Vai beach is located in a quiet tourist area of the eastern coast of Crete, at quite a distance from its most popular resorts (about 25 km from Sitia, about 95 km from Agios Nikolaos and about 150 km from the capital Heraklion). Nevertheless, this beautiful beach has managed to enchant many locals and tourists alike, until it has become one of the natural symbols of Crete and its image can be found in many promotional materials.

The main feature of Vai Beach is the large grove of date palms, which gives it the nickname "Palm Beach". The palm trees in the background of the beach give the place a very romantic and exotic look, and their uniqueness lies in the fact that this is the only area in Crete where these palm trees occur naturally and in such large numbers (around 5 000 trees are quoted) that they are able to reproduce themselves. They are said to have been growing here since ancient times, when Egyptian sailors brought them here. The front part of the palm grove by the beach is freely accessible to visitors and provides the beach with natural shade. The remaining part of the palm forest is fenced off and used for scientific purposes (the beach falls under a protected national park area).

Vai beach is situated in a picturesque bay, bordered by rocky outcrops. It is sandy, with crystal clear water and a gradual entrance to the sea, which is made up of a mixture of sand and multicoloured pebbles. Tourists can find sun loungers with umbrellas, beach showers, bars and small taverns. On a rocky outcrop (looking out to sea on the right) there is a small lookout point from which you can have a beautiful view of the whole bay. If you walk over this cliff to the other side, you will see a smaller and much quieter beach.

There are two main routes to Vai beach, one along the north coast from Sitia and the other along the east side of the island from Palekastro. There is also a bus from Sitia that will take you directly to the beach. There is a larger car park close to the beach, which charges a fee during the main tourist season.

The uniqueness and publicity of the beach has, of course, a downside in the form of a lot of attention from tourists. In the summer months, the place is often crowded (visiting the beach is part of some optional trips) and drinks and snacks in local bars and taverns are quite overpriced. Anyway, it's a magical place worth seeing.

The Vai area and the surrounding area is very fertile, bananas are grown here and you can buy them directly from the growers on the local plantations. At the vineyards you can try to buy sweet grapes. If you want to combine a trip to the beach with a visit to one of Crete's monuments, near the beach (to the north) are the remains of the important ancient city of Itanos, partly covered by the sea.

More touristic destinations of Crete

Close beaches: Maridati Beach

Most favourite beaches of Crete: Amoudara Beach (Heraklion), Balos Beach, Elafonisi Beach, Falassarna Beach, Glyka Nera Beach (Sweet Water), Matala Beach, Platanias Beach, Preveli Beach, Stalis Beach, Stavros Beach, Vai Beach, Voulisma Beach, Xerokampos Beach

Resorts, beaches, sights or trips - clearly listed on the map of Crete.