Hotels near Vai Palm Beach

Vai is on the eastern tip of Crete and frames a 250 m crescent of fine sand with the largest natural palm forest in Europe (around 5,000 Theophrastus palms) sweeping right down to the water. The grove was protected in 1973 and a wooden walkway loops through it from the south end of the car park. Entry to the beach is free but parking costs 3 EUR. Sunbeds are 10 EUR for a pair and there is one taverna and a beach bar that close at 19:00. Vai is roughly 1 hour drive from Sitia along a winding road and works best as a day trip from Sitia or as a stop on a circular eastern Crete tour.

Pro Tip: Walk 10 minutes south over the headland to find the small Psili Ammos beach, almost always empty even in August.