Plakias Forums

Plakias => PlakChat => Topic started by: Alex&fran G on February 04, 2007, 11:25:03 AM

Title: malia
Post by: Alex&fran G on February 04, 2007, 11:25:03 AM
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex
Title: malia
Post by: John R on February 04, 2007, 12:04:32 PM
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex

I could restrict this answer to "Yes and no"

Our very first trip to Crete was Malia. We went 11 years ago mid October on a "destination chosen for you on arrival" trip thinking that as long as it was not Malia all would be ok. It was of course Malia. We were relatively lucky in that our room was good and up a quiet cul de sac so we had no noise problems. The tourist part of town is of course full of Fish and chips, fast food terrible looking eating places which we would not enter under any circumstances.  However we were again lucky. Up in the old town, South side of the main highway,  we found a really good taverna which we adopted for the whole of our stay and the owner was exceptionally good with us (as he was with all customers) and the food on the menu was very good and the specials exceptional. It was comparable with Medousa in style and quality. I'm going to stick my neck out and say that there is probably nowhere in Plakias as good !!!! We hired a car and so could get out of town and enjoy much of proper Crete. So our holiday experience there was far from bad. I always say that other than in disaster situations one makes the best of any holiday one goes on. It has a large never ending beach but as we are not beach people I cannot make a proper comparison. Other things being near equal it is people (quality and quantity) that make or break beaches and for that reason Plakias has to be preferable.

However one just cannot compare it with Plakias. I don't suppose avid Malia fans (there are plenty) would like Plakias - they are totally different places like comparing cabbages with oranges.

Summing things up we avoid the North Coast (end of story) though there will of course be some nice spots on the North but we feel it is a much safer bet on the South and Plakias for us is perfection.

John R
Title: malia
Post by: Greecemad on February 04, 2007, 02:17:07 PM
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex

Alex,

I've been to Malia and Hersonissos. Both are suitable for young people on an 18-30 holiday. So if you like Plakias, I would avoid it like the plague. It's horses for courses, though: I remember a few years ago now meeting a couple of young girls in Ostraco - they had come on an 'allocation on arrival' holiday, expecting to be somewhere on the north coast and they were greatly disappointed with Plakias: as far as they were concerned there was no nightlife.

The beach at Malia is a nice sandy beach but it's all busy as it's not as long as Plakias. It obviously faces north, which means you either have the sun on the back of your head, or you can't see the sea. There's no 'far end' either.

Greecemad
Title: malia
Post by: Alex&fran G on February 04, 2007, 07:07:41 PM
Quote from: Greecemad
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex

Alex,

I've been to Malia and Hersonissos. Both are suitable for young people on an 18-30 holiday. So if you like Plakias, I would avoid it like the plague. It's horses for courses, though: I remember a few years ago now meeting a couple of young girls in Ostraco - they had come on an 'allocation on arrival' holiday, expecting to be somewhere on the north coast and they were greatly disappointed with Plakias: as far as they were concerned there was no nightlife.

The beach at Malia is a nice sandy beach but it's all busy as it's not as long as Plakias. It obviously faces north, which means you either have the sun on the back of your head, or you can't see the sea. There's no 'far end' either.



Thank you both very much, but at 60 years of age I think I,ll stay with Plakias. Regards  alex                  reecemad
Title: malia
Post by: Mike from Sussex on February 05, 2007, 11:43:08 AM
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex

John and Greecemad have it right. Stalis, between Hersonissos and Malia is not too bad, but Malia is definitely for the sun, sea and binge drinking set

Regards,

Mike
Title: malia
Post by: Mike G on February 05, 2007, 01:08:08 PM
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex
Alex,

Your "viewing profile" says you are the same age as me, so I reckon you're about 35 years too late for Malia. If you want to try somewhere else decent in Crete try Paleohora (Kosmar). It cost us little more than the price you quote for 14 days self catering last year in Sept/Oct.

Mike
Title: malia
Post by: harribobs on February 05, 2007, 02:12:14 PM
Quote from: Mike from Sussex
the sun, sea and binge drinking set

now why did the Skeelos club come into my mind then?  
Title: malia
Post by: Alex&fran G on February 05, 2007, 07:32:50 PM
Quote from: Mike G
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex
Alex,

Your "viewing profile" says you are the same age as me, so I reckon you're about 35 years too late for Malia. If you want to try somewhere else decent in Crete try Paleohora (Kosmar). It cost us little more than the price you quote for 14 days self catering last year in Sept/Oct.

Mike
Thanks Mike I'll look that up ( I feel even older now) Regards Alex
Title: malia
Post by: Greecemad on February 05, 2007, 10:53:20 PM
Alex,

Of all the places I have been to in Crete, I would say that the most similar place that you will get to Plakias is Paleochora. It's about the same size of place with a west-facing sandy beach (complete with a 'far end') and other beaches within walking distance. Nightlife is about the small level with some good tavernas.  

Another place to look at is Matala - it's only drawback is that it gets swamped with coachloads of day trippers in an afternoon after they have been to Phaestos, but I tend to get away from the village during the day to Red Beach or Komos.

Greecemad.
Title: malia
Post by: John R on February 05, 2007, 10:57:48 PM
Quote from: harribobs
Quote from: Mike from Sussex
the sun, sea and binge drinking set

now why did the Skeelos club come into my mind then?  

Can't think - I believe they were the exclusive start of the Plakias Saga louts. Nice quiet place Plakias - especially Livicon on Autumn Evenings

John R (A founder member of Skeelos Club)
Title: malia
Post by: Mike G on February 06, 2007, 01:34:23 PM
Quote from: Greecemad
Alex,

Of all the places I have been to in Crete, I would say that the most similar place that you will get to Plakias is Paleochora. It's about the same size of place with a west-facing sandy beach (complete with a 'far end') and other beaches within walking distance. Nightlife is about the small level with some good tavernas.

This confirms my previously expressed opinion. Paleohora is inferior to Plakias in one respect, that is the quality of the walks starting and finishing in the resort. The beach is as good, as are the tavernas. One advantage is the fact that it is on the ferry route so you can easily reach all ports up to Hora Skafion. For more details click here. (http://forums.plakias.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=383&st=60) (October 13 2006 posting).

Mike
Title: malia
Post by: harribobs on February 06, 2007, 02:32:32 PM
Paleohora main beach

(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/42767692-M.jpg)

the church by night

(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/29287973-M.jpg)

the town by day

(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/29287994-M.jpg)
Title: malia
Post by: Graham_and_Karen on February 06, 2007, 04:30:55 PM
Good photos - it looks like a place worth trying if we ever choose to go independent rather than via an operator.
Title: malia
Post by: Alex&fran G on February 06, 2007, 10:22:21 PM
Quote from: harribobs
Paleohora main beach

([url]http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/42767692-M.jpg[/url])

the church by night

([url]http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/29287973-M.jpg[/url])

the town by day

([url]http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/29287994-M.jpg[/url])

Great photos thanks to everyone for there help. Alex G
Title: malia
Post by: harribobs on February 07, 2007, 11:17:44 AM
Quote from: Graham_and_Karen
Good photos - it looks like a place worth trying if we ever choose to go independent rather than via an operator.

Kosmar have several properties there and Sunvil have some rather superior ones as well ( but more expensive of course) so it doesn't have to be done independently

of course you'll be looking at a fair amount of transfer time ( like Plakias)  to get over the mountains  
Title: malia
Post by: Alex&fran G on February 09, 2007, 09:52:06 PM
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Quote from: Mike G
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Although I am already booked for Plakias this year, I keep seeing holiday programs advertising Malia, 14 nights bed and breakfast for £250, it seems very cheap has anyone been there and is it a patch on Plakias?
  Regards  Alex
Alex,

Your "viewing profile" says you are the same age as me, so I reckon you're about 35 years too late for Malia. If you want to try somewhere else decent in Crete try Paleohora (Kosmar). It cost us little more than the price you quote for 14 days self catering last year in Sept/Oct.

Mike
Thanks Mike I'll look that up ( I feel even older now) Regards Alex
Mike, where did you stay in Paleohora?   Alex
Title: malia
Post by: Mike G on February 10, 2007, 09:29:26 AM
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Mike, where did you stay in Paleohora?   Alex
Hello Alex,

It was the Manos Studios which confusingly is a Kosmar property. I think Kosmar dropped it for 2007 which is why the owner wasn't over keen to rectify a couple of issues we had. If you like Plakias you will surely like Paleohora. We obtained useful information from Mr and Mrs Compage and Mr and Mrs Harribobs before we went and thoroughly agreed with their recommendation.  

Mike
Title: malia
Post by: Alex&fran G on February 10, 2007, 10:29:27 AM
Quote from: Mike G
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Mike, where did you stay in Paleohora?   Alex
Hello Alex,

It was the Manos Studios which confusingly is a Kosmar property. I think Kosmar dropped it for 2007 which is why the owner wasn't over keen to rectify a couple of issues we had. If you like Plakias you will surely like Paleohora. We obtained useful information from Mr and Mrs Compage and Mr and Mrs Harribobs before we went and thoroughly agreed with their recommendation.  

Mike
Hi Mike, Thanks for all your help I am at Plakias this August so I might try to visit Paleohora. Regards Alex
Title: malia
Post by: Stuart & Hilary on February 10, 2007, 07:32:18 PM
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Quote from: Mike G
Quote from: Alex&fran G
Mike, where did you stay in Paleohora?   Alex
Hello Alex,

It was the Manos Studios which confusingly is a Kosmar property. I think Kosmar dropped it for 2007 which is why the owner wasn't over keen to rectify a couple of issues we had. If you like Plakias you will surely like Paleohora. We obtained useful information from Mr and Mrs Compage and Mr and Mrs Harribobs before we went and thoroughly agreed with their recommendation.  

Mike
Hi Mike, Thanks for all your help I am at Plakias this August so I might try to visit Paleohora. Regards Alex

We spent 6 nights at Zygos last year. Think Kosmar probably go there but we went independently.
A well run Taverna, very friendly. Greek run with two English speaking daughters. Snacks served to early evening and very reasonably priced. In fact several evenings they served food for those that asked.
It is situated on the outskirts of Paleohora, the last taverna on the right. The beach is the other side of the road. (see Harribob's photo)

Stuart
[attachment=443:attachment]
Title: malia
Post by: harribobs on February 19, 2007, 02:13:13 PM
just nipping back on topic

Malia Beach

(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/130254823-M.jpg)
Title: malia
Post by: Noopsy on February 20, 2007, 06:27:24 PM
Looks stony and stormy.  :'(
Title: malia
Post by: harribobs on February 20, 2007, 07:53:30 PM
no it's very long and sandy, but very busy as well