Souda Bay

6-26-2022

After ordering our Freddo espressos and some pastries from Gregory’s, a local chain of cafes in Crete, we walked to the taxi stand just outside the cafe and across from the Chania courthouse. It was Sunday, and because of that, there weren’t any taxis in line waiting. But we didn’t have to wait long for one to pass by and pick us up. Souda Bay is a beach just outside the center of the city. The entire drive only took about fifteen minutes and cost 8€. We had a very friendly driver who attempted to teach us some essential words in Greek to get by, but it may have made for a more humorous ride than an educational one.

We came to this beach in particular because, during the weekend, most beaches can get a little crowded, and Souda Bay is mainly known only by locals, making it less crowded, and we wouldn’t have to fight for a spot on the beach. It’s a modest beach with clear shallow water, and we had a good view of the still snow-capped mountains when we were there. The area that surrounds Souda is a little industrial. From the beach, it’s easy to see some factories, and there’s a dock nearby for cruise ships. This only makes up a very marginal part of the view. The rest of the view is gorgeous, with waters that stretch out to the horizon and the hills and mountains on either side. There is a small restaurant that offers food and drinks here. We walked there from where we had made camp on the beach and bought some beers to go. There are changing stations along the beach too, in case you didn’t come prepared wearing your swimsuit already. I noticed that changing stations were standard at nearly every beach we visited, and they were always nice and clean with plenty of privacy.

Know Before You Go:

• From Chania city center a taxi ride should cost about 8€

• Changing stations are available

• There is a restaurant on the beach