SOUDA
There are two tavernas here. Although a part of the big sweep of Plakias Bay the western end called Souda Bay is a definitely separate section. There is now a good road from Plakias, about 4km from the centre of Plakias to the tavernas at the Western end of Souda. It is possible to walk (about 45 mins) but this beach has the distinct advantage of being served by tour boats. The beach is excellent being a mix of sand and shingle. It was partly shaded by the cliff at the western end during the late afternoon. Usage varied considerably during our stay but with an overall "do your own thing" feel. When we visited in 1991 about 70% of this on the beach were nude (Rating: 65%). My 1994 correspondent reports that at the start there was a good nude usage in the mid section to eastern ends, but towards the latter part it was increasingly dressed. Possibly the increasing wind strength had driven people away. There are a number of building sites overlooking the bay and it may be quite different in a year or two.
The nude part is visible from the road. Mixed reports of usage by naturists. One report from June 2000 reports a sole male naturist being angrily abused by locals; obviously hard to know what that can have been about. Another indicated that there were still nude people on the beach at 6pm together with some textiles, and that the nude part had a different type of beach umbrella from the textile part. An email from May 2001 reported relatively few people on this beach, with perhaps 30% nude, mainly in the middle stretch where there is a bit of protection from the road. Some contributors find this beach uninspiring after visiting those at Mikro Amoudi.
But contributors who visited this beach in later part of September 2003. preferred Amoudi (west) but high northerly winds were swirling into Amoudi to a degree that they found it uncomfortable. At this time, Souda was relatively sheltered. The nudist end of the beach is the east end, the part of the beach you first come to as you come from Plakias. There were a different set of umbrellas at this end than at the other parts of the beach. Nudity seemed to be well accepted and practised here. Most of the sunbeds & umbrellas at this end of the beach were occupied, about 90% nudist, plus a number of other nudists using their own beach mats. Mostly couples on this beach. Umbrella + 2 sunbeds was 5 euros for the day. This beach is a good alternative if it is too windy at Plakias or Amoudi.
A report from the summer of 2004 tells that Souda is usually good for naturism early in the day, especially at the eastern end, but becomes increasingly textile later. Weekends were 100% textile, and there is a fair amount of new building overlooking the beach. It sounds as if nudity may be on the way out here, sadly.
But a report from June 2008 tells me that Souda beach remains nudist at the Eastern end (nearest to Plakias) where there are 30 or so sunbeds. Mainly middle aged couples English Swedes Austrians. On Sunday there was no problem most people there were nudist.
RODAKINON (or Koraka) BEACH F3 3,2
Accessible from the (Main) road between Plakias and Hora Sfakion at a turn off in Kato Rodakinon. This access in GPS WGS-84 coordinates: N35 12' 01.5" E24 19' 03.4".
We found two rather separate sections. The first was a not very attractive shingle beach with a prominent "No nudism" sign the second a sandy beach with taverna behind. A family beach on our visit, firmly dressed.
AGHIA MARINA BEACH
The taverna mentioned in Rodakinon is next to a rocky hill, which marks the west end of Koraka beach. The REAL beauty is located behind this hill. You can either climb it following the path that lies somewhere near the taverna or continue with your car past the Polyrizos Hotel to the end of the asphalt road. You'll see an iron fence before you. On your left there is a small unmade road leading to the beach. Leave your car there and continue on foot, unless you have a jeep or a motorbike. The beach is about 250m away. This is the first section of the beach and the most crowded of all. Once you reached the beach you can explore to the west, where the next two sections are.Nude on Ag Marina beach The first of them is visible from where you are. It is a 300m sandy beach. Carry on walking and pass the small headland. Now you are at the Aghia Marina beach.
The church of Ag.Marina is at the east end of the golf and has some Byzantine frescoes (although destroyed to some length). In all of these sections of the beach, people go naked although during high season (around 15 August) there are quite a few local people who go dressed. During this period, the first section is the most crowded (max 30 people in a 200m long beach, that is) and dressed of all, but again naked people are 2/3 majority. The next two sections and especially the Ag.Marina beach are the most isolated and give you this "in the middle of nowhere" feeling. You can walk around naked and explore, though you shouldn't get in the church naked, as it would be considered a sign of disrespect. You may see local people roaming around, but it's ok: they are pasturing their sheep and will not disturb you. My correspondent visited this beach 3 times during summer 1998. The beach is very good for camping, the sea is crystal clear and the setting is magnificent. My correspondent gives it a 96%!!
However the sand is coarse and stony in places and the seabed is generally stony and although there are sandy places on the seabed the rocks may be a bit off-putting for swimming.
Correspondents who visited in August 1999 found the second beach to be as good as the actual Aghia Marina beach (with its small church). There were very few bathers on the three beaches. The water was perfect and we enjoyed the setting anyway.
A report from August 1999 indicated that nudity was difficult at the weekend because of the preponderance of Greek families, but at other times it was "quiet and wonderful".
A report from September 1999 said Aghia Marina beach was well attended with a number of families camping under the trees. There was a group of artists sketching near the old church who remained firmly dressed but other visitors were mostly nude.
When the Captain visited in September 1999 nudity would have been possible on any of the three beaches. The Captain stopped on the third, but on reflection thought the second if anything more attractive. Other correspondents seem to agree.
There is vehicle access via an unmade road from the main Rodakino to Hora Sfakion road that was used by both 4 wheel and 2 wheel drive vehicles. My correspondents tried the first stretch in a Fiat Panda but abandoned the attempt when they saw the state of the roadway. Given that hire car insurance does not cover tyres or the underside of the vehicle, the safest (and possibly least expensive) route to take is the one described above.
A report from May 2001 describes all three beaches as being virtually deserted, with nudity possible on all three. A similar report from May 2002 confirms this.
Unfortunately, by the summer of 2004, a report states that these beaches were 100% textile during the week, and that the area was crowded with cars, caravans and tents. This may just have been an isolated phenomenon, as in the autumn of 2004 even the first beach at the end of the track was deserted, and thoroughly enjoyable for naturism. A visitor in the summer of 2005 noted very few people, but, sadly, all clothed. In September 2005, however, there were several campers, all of whom were naked, and a few other nudists were present also. This is obviously one of those beaches where opportunities for nudism vary according to the taste of those using it.
A report from 2006 says there is now a taverna on Ag Marina called "Tou Drakou", which sells drinking water.
FRANGOKASTELLO E3 8,1
The old fort of Frangokastelli lies on the south coast of Crete, not far from the towns of Chora Sfakion and Plakias. In this part of Crete, the coast is mostly an abrupt boundary for the mountains, but for several miles east of Chora Sfakion there is a gently undulating strip of land anything up to 2 miles wide between the sea and the bases of the mountains (and the ravines and gorges which slice into them). Frangokastelli stands on a slight promontory of this strip, and is visible from miles away. The beaches directly below the fort are textile, but about a mile to the east is a fair-sized naturist beach.
If travelling from Chora Sfakion, follow signs to Frangokastelli, then stop for a wander around the fort. The Venetian outer walls are still in reasonable condition, but the later Turkish constructions inside are mostly ruined.
Leave the fort and head on east. Once out of the town, after about 500m look out for a track off to the right signposted "Sunrise Taverna". The track is level and won't present any problems for an ordinary car. The taverna is around 200m along the track, with plenty of parking space. Concrete steps provide an easy way down the cliff until almost the bottom, where some easy scrambling is required. Then walk about 300m along the firm sand of the textile area to reach the naturist part of the beach - which extends right the way round to the cliff at the far end of the bay.
This is a lovely beach, with gently shelving fine sand. There seemed to be no significant currents. Unfortunately, the curve of the 25m sand cliff behind the beach, and the rocky cliffs at either end, block off all views of the mountains and coast - unlike spectacular Plakias some 15km east. Directly above the hazy boundary between textile and naturist areas is the Fata Morgana development. One can get to the beach from Fata Morgana taverna. Drive past the Faros Taverna into the second car park. There are new concrete steps after a ramp, going 2/3 of the way to the beach. Probably another higher connection will be made to the top of the steps in the future. Whether the steps will be extended further towards the sea is another matter.
Interestingly, Simply Greece wax lyrical about the beach but don't mention that about half of it is naturist. Also, their brochure and Website show the sand as white, when it is a lovely pale gold. GPS waypoints in WGS-84: Turn off for Sunrise taverna N35 11' 02" E24 14' 28" Sunrise Taverna N35 10' 56" E24 14' 30" Naturist beach N35 10' 59" E24 14' 47".
The beach below the castle had sprouted umbrellas since our last visit three years ago but otherwise had not changed much. The undeveloped beach some 500m further east had changed in that it appeared to have lost a large amount of its sand at the Western end.
The last 200m or so is narrow and sandy with excellent swimming and is completely naked. Although some of the sand in the first 100m seems to have disappeared - don't be disheartened - and keep walking as the beach is worth it. This beach seems to offer good sunbathing and safe swimming even when it is blowing a gale on the rest of the South Coast. A report from June 2000 confirms that it is still all nudist. This beach is named "Orthi ammos" on the Explore Crete and Naturism in Crete web sites and was almost deserted. As on the main Frangokastello beach, you need to wade out a long distance to get enough water to swim in. 75% nudist.
A report from July 2001 confirms that this is indeed an excellent beach with naturist and textile coexistence, although it must have been nicer still before the development along the cliff top. The sand is perhaps mobile as we did have water deep enough to swim close to the shore. Also, you can see the magnificent hills just by swimming out a little way!
The road to this beach from Plakias is well made and winds through the mountains. The journey is worthwhile for the scenery alone! The castle at Frangokastello is worth a visit although the beach there is textile. There has been a great deal of development here recently.
Contributors who visited in high season in 2000 said that the beach was "mixed" near the Fata Morgana taverna but almost entirely nudist near the cliffs. They thought this one of the best locations in Greece and rated it 90%.
In May 2001 the beach was said to be entirely clothed for the first few hundred metres under the sand cliffs, but then became entirely nudist for the last 200 metres or so.
Some who visit the beach go to the rocks at the end where is a waterfall along the stones. You can find clay stones there and use those to paint your and your partner's body grey!
Some Barefooters have noted that the beach can be prone to sandblasting on a windy day. This is true, but depending on the wind direction it can be more sheltered here than at Plakias or Amoudi, for example.
The Captain paid a return visit in September 2004 and again in 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this delightful clothes-optional beach. For me the rating goes up to 95%. Other visitors in 2004 and 2005 agree: it’s lovely, and not crowded even in late July and even on Sundays. The feeling of space was wonderful, and it was good to walk there nude; the water was warm, and the percentage of nudists was always very high. The only criticism was that it could be a bit windswept, and lacks natural shade.
In September 2005 the nudist area was 100% nudist on several visits. In September 2006 twice as many people were using the nude part as any other section. One contributor wonders if one day we might see a reversal, with nude beaches being the norm. In which case we might need a "Captain Textile" web site. Er, no, I don't think so!
Interestingly, an official-looking sign at one of the paths down to the beach states various rules; among other things, it is forbidden to “Make nudism, apart from the end of the beach”. As the prohibition on “making nudism” specifically does not extend to “the end of the beach”, it follows that that must be an area where “making nudism” is specifically allowed! Do we now really have an officially recognised nudist beach in Crete?
Lakki Beach
Reports reach me of another suitable beach further east of Frangokastello. From Frangokastello, drive east towards Rodakino. Beyond the sign for Fata Morgana, fork off at the signpost to Lakki Beach: the asphalt road turns into progressively coarser gravel, but is still negotiable in a regular 2-wheel driveLakki beach car. Pass the sign for Mary Beach apartments and continue straight past the final sign for Zorbas Tavern. Keep driving past the first dirt track with an irrigation spigot, to the second dirt track on the right with an irrigation spigot: take this second track to the beach. Also driveable - with care! - as far as the third irrigation spigot, after which it's a five-minute walk and clamber through trees opening onto a small, very secluded cove, maybe 100 metres end to end. The beach is immaculately clean and mostly extremely fine gravel: comfortable for walking barefoot, yet the stuff doesn't lodge everywhere like sand does. It slopes quite gently, so it's also safe for paddling, though both the beach and the entry to the water are a bit rocky in places. We met several naturist couples on our numerous visits there; they had also found the beach by persistent trial and error.
In September 2004 there were textile campers here, and signs of camping in July 2005 too; but no one was around on that July day, and the beach is described as lovely.
Unfortunately the farmer has now (2009) erected a fence at the top of the road and there is no longer access to this beach.
Chora Sfakion
VRITOMARTIS HOTEL
A naturist hotel has been established: the Vritomartis Hotel. It apparently requires its guests to be nude at the pool and on the beach.
A correspondent visited with his wife in early June 1999, booked through Dune. They stayed in a bungalow room adjacent to the pool. The pool area is fully nudist, has a snack bar facility and a very laid back feel of calm and quiet (May be different in school holidays). Guests are required to dress in the main hotel building and a white towelling robe is part of the provisions in the room.
Evening meals are taken on the terrace and offer a reasonable buffet choice but all of a high standard. The waiters will serve you with your choice of drinks. Alternate nights a musical duo plays on the bar terrace but there is no disco or more lively affair. On the Saturday evening there was a Cretan song and dance evening which was top class. Breakfast is again a buffet affair, adequate but not exciting with cold meat and cheeses.
The "working day" usually started by walking to the beach. Fylaki beach is owned and run by the hotel and is nominally 900 metres away along a winding tarmac road. The beach itself is pebble and rock, around 100 metres long, backed by high cliffs. Sea bottom slope is shallow enough to provide security for the poor swimmer but soon gives onto deeper water, clean and clear. Umbrellas and sunbeds are available for hire. The beach bar provides drinks and snacks all day long and there is no requirement to dress for service. A much smaller beach is accessible to the east at sea-level if you are prepared to get your feet wet or up the road and across the cliffs. The bus makes several trips each day and is definitely the best way to go back to the hotel. You can walk but it is an uphill trudge and you are advised to dress when using the road.
A walk into Chora Sfakion took about half an hour, mostly downhill. Again, the bus is the easiest way back. It runs every hour and a half.
The clientele is primarily German and Dutch (there were 4 English couples there during our week) but most of the staff speak adequate English. The hotel has an events organiser who arranges guided walks and boat trips (boat from Hora Sfakion harbour). Staff were cheerful and helpful, cleanliness and maintenance were first class.
If you want peace and quiet, a good standard of accommodation and food and are happy with pebble beaches and pool then Vritomartis may suit. If you want long, sandy beaches and lots of nightlife then go elsewhere. Vritomartis is no busier in the school holidays. In fact according to the hotel this is a quieter time than May - June and September.
Another contributor who stayed here in September 2000 says the hotel was high class. The cost was 13,000 drachmas for one person for one night. The cost is now included on the hotel's web site. The cost includes a very nice breakfast but the dinner is extra. Everyone was nude at the pool and at the beach and mostly nude at the snack bar. No nudity is allowed in the common areas inside the hotel. The dinner was offered on an outdoor terrace and nudity was not allowed there either. The clientele was almost all German. The pool is large enough to swim laps in.
Barefoot reporters stayed at Vritomartis during September 2006. The hotel was completely full during their stay. It continues a tradition of superb cleanliness and friendliness. There was a very wide range of clientele in terms of couples (mixed and same sex), singles and age groups. It makes for a great eclectic mix. There were plenty of people around the beautiful pool and down at Filaki beach. Interestingly the hotel owners are improving the old hotel beach for opening in the spring 2007. This should give a choice of two hotel naturist beaches in the future.
SWEETWATER BAY
Sweetwater bay is located between Loutro and Chora Sfakion. Glikanera is the Greek word for sweetwater. It is well worth visiting. From Chora Sfakion you take the road to Anopolis. You pass Ilingas beach and after only a few bends the way takes a right hand turn where you can park the car. This access point in GPS coordinates: N35 12' 07.0" E24 07' 02.7".
At the bend in the Anopolis road there is a sign saying, "E4 Sweetwater Beach." This sign, like many other road signs and rubbish bins, is riddled with bullet holes! From there the foot path down to Glikanera begins (see the picture). This 30 minutes walk is an adventure since the path leads you 50 m above rocks and water without fences, but if you are an experienced hiker it should be no problem to you. The beach itself is of pebble stones which are rather difficult walk on bare feet. However, it is entirely naturist There are several sweetwater holes, but these are for drinking, NOT washing:
You will upset the campers a good deal if you wash in them. At the western end of the beach there was a taverna, for which you need to dress, and there were a few clothed bathers near the taverna in 2004. The beach can also be reached by a 1 hour walk from Loutro, or you can go by canoe from Loutro.
From Loutro, Sweetwater can be reached either by an approx 1.25 hour walk along the E4 path or by a small ferry (converted fishing boat). The boat leaves at 11.00 am each day and takes about 15 minutes, returning at 5.00 pm. The ferryman doesn't wait! The walk can be very hot! My correspondents walked it once and left at about 9.30 am. Good shoes are needed as the path can be a bit rough with quite steep drops to the sea. The exercise was welcome after just sunbathing for 4 days. The sea was quite cold when my contributors were there in late May early June. The mentioned fishing boat also commutes from Chora Sfakion. It departs there at 10:30 and goes back from the beach at 4.30 pm. The boat from Loutro now costs 3.5 Euros. The captain of the boat from Chora Sfakion to Sweetwater Beach waits for customers at Hotel Xenia in Chora Sfakion. It is the last hotel on the left of Chora Sfakion as you face the town from the sea. That is the side farthest from the bus stop. Ask for him at that hotel. The boat leaves at 10:30 am.
Sweetwater is famous for its goats. Apparently, if you feed them, they will lay down next to you and spend the day just like a loyal dog. They also accept petting. They can be a nuisance, however.
One of the campers has installed a faucet so it is now possible to get goat-free spring water.
A report from June 1999 describes this as a very special beach. It is still completely nude except at the taverna on the western end. More people here now than last year, including several campers. A great experience.
Shade is hard to find, so be sure to bring a good sun block. This is especially true because the boats that are the only easy way of leaving only go in late afternoon. The beach can get very hot because of its situation between rock walls.
A report from June 2000 confirms the impressions above. My contributor gave the beach a 100% rating! Relaxed atmosphere and not too crowded. 90% nudist away from the taverna.
Another way to get into the beach is to take boat tour that is organized by Vritomartis hotel. You can stay nude during all the trip:
The goats are still there. Be careful of small landslides caused by the goats walking up the very steep cliff behind the beach. My contributor saw such a landslide send a 2 foot diameter boulder close by a sunbathing couple. Another contributor from 2004 recommends keeping well away from the cliffs, because of constantly falling stones.
Not everyone enjoys the beach. One report described a continuous stream of walkers on the footpath which disturb the serenity. But reports from 2004 and 2005 confirm the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere, and the good snorkelling.
In September 2006 the beach was completely nude bar for one couple. Approximately 40 people a day were using the beach. Also the beach bar remains a favourite haunt and provides excellent food and ice cold drinks - keep it going!
Loutro is a very pretty and not expensive village. My contributor recommends staying there, at least in September. The main town beach has stern signs saying "no topless bathing" but my contributors saw people swimming naked from the rocks at the western end of the bay. Likewise, they themselves swam naked from a small stony beach about 1km west of Loutro. A report from September 2002 says this beach was fantastic, with almost all of the people nude.
Barefoot reporters who visited in September 2006 thought Sweetwater offered the best combination of benefits – water transport to & from Loutro & Chora Sfakion, a limited taverna, lovely water and plenty of room. The tale about the goat is still true!
And other Barefooters who visited in 2007 found Sweetwater amongst the most beautiful beaches on Crete. You can find almost only naturist people on the beach, and there is a small floating summer cafe at the west end of the beach. Just lovely.
Marmara beach
See on Google maps
My contributor spent four days in Loutro in April 2000. One day they walked the 45 minute walk westwards to Marmara Beach. This is a beautiful little beach of fine pebbles surrounded by marble cliffs situated where the Aradena Gorge reaches the sea. When they got there there was just one other person there, nude, so they took the chance and stripped off. In the following hours more and more people came, among them many families with children.
Many kept their swimsuits on at first, but as the day wore on more and more people stripped off, and in the early afternoon the beach must have been almost 50% nude. The presence of many children made the atmosphere very innocent and pleasant, despite the fact that some of the textiles obviously disliked the nudity.
The swimming is great, there was a nice breeze coming down from the gorge, and there is a taverna on the cliff to the western side of the beach. All in all a very pleasant beach experience!
A report from June 2001 speaks of the possibility of hiring kayaks in Loutro and kayaking to Marmara or even Sweetwater Bay. My contributor says kayaking naked through the clear blue water is a religious experience!
This is a very small beach. The entire coast south of the beach consists of a series of rock coves and caves. They seem to be accessible only from the water. The water was warmer here, and swimming was ok with rocks to look at.
Some guide books list this as a naturist beach, however there is now a taverna sitting above the beach accompanied by the spray painted "no nudism" signs. The signs are also painted on the adjoining rock cove/cave. One couple was in this adjoining cove and were nude.. The boat from Loutro showed up, and a half dozen people scrambled up the rocks (above the beach) presumably to strip.
A less encouraging report from summer 2002 suggests, however, that naturists are being asked by taverna man to move to the nearby rocks when he took money for the umbrellas. The rocks were full of naked people.
A Barefoot reporter who visited in 2007 was disappointed by this beach and the signs saying "no nudism". It is a small beach and, he thought, not worth visiting compared with some other lovely beaches mentioned in the Guide. Other reports would be welcome.
