October ?

[Daniel]

Still no sign of sun beds or trip boats showing on the webcam.
Are visitors starting to come back to Plakias yet ?
How much of the town is now re opened ?

Weather looks brilliant especially when typing this sat in a cold very wet North Yorkshire

[Frank And Julie]

Things are slowly moving ahead here, Ostraco opened its upstairs bar on Friday night and was quite busy, a few tourist about but not many, everyone is expecting the numbers to increase early July but some taverners are keeping closed at the moment to see what happens, a very popular bar in Rethymno was fined 10,000 euros and shut down until further notice in the week by the police for not adhering to the distancing rules, which are very hard if not impossible to enforce, no more than 6 at a table or group and each group must be 2m apart.
Not many Taverners open yet as mentioned before , the are just waiting if the people come then they will all open at once I think, the Greek government has stated that any area that has a sharp increase of Covid cases will be put on lockdown, so how long we stay open is anybody’s guess.
The rules on sunbeds on the beach are that each lounger has to have a disposable cover and once the guest has used it, it must be disinfected and left for 20 minutes before another guest can use it, so most of the owners are saying that its to much hassle to do/enforce so they wont bother putting out beds, maybe they will change their mind and just increase the cost to cover the expenses and extra labour needed, again to few tourist to make it worth their while at the moment.
No demand for the boat trip at the moment, but we are getting ready for local tours and fishing trips for early July so if people want them, we will be ready. (I work on the fishing trip boat)

[ian s]

Obviously it’s for all the wrong reasons but must admit it would be nice to enjoy the beaches without the sun beds/brollies.  I’m sure when I first visited 30+ years ago there wasn’t a sun bed to be seen anywhere.

However hope it’s not too long before businesses get back to some form of normal.

[Daniel]

Decision for this year now taken.

We are not brave enough to risk a 4 hour plus flight to Plakias in the current uncertain conditions.
Looking now to re schedule our Jet 2 flights back to either June or September next year.

It is with great regret that we do this but for people in our age group caution on health issues must be our top priority
Taking  unnecessary risks whilst this virus pandemic is far from over seems to us unnecessary and unwise.

[ostraco]

Having grown up near some of the best beaches in Cornwall, I've never bed a sun bed fan. I visited a few years ago in November, and really enjoyed using the beach with no beds in view.

I do feel Daniel's point on the risks is valid. A couple of years ago EasyJet cancelled our return flight a few hours before we were due to fly home. Inconvenient, but the Plakias locals helped us out - and I had three extra days in the sun.

I didn't make it to Plakias last year, so this time I'm just going to go for it, and hopefully handle any problems if/when they arise. To be honest, I think any hassles are more likely to be caused at the UK end rather than in Greece.

[Daniel]

Contacted Jet2 today to re book our this years September flight.
Now re booked for 9th June 2021

Problem free booking.

BUT:
The prices are eye watering.
Expect to pay much more for flights with Jet 2 to Crete next year.
With add ons and charges for changing, we have paid an extra 50 pc on top of the price which we agreed that we would have paid this year.
Flights for two to Iraklion are becoming a luxury item !!

But if we want to go back to Plakias (twice) next year, then we have little alternative but to pay up.

Just hope that the rest of the holiday hasn't also gone up by 50 pc

[Daniel]

People on the beach ?

Trip boats out in the harbour ?

Things getting back to some form of normality ?

[ostraco]

I can understand you're keen to get something fixed for next year Daniel. Personally, I'll wait as I feel the travel industry is still in all sorts of turmoil, and maybe things will be better next year. I'm hoping fares will return to more realistic levels.

I just checked the Webcams - links at the top of the page. Seems to be very different from a normal July. I can't even see any sunbeds!

[jinky]

We are due to fly to Plakias the middle of next month and are now reasonably confident that it will go ahead. Wondered if anyone who is already out there can advise on payment in tavernas, bars, supermarkets and tourist shops. Is it more common this year for card payments or is cash still king as in previous years?

[Daniel]

I am sorry to throw cold water on holidays in Plakias this year, but:
 
With the latest reaction from our government to the situation in Spain, how can anyone be sure that a holiday abroad, wherever it may be,will not result in having to isolate for 2 weeks on return to the UK ?
We simply do not know and can not know the future virus situation in any of our holiday destinations .

There is no way that we will even consider boarding an aircraft until at least mid 2021.

And even then, conditions will have to drastically improved before we do so.
And then some form of vaccine or medical developments will have to be available.

Do we really think that this pandemic is  under control and is going away ?
We do not.

I am 74 old and am very, very wary of this corana virus.
Call me a scared old fool, but I want to live to be an even older old fool.
And that old fool wants to be sat in the sun on the balcony of Creta Mare, sipping Metaxa, eating olives and feta and gazing out over the Libyan Sea.

[Barny]

Am I right in thinking that a face covering would have to be worn when you enter the airport, The bar, restaurant and four hours on the flight and taxi transfer? I see people on the telly wearing one on the beach?
I'm normally booked to go next week, hours on the beach, Antonis place, staying at Stella but I am thinking the same as Daniel. what if.....

                     Barny.

[Frank And Julie]

We are due to fly to Plakias the middle of next month and are now reasonably confident that it will go ahead. Wondered if anyone who is already out there can advise on payment in tavernas, bars, supermarkets and tourist shops. Is it more common this year for card payments or is cash still king as in previous years?

Cash is always King with the Greeks even more so this year !

[Frank And Julie]

Am I right in thinking that a face covering would have to be worn when you enter the airport, The bar, restaurant and four hours on the flight and taxi transfer? I see people on the telly wearing one on the beach?
I'm normally booked to go next week, hours on the beach, Antonis place, staying at Stella but I am thinking the same as Daniel. what if.....

                     Barny.

No one is wearing masks on the beach! the only restriction is you have to wear a mask in the supermarket.
Regarding coming or not, I guess each person has to make their own decision, Plakias feels very virus free at the moment and all serving staff are wearing masks in all the taverners and bars, the taverners has removed tables to give everyone more space minimum is 1.7m between chairs on different tables.
They have different cleaning regimes in the apartments and hotels all designed to keep you and them safe.
As most of you know I live here and speaking to relatives and friends back in Blighty I feel a lot safer here, even with the tourists.
Planes who knows they say they are safe so I guess they are !
The Greeks have been very proactive in all of this to keep everyone as safe as possible so I have no reason to believe they will not continue to do so.
If you can come this is the year great – they need you more than any other year !

[Frank And Julie]

Further to my last comment I have just seen this :

As of TOMORROW Wednesday, 29 July, masks will be mandatory in more indoors spaces in Greece.

Full details here https://realgreekexperiences.com/greece-is-reopening-for-to…

For both employees and customers:
- All grocery stores (bakeries, butchers etc), including supermarkets where it was already mandatory
- All other retail stores
- Offices and businesses where there is contact with customers (e.g. banks, public services)
- Doctors' practices, other medical services
- Hair salons, beauty parlours
- Elevators
Reminder that masks remain mandatory in all public transportation (metro, buses, ferries etc) and taxis.

In addition, masks will be mandatory for all EMPLOYEES in cafes, restaurants, tavernas and other places where food and drink is served.

The fine for not wearing a mask is 150 euro.

Museums have not explicitly been mentioned, but I am sure there will be further clarifications in the next day or two.

[Daniel]

We were due to fly out to Plakias tomorrow morning but had already cancelled the holiday.
Glad we did.

Just seen the Government has put 7 extra Greek islands onto the quarantine list and yes, Crete is amongst then.
As from Wednesday 4 am people returning will need to self isolate for 14 days.