Plakias Forums
Plakias => Where to go => Topic started by: musicman on September 01, 2009, 07:52:04 PM
-
We are intending to return to Plakias for a week next year, but would also like to stay at another resort that is similar to Plakias elsewhere on the Island, so that we can experience another area of Crete.
In the past we have stayed in Georgioupolis, but that is nowhere near as nice as Plakias and it has gone downhill since we stayed there 4 years ago.
So does anyone have any ideas, so that I can then do further research.
Thanks
Gary
-
We are intending to return to Plakias for a week next year, but would also like to stay at another resort that is similar to Plakias elsewhere on the Island, so that we can experience another area of Crete.
In the past we have stayed in Georgioupolis, but that is nowhere near as nice as Plakias and it has gone downhill since we stayed there 4 years ago.
So does anyone have any ideas, so that I can then do further research.
Thanks
Gary
You could try Soughia...its much smaller than Plakias but has a similarly laid back feel and is in a good area for walking...some good food too - the web-site is here:
http://www.sougia.info/ (http://www.sougia.info/)
You can also get the ferry to Loutro or Paliochora quite easily if you fancy a change..
-
We are intending to return to Plakias for a week next year, but would also like to stay at another resort that is similar to Plakias elsewhere on the Island, so that we can experience another area of Crete.
In the past we have stayed in Georgioupolis, but that is nowhere near as nice as Plakias and it has gone downhill since we stayed there 4 years ago.
So does anyone have any ideas, so that I can then do further research.
Thanks
Gary
Read: 'Reporting in from Makry Gialos' in the Plakchat forum!
-
Paleohora won't disappoint IMHO. Several other Forum regulars like it as well.
Mike
-
Paleohora won't disappoint IMHO. Several other Forum regulars like it as well.
Mike
^^^
what Mike said!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/2604869687_fb88fc63d3.jpg)
-
I am an avid Plakias fan, too, and my #2 is Lendas.
It's a lot smaller and quite quiet, but less windy.
Weather-wise it's quite a sweet spot where you can find acceptable weather even if most of Crete is experiencing bad weather conditions.
The tap water there is drinkable (like in Plakias).
Downside: It's quite remote.
As of my last stay there in October 2006, the next gas station is 30 km away (across the Asterousia mountains) and the next cash dispenser is even further away (in Mires). (Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm always pleased to find closer cash dispensers.)
Just my €0.02
Andy
-
I am an avid Plakias fan, too, and my #2 is Lendas.
It's a lot smaller and quite quiet, but less windy.
Weather-wise it's quite a sweet spot where you can find acceptable weather even if most of Crete is experiencing bad weather conditions.
The tap water there is drinkable (like in Plakias).
Downside: It's quite remote.
As of my last stay there in October 2006, the next gas station is 30 km away (across the Asterousia mountains) and the next cash dispenser is even further away (in Mires). (Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm always pleased to find closer cash dispensers.)
Just my €0.02
Andy
IMHO opinion the tap water is drinkable everywhere I have so far been to in Greece. The recommendation by most reps not to drink the tap water in Plakias et al because of its "mineral content" is nonsense. What do they think is in mineral water? As far as I am aware Greek water easily passes WHO standards for microbes.
Mike
ps. sorry, I'll get off my high horse now and apologies to anyone who earns a living selling bottled water.
-
IMHO opinion the tap water is drinkable everywhere I have so far been to in Greece. The recommendation by most reps not to drink the tap water in Plakias et al because of its "mineral content" is nonsense. What do they think is in mineral water? As far as I am aware Greek water easily passes WHO standards for microbes.
Mike
ps. sorry, I'll get off my high horse now and apologies to anyone who earns a living selling bottled water.
I heartily agree - drinking tap water while on Crete is one of the highlights of our stays there.
John R
-
Except for Heraklion ( heavily chlorinated water) the tapwater is excellent in Crete. If we want to keep the water quality as it si now in the other places here is some advice:
Borrowed from Camden KiWI:
Quote
Waters of Chania June 19, 2006
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Travel , trackback
In Heraklion, the water is awful, over-chlorinated and salty. Its probably safe for teeth-brushing, but is undrinkable. In Chania however, its lovely. The white mountains of the Lefka Ori are limestone, and the water comes down through them to provide the drinking water of the town.
This is a limited resource though, and in the summer with the increased usage by tourists, it is not enough. Despite its excellent drinking water, Chania is plagued by the same problems which occur in virtually every tourist destination around the mediterranean. Overuse of local water resources by tourists having too many showers, hoteliers providing fresh water swimming pools to cater for those who want to look at the sea but not too bathe in it, watering gardens which look lovely but are unnaturally green for such a dry climate.
In many places, local villages are put on water restrictions to allow the tourist hotels to keep working in their profligate way. A few years ago, I visited Paphos in Cyprus, and had dinner with a rep who lived in a village just out of the town. Her village only had water available for two hours a day during the summer months, and this is not unusual in all summer tourist destinations around the mediterranean.
There is an argument that, because tourism is the major industry in these areas, that is a choice made by governments and people living there. That’s probably true, but someone living in a village not far from a big resort doesn’t necessarily profit much from mass tourism, and may not have a say in the allocation of water. It may not even be necessary as so much of this is put down to the ‘demands’ of tourists. Perhaps tourists could start demanding something different.
Here are some suggestions:
Take short showers. In Greece, you’ll often be confronted with a handheld shower with no way of attaching it to the wall. That’s good. It forces you to clean yourself quickly without lingering. Don’t complain about it, and tell the hotelier how much you like it. This may discourage them from replacing it with a full shower.
Don’t take too many showers. Try to keep it to one a day. Remember that in the high season, when the hotels are full, the populations of many resort towns expand by a factor of 5-10 or more, so water systems will struggle to cope. If you normally shower in the morning, but are planning to be on the beach all day, try switching to taking a shower just before dinner.
Swim in the sea. If you have children, and are worried about their safety, how about getting them swimming lessons in the UK. Make sure you swim between the flags, and keep them in sight. Sea water is much healthier, and possibly cleaner, than chlorinated pool water. After all, when small boys do what small boys do in the sea, there’s a lot further for it to dissipate than in a pool.
Encourage hotels to build salt water pools. Tell them how much you like salt water for bathing. Waterfront hotels can do this fairly easily, pumping water from the sea and round, though it needs more infrastructure for hotels set further back from the beach.
If the tap water is drinkable, drink it. This isn’t so much to save water, but to save all those plastic bottles that are a blight on the landscape everywhere. It is very unusual for the water in EU countries to be dangerous to drink, but it is often very salty, which makes it unpalatable. Try a little and make your own decision. If you have to buy water, get the biggest packs you can find, and decant into a smaller bottle.
Ask your hotel / restaurant if they provide filtered water, rather than bottled water. Express surprise if they don’t. Many good hotels and restaurants will do this now, particularly the more environmentally conscious ones.
Play golf in Scotland, not the Algarve. Scotland is lovely in the summer, and being outside all day in August will be much more pleasant there than in the boiling hot sun.
Visit in the late Spring or early Autumn. Many of these places are much more attractive in May or June than in July and August. They’re not so crowded and not so very hot. If you have to fit in with school holidays, maybe taking a holiday Britain, in northern Europe, or on the Atlantic coast of France, Spain or Portugal would be a better idea. Its not so far to travel, the weather is still good, and most places on the Atlantic coast of Europe have better water supplies.
Happy holidays!
Unquote
-
Except for Heraklion ( heavily chlorinated water) the tapwater is excellent in Crete. If we want to keep the water quality as it si now in the other places here is some advice:
Borrowed from Camden KiWI:
Quote
Waters of Chania June 19, 2006
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Travel , trackback
In Heraklion, the water is awful, over-chlorinated and salty. Its probably safe for teeth-brushing, but is undrinkable. In Chania however, its lovely. The white mountains of the Lefka Ori are limestone, and the water comes down through them to provide the drinking water of the town.
This is a limited resource though, and in the summer with the increased usage by tourists, it is not enough. Despite its excellent drinking water, Chania is plagued by the same problems which occur in virtually every tourist destination around the mediterranean. Overuse of local water resources by tourists having too many showers, hoteliers providing fresh water swimming pools to cater for those who want to look at the sea but not too bathe in it, watering gardens which look lovely but are unnaturally green for such a dry climate.
In many places, local villages are put on water restrictions to allow the tourist hotels to keep working in their profligate way. A few years ago, I visited Paphos in Cyprus, and had dinner with a rep who lived in a village just out of the town. Her village only had water available for two hours a day during the summer months, and this is not unusual in all summer tourist destinations around the mediterranean.
There is an argument that, because tourism is the major industry in these areas, that is a choice made by governments and people living there. That’s probably true, but someone living in a village not far from a big resort doesn’t necessarily profit much from mass tourism, and may not have a say in the allocation of water. It may not even be necessary as so much of this is put down to the ‘demands’ of tourists. Perhaps tourists could start demanding something different.
Here are some suggestions:
Take short showers. In Greece, you’ll often be confronted with a handheld shower with no way of attaching it to the wall. That’s good. It forces you to clean yourself quickly without lingering. Don’t complain about it, and tell the hotelier how much you like it. This may discourage them from replacing it with a full shower.
Don’t take too many showers. Try to keep it to one a day. Remember that in the high season, when the hotels are full, the populations of many resort towns expand by a factor of 5-10 or more, so water systems will struggle to cope. If you normally shower in the morning, but are planning to be on the beach all day, try switching to taking a shower just before dinner.
Swim in the sea. If you have children, and are worried about their safety, how about getting them swimming lessons in the UK. Make sure you swim between the flags, and keep them in sight. Sea water is much healthier, and possibly cleaner, than chlorinated pool water. After all, when small boys do what small boys do in the sea, there’s a lot further for it to dissipate than in a pool.
Encourage hotels to build salt water pools. Tell them how much you like salt water for bathing. Waterfront hotels can do this fairly easily, pumping water from the sea and round, though it needs more infrastructure for hotels set further back from the beach.
If the tap water is drinkable, drink it. This isn’t so much to save water, but to save all those plastic bottles that are a blight on the landscape everywhere. It is very unusual for the water in EU countries to be dangerous to drink, but it is often very salty, which makes it unpalatable. Try a little and make your own decision. If you have to buy water, get the biggest packs you can find, and decant into a smaller bottle.
Ask your hotel / restaurant if they provide filtered water, rather than bottled water. Express surprise if they don’t. Many good hotels and restaurants will do this now, particularly the more environmentally conscious ones.
Play golf in Scotland, not the Algarve. Scotland is lovely in the summer, and being outside all day in August will be much more pleasant there than in the boiling hot sun.
Visit in the late Spring or early Autumn. Many of these places are much more attractive in May or June than in July and August. They’re not so crowded and not so very hot. If you have to fit in with school holidays, maybe taking a holiday Britain, in northern Europe, or on the Atlantic coast of France, Spain or Portugal would be a better idea. Its not so far to travel, the weather is still good, and most places on the Atlantic coast of Europe have better water supplies.
Happy holidays!
Unquote
Oh dear , what naughty naughty tourists we all are. Most people who find the south west coast of Crete are most unlikely to abuse the environment . As beachcomber seems to think we are all three years old and need a jolly good telling off he should be reminded that most of us were doing Greece and certainly Crete when he was very likely still in his pram. I think I may try Golf in Scotland and wear a beekeepers garb to attempt to fend of the midges. Sounds like jolly super fun.
It does seem rather impertinent to attempt to educate us into sucking eggs.
Next time in Plakias I will not try to wash the days windblown sand out of my hair. Just sit in the chosen Taverna of an evening scratching my head obsessively.
-
I heartily agree - drinking tap water while on Crete is one of the highlights of our stays there.
John R
I agree John. It is nearly as enjoyable as the raki.
Mike
-
. Just sit in the chosen Taverna of an evening scratching my head obsessively.
as long as it's just your head
-
There is no place similar to Plakias. Not because the endless sun, the sea water and the nice people...its because of the vibes. There is No place in Crete to fill you up with positive energy.. (anyone disagree?)
..BUT you can find my friend other nice places with their own myth.
Try:
Kerames
Gavdos
Loutro
Balos
Falasarna
Paleohora
Elafonisi
Kedrodasos
Kaloi Limenes
Gaidouronisi (Chrisi)
Kato Zakros
see our photo gallery ..[a href=\'index.php?act=findpost&pid=0\']http://www.plakiasontherocks.gr/photogalleryuk.html[/a]
-
Hello Nicos, nice to see you here.
Greetings Steven
-
Hi Nikos
See you on Saturday
-
i do like kato zakros
(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/138842892_BMkUn-M.jpg)
-
There is no place similar to Plakias. Not because the endless sun, the sea water and the nice people...its because of the vibes. There is No place in Crete to fill you up with positive energy.. (anyone disagree?)
..BUT you can find my friend other nice places with their own myth.
Try:
Kerames
Gavdos
Loutro
Balos
Falasarna
Paleohora
Elafonisi
Kedrodasos
Kaloi Limenes
Gaidouronisi (Chrisi)
Kato Zakros
see our photo gallery ..[a href=\'index.php?act=findpost&pid=0\']http://www.plakiasontherocks.gr/photogalleryuk.html[/a]
I think the majority of members would agree with you. A lot of us have travelled extensively in Crete and I agree with you about those resorts you mentioned, they are worth a visit.
But it's the 'feel' of Plakias that appeals to me and perhaps others. When I turn left at the Oasis at the top of the hill, I feel like I'm coming home to friends and family and that's very comforting, and has done since day one.
Plakias hasn't grown on me, from day one it had something that made me realise that I just might return someday. How wrong was I? Last year was my 13th almost consecutive visit and it won't be the last! And I'm still regarded as a newbie in some quarters.
george...
-
noob
-
noob
I know exactly how you feel.
-
noob
I know exactly how you feel.
It's true, I can't really explain it to any one but Plakias has a strange magnetic force that draws you back, I never thought I would find a place I wanted to visit all the time that felt like home but it happened & now it is our 2nd home. Some of you know we bought an apartment at the Plakia Panorama development & in years to come I hope we will spend more & more time there.
We are off on Saturday also & can't wait.
Rowena
-
noob
I know exactly how you feel.
I never thought I would find a place I wanted to visit all the time that felt like home but it happened
Rowena
Hear, hear.
We feel exactly the same. Wonderful place all year around.
Our house felt at home from the very first moment. Thinking of it at least once every day.
Have to wait until Christmas for next visit though.
BoCina
-
Have to wait until Christmas for next visit though.
BoCina
mmm, well Christmas isn't long away!
-
I am looking around Cret for something similar to Plakias, but know I will not find anything as good, but have seen Sissi, has anyone ever visited this resort?
-
i visited Sissi a few times around ten years ago and found it nothing like Plakias, (IMHO)
-
Sissi beach
(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/Travel/Crete-2000/sissi-beach-2/130255193_jg8P2-S.jpg)
-
I also visited Paleohora 2 years ago and did'nt like it one bit, it is a lot bigger and busier than plakias, mind you I went in August which was a greek holiday. I arrived at 7.30 pm and did not find a room until 10.15, it was the only room available, so you can imagine what it was like, we were supposed to stay 3 days the following morning I was at the quay waiting for the first boat to take me back to Plakias and the lovely Stella, having said that if it had been June when I normally go it might have been different altogether............Alex
-
I found that Paleochora was better than Plakias in some respects:
- the beach is more interesting;
- the people are friendlier;
- it has 3 banks;
- bus connections with the north are more frequent.
However, given the choice, I would spend my holiday in Plakias.
Noopsy
-
I found that Paleochora was better than Plakias in some respects:- the beach is more interesting;
- the people are friendlier;
- it has 3 banks;
- bus connections with the north are more frequent.
However, given the choice, I would spend my holiday in Plakias.
Noopsy
1) The cooking is much, much better in Paleochora - more fish restaurants, better choice of catering.
2) The beach did not seem as relaxed as Plakias, overlooked by dwellings up the hill, the beach around the beach bar with "no nudist" signs made you feel a little apprehensive - if you were that way inclined.
3) Certainly an adequate supply of banks & ATMs
4) More buses maybe but still a long way to anywhere else by bus - a bit like Plakias
Given the choice, I too would spend my holiday in Plakias.
-
2) The beach did not seem as relaxed as Plakias, overlooked by dwellings up the hill, the beach around the beach bar with "no nudist" signs made you feel a little apprehensive - if you were that way inclined.
Yes, the signs are off-putting but you can safely ignore them: they are not official, and no one is going to tell you you can't go "clothes-optional". If you're really worried you can "hide" in a secluded spot behind one of the numerous boulders that are on the higher level of the beach.
Noopsy
-
2) The beach did not seem as relaxed as Plakias, overlooked by dwellings up the hill, the beach around the beach bar with "no nudist" signs made you feel a little apprehensive - if you were that way inclined.
Yes, the signs are off-putting but you can safely ignore them: they are not official, and no one is going to tell you you can't go "clothes-optional". If you're really worried you can "hide" in a secluded spot behind one of the numerous boulders that are on the higher level of the beach.
Noopsy
I think that they are both wonderful places, both are different. We are visiting both of them in June & July, can't wait!!