were not cheap as many people had avoided them altogether.
• Check the tourist season before your visit. The beach of Eladonissi is a protected area. At certain times of the year, the endangered Loggerhead sea turtles come ashore to nest. During this time some of the beaches are closed.
• Becuase of where it is located, the pink beaches can be subject to strong winds. With young ones, I would pack for this and ensure that you top up sun lotion. On windy days you can often see people kite surfing.
• Naturally, I could not resist taking photos of the boys and the sands. However, it is a popular selfie spot so it can be quite difficult to get photos without anyone else in them.
• Remember entertainment for the coach or public transport, food and drink.

Our Conclusions

The pink Elafonisi beach is definitely worth visiting. It is by far one of the best beaches in Crete we have seen. The remote location makes it a perfect addition to a road trip. Although even the coach journey was worth the effort to visit this magical place. I am not sure it was quite as pink as I had seen in pictures before we visited. But this did not detract from our day out.

We had a relaxing day enjoying the beautiful pink beaches Crete in this remote corner of the island. Our return journey came around far too quickly for the adults. Although we did manage a sneaky beer before leaving. We were on holiday after all. If you can get to this beautiful place when you visit Crete, then I would highly recommend you take the time to do so. You will not be disappointed.

Have you visited any pink beaches Crete? Or been to the Island of Crete? What would you name as your best beaches in Crete? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.

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I hope you have enjoyed this article about Elafonisi beach Crete. Please share it with your friends and family. We had not considered Crete as a family holiday destination before our visit with the boys when they were ages two and six. It tuned out to be a wonderful location for a family holiday. It was not too hot but warm enough to get in the pool. There was so much to do both in the resort we stayed in and also in the surrounding area.

It is incredibly family friendly and almost everyone we came across could speak very good English. This really helped when getting around and doing a few things off the beaten track. If you haven’t been then I would definitely add it to your list. I can not wait to go back and explore more of the island and visit more beautiful beaches like this one. 

If you are planning on visiting Crete then you may also be interested in these articles from when we visited with the children. This also includes some ideas around other things to do and also where we stayed during our trip. 

Things to do in Northern Crete with Kids

Cretan Cooking Class

Our stay at the Kiani Beach Resort – All inclusive family hotel resort

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We were invited to stay at the all-inclusive  Kiani Beach Resort over the October half term for the purpose of writing a review. This was one of the excursions we took part in during our stay which was arranged via Lets Crete which is part of the hotel resort. We did not pay for the coach trip. All words and opinions are my own. We paid for our own flights.

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Pink beaches Crete