Messages

76

Plakias / Re: Maybe the last time?

« on: October 16, 2016, 09:38:28 PM »

This post and its sentiments resonate with Ruth and myself.
Each year we ask the same question:
Will this be our last visit to the old place?
It is and has been our favourite holiday destination since our children left home but:
We travel independently and with old Father Time starting to catch up with us, then the car journey brown to Plakias is becoming a major issue.
I now that we could use a taxi service but the convenience of having a car on call whist on holiday is a must for us.
And taxi transfers are not cheap.
One of our morning walks are now off limits
The walk to the Old Mill is no longer safe for those no longer sure of foot
The same goes for the path along the foot of the cliff,above the far end, and onto the tunnel thru the rock.Now not safe for us to use.
All resorts will change over the years and we feel that as long as they are not major changes, then so be it.
It is the Plakias people's village and it is up to them to change it as they think fit.
If we do not like/agree with those changes then we vote with our feet (and euros)
We are very,very undecided what to do next year.
BUT:
Where do you find another beach and swimming as good as Plakias?
Where do you find another resort as friendly as Plakias ?
Where do you find another resort with the choice and quality of tavernas as Plakia ?
And and and and................

Maybe one more time?

77

Plakias / Re: September update

« on: September 26, 2016, 07:37:27 PM »

Now back home after our holiday in Plakias and, as promised,here are our thoughts on that holiday:

We flew Ryanair from Leeds Bradford to Chania and picked up a car from the airport.
No problems at all with the airline or the airport.
The drive down from Chania is, we find much better/easier than the drive from Hiraklion to Plakias.

Stayed for 11 days at Creta Mere with George and Joanna, as we have been doing for the past 10 years.

Creta Mere rooms are fairly basic but spotlessly clean and the view from the balcony is breathtaking.
Good breakfast and warm, friendly welcome as usual.
Also, free use of their sunbeds on the "on the rocks" beach area.

The weather for the first week was as good as we have ever known it in Plakias in September.
Some days up to 36 deg c and all days over 30 deg c.
Some wind but nothing to be a nuisance when on the beach.
Second week was a big change in the weather.
Much cooler, at about 28 deg c and much more wind.
On Friday and Saturday the wind was so strong as to make the beach out of bounds and we had almost storm force winds overnight on Friday.

Sea temperatures were ideal.
Warm and fairly calm, except for the last few days.

I note with interest the comment made on this site re sunbeds towards the far end.
I make no comment on those who pre book beds with early morning towels. (not us, by the way).
But what I will say is that on several days, there was so much pressure on the beds that it was difficult/impossible to get a bed.
Time to increase the number of beds available ?

The village was a busy during our first week as we have ever known it.
Very good mix of nationalities with no one country too much represented.
The last few days did change slightly, with a big influx of UK visitors.

As with sunbeds, getting a table in some restaurants could be troublesome.
To eat where you wanted to and when you wanted to required pre booking a table, sometimes a couple of days in advance.
But as is usual in Plakias, the choice of places to eat at is very good and it is rare to have a bad meal at anywhere you chose to eat.

As to my comment on Sirocco:
We did, at the end of our stay, re visit this Taverna.
To my mind, you pays your money and you takes your choice.
Our choice is that we will not be re using this Taverna for our evening meals.
This is a major disappointment to us, as we always ate there at least 3 time each holiday and that includes when Babis was there and also the people who took over Siroccos some 3 ? years ago.

Changes to the village:
Very few , in fact.
A few new tarmac roads can now be found in and about the place and these must be most welcome for those people who own accommodation on or close to them.
The road from Plakias on towards the new harbour has been much widened and improved.
The road past the re built tavernas which were fire damaged is now also significantly wider.
Does this now allow coaches to pass thru the village and onto the new harbour ?

New café next to the main bakery is now fully open.

New small bar open next to Geo Ma which we found excellent for mid afternoon drinks.

But not a lot else has changed.

All in all, one of the best holidays we have had in Plakias.

Each year we think that maybe this will be the last visit to the place.
But the next year we rebook for another "last time"
We will see what next year brings us.

78

Plakias / September update

« on: September 18, 2016, 11:37:15 AM »

Now half way thru our annual pilgrimage to Plakias.

Weather is hot.
Very hot at 35 deg plus.
Some wind but not enough to be a nuisance.
But the sea is beautiful and warm

The place is as busy as we have ever seen it at this time of year.

Excellent mix of nationalities with no one being too prevalent.

Staying with George at Creta Mere as usual and eating out at our usual places....Harkas, Geo Ma, Sifis etc.
Every taverna is very, very busy.
We are needing to book a table a several places to ensure getting in to eat at a time we want.

Changes from last year ?
Very little, in truth.
New Tarmac roads in part of the village and a few small building changes.

But the biggest change for us that our favourite place to eat, Sirocco, has now changed hands once again and not now on our eating out rota.
 

I will update further on our return home next weekend.

79

Holiday Companies / Re: Flight to Chania

« on: April 21, 2016, 02:44:03 PM »

We used Ryanair Leeds/Bradford to Chania last year and have booked to use them again this September.
We have also just used Ryanair to fly to Palma Majrorca, yesterday.
They are basic, clean and punctual.
We have no problem at all with using this airline.
You get what you pay for.
Just don't expect to get anything which you have not paid for.

80

Plakias / Re: Fire?

« on: February 26, 2016, 11:02:05 PM »

Yes, we agree about Gio Ma.

We stay just round the corner, with George at Creta Mere and use this Taverna a least 3 times each time we visit Plakias.
One of the best in town.

Next visit will be in September.

81

Where to go / Re: Agios Nikolaos, Peloponnese

« on: November 07, 2015, 08:12:09 PM »

We have not stayed at Agios  Nikolias but we have stayed  twice in the last 3 years at Stoupa, which is about a 40 min flat walk away. (Much less if you hire a bike)
Each time we visit Stoupa, we always, and at least twice, visit Agios Nikolias for lunch by the beautiful little harbour.
It is one of out favourite places to eat in all of Greece !!
It is only a very small village so you will need to enjoy peace and quiet but as I said, the much larger
Town of Stoupa is only a short distance away
On the down side, there are no real beaches in this area so if you enjoy swimming in the sea, you will need to travel.
The Mani peninsula is well worth exploration and is like going back 50 or 60 or even more years.
But outside a few main towns, there is not very much hobitation but the scenery is spectacular

We are going back to this area next June but to another of the peninsulas and we will be staying in Finakunda
If you want to see another possible place to stay, hire a car and visit Finakunda.
We went for a day last year, loved it and when  we got home, booked a holiday there for this year

82

Plakias / Re: Early September date

« on: October 05, 2015, 07:07:50 PM »

And just to complete the story:

We have today re booked Plakias for 2016.

Same time...... Sept 13th for 11 nights.

Same airline...... Ryanair from Leeds Bradford to Chania.

Same place to stay ......Creta Mare with George.

83

Plakias / Re: Early September date

« on: September 30, 2015, 10:34:49 PM »

Now that most people are back from their holidays in Plakias, it is a good time to ask this question:

How much has the overall cost of your holiday to Plakias increased this year ?

I know that the result will vary if you travelled with a tour company or went independently.

We went independently and flew with Ryanair to Chania and picked a car up at the airport.

Our thoughts were that we paid about 10% more this year than last for our 11 night stay at Creta Mare.

We paid more for our accommodation than in previous years and eating out and drinking was also more expensive.

Supermarket prices seem to have gone up, particularly for drinks.

Petrol was cheaper and car hire about the same.

Use of sunbeds the same as last year.

Our flights with Ryanair were slightly more this year than last but that maybe because of booking time ?

It was still a relatively cheap holiday with some of the best weather we have ever had in Plakias but the changes the Greek Government has made to local taxes does seem to now have filtered down to holidaymakers.

Maybe not such a bad thing if it starts to help sort their finances out ?

(I also need to say that none of the above will stop our return to Plakias next September.)

84

Plakias / Re: Early September date

« on: September 21, 2015, 10:29:55 AM »

Now back home after our holiday in Plakias.

We flew with Ryanair out of Leeds Bradford.
First time we have used this airline and quite some time since we used Leeds Bradford
No problems at all with airline or airport and will use Ryanair again without any doubt.

We flew into Chania and picked up a hire car at the airport and drove down to Plakias, a drive of about 1 hour 35 mins.
No problems and I think that this drive is slightly easier than the one from Heraklion ?

We stayed again at Creta Mare with George, as we have done for the last 8 years.
Hotel is basic but clean and very friendly and in an ideal situation for views over the bay and Dragons Head.
We really enjoyed our stay with George and Joanna.

Weather was the best we have ever had in Plakias .
The first week very hot, up to 36 deg.
Sea temp a beautiful 27 deg.
Second week was cooler at 29-30 deg and sea a lot cooler and rougher.
The wind also increased in the second week and was very strong at times BUT not so strong that it "sand blasted" the beach goers.

The sun beds at the "far end" seemed to be a lot more compacted:
i.e. not as much beach frontage but more rows further back from the sea.
We did not use the far end so this may not be accurate ?

The town was very busy, particularly during the daytime, with plenty of people coming into town for the beach and Tavernas.
Evenings were also busy.
All Tavernas seemed well used and getting a table at some of them required pre-booking at lunchtime or even the day before.
Mix of nationalities was also good with no great number from any one country but towards the end of the holiday we could hear very many British voices about the town.
My previous post gives the Tavernas we used and I must say that we did not have a bad meal out all the time we were in Plakias.

Changes to the town ?
Well, in our view, the fire which destroyed the Tavernas on the front has done the town a big favour.
What has been rebuilt is much better and much more open than before and there is an added bonus that the thru road is now a bit wider.
There is now a choice of either eating inside or outside and you pays your money and you takes your choice.
The locals seem to have ignored the parking ban.

General view of the holiday as a whole ?
Probably the best we have had in Plakias for quite some time.

Yamas !!!

85

Plakias / Re: Early September date

« on: September 13, 2015, 08:16:44 PM »

Now into second week
Weather has cooled but only slightly
Wind has picked up and is just about manageable for the beach.
But the sea temp has dropped a lot !!

Plakias still very busy with a good mix of nationalities in town.

The old places changes but only slightly and very slowly.

Had a night with Siffi last night.
Today has been a bit of a blurr.

Each year we think that maybe Plakias has had its day with us.
Each year we still come back.
The place is timeless.

Will post final thoughts next weekend when we return home.

Yamas

86

Plakias / Early September date

« on: September 12, 2015, 11:09:50 AM »

Back in Plakias again for our annual fix.
Weather hot.
Very hot
34 deg and sea temp at 27 deg
Mythos at 2 deg.
The town is very busy and most Tavernas doing very well
We have eaten at Sirocco, Gio Mar, Harakas and Lysseus and tonight we go to see  Siffi.
Best so far ?
Maybe (just) Lysseus but all top class.

Prices this year ?
We feel that on average we are paying slightly more for our evenings out.
Maybe 10 pc or there abouts ?
But still excellent value for money

As for the Greek crisis;
What crisis ?

Off to the beach now.
Not "far end" but up by the beach bar.

Yamas.

87

Plakias / Easyjet 2015

« on: December 06, 2014, 01:44:56 PM »

Flights from September 2015 now available to book thru easyJet.com.

Too late for us, we have already booked for next September with Ryanair.

88

Where to eat...or not! / Re: Harakas !

« on: July 08, 2014, 10:57:24 AM »

We also agree.
It is one of the first places we re-visit when in Plakias and always eat there several times during those visits.

89

Plakias / Re: Any changes ?

« on: May 27, 2014, 05:25:46 PM »

We are due in Plakis this Thursday and will be eating at both before the weekend, so I will let you know !!

90

Plakias / Any changes ?

« on: May 18, 2014, 04:59:33 PM »

We are due back in Plakias on the 29th May for 2 weeks for our regular summer "fix"
Car booked from the airport and room with George at Creta Mere sorted out (I think !!).

From those who have been there earlier in May, are there any major changes from 2013 ?

I know things don't change at any great pace in the village but are all the same tavernas open and do any of them have changes in staff/owners ?

Is Sonja still at Harakas ?