Plakias

is an old fishing village on the south coast of the district of Rethymnon on the island of Crete.

It is known to individual tourists for some years, but still rather untouched by mass tourism.

The southern coastal mountains rise immediately behind the village.

Between the two mountains Xilis Korifi (829 meters) and Kirrimianou (815 meters), there is the Kotsifos creek down the ravine of the same name. It runs into the Libyan Sea just in the middle of Plakias. On it's west bank there is the small fishing port.

Around the port and further eastward along the sandy beach which lines the bay are some smaller hotels and apartment facilities.

Down along the beach road there are several restaurants, tavernas, kafenions, small supermarkets and some other shops.

Regular boats connect the port to the famous palm beach of Preveli.

So the beach is accessible also to those visitors who do not like or are not able to undertake the onerous climb from Preveli down to the beach and back.

Some 1,500 meters west of the village center there is the smaller bay of Souda which also has a sandy beach.

There are more beautiful beaches along the south coast in both directions, and the environs are particularly scenic. It is therefore advisable to take a rental car at the airport as it brings the opportunity to see them all.

Text & photos by Ingo H. Dietrich