Kostas PapanikolaouTropical beaches in the Mediterranean Sea?
Having been in tropical destinations such us Bali, Vietnam and Cuba gave us the opportunity to witness the beauty of white sand beaches and turquoise water. Nevertheless, we always regard Greek beaches among the most beautiful in the world, with some of them very similar to tropical ones, regarding sand, depth and feeling.
In southeastern Crete, almost three hours drive from Heraklion, Xerokampos welcomes us in a scenery of unique beauty. Driving down the windy slope, a few kilometers after Ziros, you need to be very careful not to get distracted by the view that stretches in front of you.
Welcome to the southeastern tip of Crete!
Beach games and clay therapy
The long beach of Xerokampos is the best, in our opinion. This “powder sand” is perfect for games, especially with small children. You can imagine the joy of our little explorer, despite the strong wind, when we first went there.
A little further you will find Argilos beach. As you can guess by the name, an excellent, free natural spa is waiting for you! There are several more small beaches around, depending on your preferences.
Wild camping with a toddler, always interesting
While our son fell asleep in the rooftop tent, we could enjoy a warm night with wine and salad, under the stars. Later, the imperceptible sound of the waves accompanied us in our sleep.
Those who love free camping and spending the night in nature can definitely understand the feeling of waking up at a place like this. The atmosphere is so much peaceful, that you hesitate to dive into the water, not to bother it. In our case, of course, Ektoras was there, to wake everyone up earlier, anyway!
Useful tips
- Xerokampos is far from the touristic places of Crete. As much as it takes to make its beauty a little more inaccessible. But it is worth! Be sure to drive there when there is no wind at all, if possible. The view of the beach with calm water will captivate you! On contrary, when it blows, it is very likely that you will not even be able to get off, sand becomes unbearable.
- While driving along the south coast, you will find several more excellent beaches. Ammoudi, Kapsa (close to the homonymous monastery), Atherina and many more. Southern Crete is wonderful!
- You can organize a circular route of eastern Crete. Thus, Xerokampos will be in the middle of destinations such as Makris Gialos, Koutsounari, the Gorge of the Dead, Zakros and Sitia. One week is the time you need to enjoy them!
- Free camping is prohibited, you will also see relevant signs. We did not break the law, though. As we have said before, staying in the car or on the rooftop tent is not considered as camping. Not even in a motorhome, of course. We take care of nature, we gather our own garbage and many more. We leave nothing behind, we only take photos! Difficult; Definitely not, but our little one has already learned it.
Enjoy amazing Lasithi!