Elafonissi Beach Trip from Chania

A Piece of Paradise in Crete!!

Magical place !! Elafonisi is absolutely beautiful! The crystal-clear turquoise water, pinkish sand and stunning natural scenery make it one of the most special places in Crete. It’s perfect for families and anyone looking to enjoy a relaxing day surrounded by incredible nature. Definitely a must-visit when in Crete!

via Tripadvisor

Nice experience

The beach is gorgeous! Super crowded though, people were all on top of each other. The sand wasn’t as pink as I expected. You have to really look when the waves are passing by on the sand. The little town before the beach was cute, it’s a bit of a stair master going to the cave but was nice. It was recommended to get snacks and drinks from there so that we don’t waste time waiting on line at the beach. Our guide Thomas was great, everything was punctual and on time. Very knowledgeable in the history of Crete. The AC was good in the bus on the way but coming back it was pretty hot.

via Viator

Not up to the hype

The beach is super windy and chairs and umbrellas sell out fast. It is very difficult to get your own umbrella to stay up due to the wind Communication for pick up point was not good. We booked on viator and it stated one pick-up point there however the company had sent an email that went to spam about location change for pick up but they never confirmed the information with us. After receiving a call for public guide that we were not at the right place they connected us with a woman in the office who was extremely rude. She yelled and was hard to understand. When asked if there was someone else to talk to she became even more rude and said to call rh guide which was not possible for us because we ar from oi of country and the call kept failing. The woman in the office said the bus would not wait for us and that we could not get a refund even though the location change communication was never confirmed. Talking with her was hands down the worst experience we have had in this country. After she rudely hung up on me our guide called and said he was sending a mini bus to get us. Our guide was Thomas and he was amazing. He was kind and easy to communicate with. He gave great Information about the scenery during the drive and shared history and myths about the area. Thomas made an otherwise poor experience much more tolerable. The last thing I would not is for tourists to be prepared for communication issues related to food allergies. An individual on our trip asked the shop keeper about nuts in the food and was told no but it did. The guides and locals do not seem to understand what anaphylaxis is. Thank goodness the individual had an epic pen and I had one as well well because he needed both and the guide and driver seemed to have no urgency in getting him access to a hospital; so be prepared with a plan is you have any health issues or food allergies!

Response from the operator: Dear Ciara, We are sorry that you were unhappy with parts of your experience, but we do need to clarify a significant factual point in this review. The afternoon before the excursion, our office sent you an SMS with the updated pickup location, including a Google Maps link, and specifically asked you to confirm it. You replied, “Yes that works,” confirming that you had received and understood the pickup information. Therefore, the statement that the location change was never confirmed with you does not reflect the communication we have on record. When our guide discovered that you were waiting at the wrong location, our team contacted you to find a solution. During that call, before our staff member had the opportunity to explain how we could help, you immediately requested a refund. Our office representative was simultaneously trying to communicate the urgency of the situation, attempting to explain that the vehicle could not simply delay the entire excursion. We strongly disagree with the characterization that she was simply “extremely rude,” or refused to help. That is not how our team conducts itself. The situation was unfolding under significant time pressure, and it is possible that our staff member sounded more abrupt or cold than intended. The purpose was to address an urgent logistical problem, not to be disrespectful to you. Yet we are very pleased to hear that Thomas was able to turn the situation around for you. Regarding the food-allergy incident, guests with serious allergies are always strongly encouraged to inform us in advance and to carry their prescribed emergency medication, but we understand how concerning such a situation can be. We respect that not every aspect of an excursion will meet every guest's expectations. However, we believe it is important for travelers to have an accurate picture of what happened. Our communication records show that the updated pickup location was sent to you in advance and explicitly acknowledged by you. We appreciate your positive feedback about Thomas and wish you safe travels. Best regards, Elafonissos Travel Team.

via Viator

Such a beautiful beach

This was on our to do list since we decided to visit Crete. It was very well organised we stayed in an air b and b but was able to find a pick up point within a 5 minute walk. We got a text the day before telling us the exact time of pick up and our guides name. We had Thomas who was really friendly and so knowledgeable of the areas around and on the way to Elafonsi. We stopped on the way to the beach at a view point called the cave of Sofia. This was optional to go up and have a look. We did not as we had just done the Samaria gorge the day before and our legs did not want to do it. You were able to get something to eat and drink while waiting and take in the gorgeous views of the mountains around you. The roads to the beach were very narrow and windy but our coach driver Nickolas was very good at navigating the way. When you get to the beach you do have to walk for about 10 minutes downhill and it is very busy once you get to the beach so be prepared that you may have to walk a little bit to find a space. We walked round to the right hand side at first but we found it was more rocky to get into the water so I suggest walk to the left and it’s all sand. The price of the excursion is very reasonable but food and drink are not included so take a packed lunch for the beach. However on the way back you do stop at a little place called Elos where you are able to have an hour to peruse around and grab some food.

via Tripadvisor

World class beach worth seeing!

This was a really great experience, the drive to the beach is a cool way to see more of the countryside and then the beach itself is one of the prettiest in the world for a reason. It’s worth the crowds in my opinion, it’s really lovely! Only downside is I wish we had more time at the beach! Great experience and I like that we get to stop & have lunch on the way back!

via Viator