Ever since I started to look and read for my first vacation in Crete, Vai Beach was on my must-see list. The first year we stayed in Rethymno and it was a very long drive. Then, the next year, we only had 3 full days and we used 2 of them for Spinalonga and Samaria. Also, restrictions were still in place and the excursions were not all available. In 2022, although I stayed there for quite a long time, the excursions were always full booked (August, d’ooooh!!!). Unfortunately there is only one local agency in Heraklion area that does this day trip, only on Sunday. So in 2023, when I arrived back home (in Crete, of course, not in the boring town where I earn my money to go to Crete), first thing I did was to book my seat in the day trip to Vai Beach. Also, I only had 1 shot, so to say, as my flight back to the sad reality of Teams calls and meetings was on a Sunday morning.

Good, so, like I said, I went there by organized trip. I did try to find a way to get to Vai without car, but things are not that easy. Let me explain why:

· I was staying outside Heraklion, in a village called Karteros, 7km away. So I had to take the local bus to Heraklion Central Bus Station. The first bus from my place was leaving to Heraklion at 7:05 and it usually takes 15-20 minutes to get there

· From Heraklion Central Bus Station, I had to take the bus to Siteia. This means an approx. 3hrs journey. As per my above remark, I would have never caught the 7:15 express bus to Siteia, so I had to take the 10:45 one, arriving at approx. 2 pm in Siteia

· The bus from Siteia to Vai leaves at 10:30 and 14:15 and it takes approx.. 1h to get to Vai. Arriving at 15:15, 15:30

· Then, the last bus from Vai to Siteia leaves at 16:15, arriving around 17:15-17:30

· The last bus from Siteia to Heraklion leaves at 17:15

· I would have spent my entire day on the road, in a bus and enjoy Vai for only 45 mins, no time for lunch, nothing. The alternative would have been to book 1 night stay in Siteia, go in the morning with the first bus to Vai, leave the beach with the last one, but still with the risk of not catching the last bus to Heraklion, so most probably I would have had to book another night at a hotel there. Which, tbh, was not very convenient, as I was already paying in Karteros.

· Also, the route from Siteia to Vai route starts on the 1st of July, it wasn’t available when I was there in June. **DISCLAIMER: The bus from Siteia to Vai is running ONLY during the summer months and the schedule changes every year, based on demand. Check on http://www.ktelherlas.gr for the updated schedule

I booked my excursion via Get Your Guide website and the communication with the agency was super smooth, I received my pick-up point/location and time and I was the first to board and the last to be dropped off 😊 . The trip also included Ierapetra, Toplou Monastery and Sitia, but I will discuss about them separately.

Vai Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Crete, after Balos and Elafonisi. Also known as the Palm forest, it is located in the eastern part of Crete, in the Lasithi region. The palm grove is indigenous, making it one of its kind in Greece and in Europe. It consists of over 5000 wild date palm trees and is extending over an area of 250 square kilometers. It is part of Natura 2000 protected areas, which means that restrictions will apply in order to protect the area, especially in terms of the number of sunbeds and their placement

The origin of the place is attributed to the legends of the Egyptian soldiers and pirates who threw away the seeds of the dates they were eating. Nowadays it is a protected area and the grove ends at a very beautiful golden sand beach, surrounded by astonishing turquoise waters. 

Things to know before you go:

· It is a very popular tourist destination and it can be extremely crowded in peak months, such as July and August. Arrive as early as possible. 

· The road is in good conditions and the scenery is beautiful

· There is parking available

· Some resorts in Siteia or Agios Nikolaos can offer a private day trip for their customers, so you can expect a lot of tourist buses in the parking lot

· There is no accommodation at the beach, no hotels, no airbnbs.

· There is only one restaurant, Palm Beach Vai, with very good food at reasonable prices (taking into consideration that it’s the ONLY one in the area). Also, there is a café next to it

· In the summer, there are some food shops near the parking lot, serving mostly fast food and cold drinks

· The toilets at the restaurant can be used free of charge

· Climb to the viewpoint, it is well signposted, to get the most amazing view

· Watersports (ski jet) can be performed

· There is plenty of space if you don’t want to pay for sunbeds and umbrellas (I think they were around 20E/set)

· Be careful in your walks on the shore, as Psili Ammos is a nudist beach and it is close to Vai 😊 

· Smoking is allowed ONLY in designated areas (at the entrance/exit) and in the restaurant. Be very careful on windy days, make sure you extinguish properly the cigarette

In the area, just at 5 mins drive to the north, you can find the Ancient City of Itanos and the Necropolis, which can be visited for free, next to the beach with the same name (which is a wild one, btw, there are no beach services there)

Enjoy the pics!