Vai Beach

Vai beach is on the eastern side of Crete, 25km east of Sitia. It is most famous for its palm tree lined beach. The name of the area, Vai, comes from vayia, the Greek word for palms. The palms are Cretan date palms and it’s the largest date grove in Europe, with nearly 5000 palms and existing for 2000 years. This beach has a more Caribbean feel, with its white sandy beach and date palms lined behind. The palm beach belongs to the famous Toplou Monastery which is found 12km before the beach.  There are some amenities located on the beach, including umbrellas, sunbeds, showers, toilets, water sports and snack bars. To the right of the beach, there are some stairs and a 15-minute walk takes you to another smaller, isolated beach – Psili Ammos. There is a large car park so plenty of parking space. However, there is a fee for the carpark and prices are higher in general than elsewhere on Crete. Although a little touristy, this is a unique place to visit and offers a different scenic view than other traditional Cretan beaches.