malia

[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 R]

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

[Greecemad]

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

[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

[Mike from Sussex]

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

[Mike 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

[harribobs]

the sun, sea and binge drinking set

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

[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

[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.  

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.

[John R]

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)

[Mike G]

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. (October 13 2006 posting).

Mike

[harribobs]

Paleohora main beach



the church by night



the town by day

[Graham_and_Karen]

Good photos - it looks like a place worth trying if we ever choose to go independent rather than via an operator.

[Alex&fran G]

Paleohora main beach



the church by night



the town by day

Great photos thanks to everyone for there help. Alex G

[harribobs]

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