Tersanas
The nearest beach is a 5-minute drive away or a 20-minute walk. Take the road next to Chorafakia car rentals. It is a lovely small cove with shallow water and a wide sandy beach. Sunbeds & parasols are available for hire, and there is a beach bar for drinks and snacks owned by Sarah (an English lady). A lovely place to spend the day, the beach is child-friendly as it gently slopes away. This beach is popular with families with young children. A great place for your children to make friends! Parking is a bit haphazard, but you should find somewhere. It can get quite busy at peak times and weekends. There is also a fish restaurant around the cove.
Kalathas
Just a few minutes out of Chorafakia, down the hill towards Kounoupidiana, is this lovely sandy bay with an offshore island. It is safe to swim on the island! This is a very popular beach for locals and tourists, especially after 2 pm.
There are slides and swings for children, and if you are feeling really energetic, there is often a game of volleyball taking place around teatime. The sea is usually very calm and warm. A lifeguard station is on the beach for added safety. A couple of snack bars, as well as the restaurant mentioned above, provide good food and drinks.
Stavros
Ten minutes by car, a lovely sheltered bay in the shadow of the Stavros Mountain of Vardies. There are sun beds & parasols for hire. Several restaurants surround the bay, and a caravan serves drinks & snacks right on the beach. It is popular with Greek families and a great place to spend the day. The beach is crescent-shaped with lovely white sand and clean water. Stavros Mountain was used in the closing scene of the film “Zorba the Greek,” starring Anthony Quinn, and the Oscar for best cinematography can be seen on display at the restaurant just opposite the beach. It is possible to climb Stavros Mountain early in the year before it gets too hot; the views from the top are quite wonderful!
Sunset Beach
It can be hard to find, but it is just around the corner from Stavros Beach. Small signs are directing you there from the road leading into Stavros (it is well worth it when you find it) and there is ample parking. It is always tranquil. even in mid-August, due possibly to the smooth rock shoreline not being the traditional sand, but the beach itself is sandy. A break in the rock at one end provides an easy way into the sea. It has a lovely palm leaf-covered bar, detailed above, and provides sunbeds, parasols, and great food. The beach is very long and curves towards Blue Beach, (which you can walk to).
Blue Beach
Head towards Stavros, but don’t turn off to the beach. You will see signs with directions to Blue Beach. This is a public beach although it seems as if it belongs to the Blue Beach Apartments. It is a small sandy cove (great for children!) in front of the Ternassis restaurant. The pool and restaurant are open to non-residents, and it is a nice place to spend the day.
Marathi Beach
On the southeast coast of the peninsular, a bit further away, 20 minutes by car, but worth the drive. This is a small port with beaches on both sides. Travel back to the airport from Chorafakia following the road towards Ayia Triada monastery, and when you reach the crossroad of turning left for the airport, where you enter the long straight road with all car rental companies, instead turn right (EO Aerodromiou Soudas) to go towards Souda and Chania. When you come to the roundabout, turn left for ‘Sternes’. Follow the signs for ‘Marathi’ and ‘Loutraki’. As you reach the destination, follow the signs for Marathi Bay and the restaurants of ‘Loukoulos’ and ‘Petrelantonis’, and you won’t be disappointed! It’s a small port with beaches on both sides; the large beach is probably the finest on the Akrotiri peninsular. There are several good fish restaurants especially the two mentioned above (Loukoulos and Petrelantonis) for lunch or dinner and the views of Souda Island and beyond to Kalives & Almerida are lovely. The port provides trips to Rethymnon. Highly recommended; a great day out!