This is my guide to the gorgeous Damnoni beach, an idyllic beach on the South Crete coast between the more famous Preveli and Plakias beaches.
Damnoni Beach is one of the best beaches in south Crete, tucked away a short drive from popular Plakias village. Surrounded by spectacular mountains, it’s the most visitor-friendly of a series of wonderful beaches just to the north of the sublime Palm Beach at Preveli.
In this Damnoni beach guide I give you the low-down on what you’ll find there, including restaurants, cafes and boat trips along the coast, and some of the other great Crete beaches close by.
Tours To Damnoni Beach
Damnoni is included on several Crete day tour itineraries in conjunction with the nearby Preveli beach (also known as Palm Beach) and the Kourtaliotiko Gorge and Springs. You normally travel by coach, bus or van to Damnoni, then make a return boat trip from there to Preveli, and return by your first mode of transport to your starting point.
This Damnoni-Preveli-Kourtaliotiko tour from Heraklion includes pickup from the city, and resorts along the coast as far east as Malia and Sissi.
And this Damnoni-Preveli-Kourtaliotiko tour from Rethymno picks up from resorts along the Rethymno coast as well as the city itself.
And this Damnoni-Preveli tour from Chania follows the same itinerary, with a stop at lovely Plakias beach on the way back.
Damnoni Beach – What You Need to Know
Damnoni Beach is a superb 300-metre-long beach close to the southern Crete beach village of Plakias
It is the busiest and most ‘organised’ of a series of beaches along a short stretch of coast which ends at the spectacular Preveli beach and its famous palm forest
It’s known as Paralia Damnoni in Greek
You can get to Damnoni by boat from either Plakias or Preveli – in summer, several boats pass in each direction each day
It has several tavernas and cafes just back from the beach, and a hot dog and gyros van a little further along. Mesogeios Restaurant and Taverna Violakis are the two best places to eat
You can also hire sun beds and beach umbrellas from the tavernas
Watersports equipment can also be hired from the west end of the beach
Where Is Damnoni Beach?
Damnoni beach is on the south Crete coast, in Rethymno province. It’s around 3 miles (5 km) from the beach village of Plakias, and 2 km from the village of Lefkogia.
Damnoni is also 35 km (23 miles) south of the regional capital Rethymno.
Check out our articles on the 13 Best Things To Do In Rethymno, as well as our features on Arkadi Monastery Crete and the Mili Gorge Walk just outside Rethymno.
Getting to Damnoni Beach
Damnoni Beach can easily be reached by car. If you’re approaching from Rethymno, it is the first left turn after the Aegean petrol station on the road into Plakias.
The Rethymno Plakias bus passes this turn-off, but only stop in Lefkogia (1.5 km before) or at the terminus in Plakias. Not exactly ideal.
Boat trips run several times daily from Plakias en route to Preveli Palm Beach, and cost 8 euros return – a lot for the short distance, perhaps.
Other Rethymno Beaches Near Damnoni Beach
The area around Damnoni and Plakias has some of the best beaches in Crete.
Three of them are within walking distance. The Ammoudi beaches are a few hundred metres around the corner of the bay from Damnoni, with fine sand and beautiful clear water ideal for snorkelling.
These can be reached by road from Lefkogia and Damnoni, as can Skinaria beach. This is a magnificent location, one of the best Rethymno beaches, with fine sand and pebbles and gorgeous tempting turquoise water, with outstanding views of the surrounding rugged mountains.
Kalypso Beach, another beach we have featured, is also within walking distance of Damnoni beach. It’s barely a kilometre away – follow the dirt around to the west, and this eventually fizzles out into a path. this takes you around the corner to a bird’s eye view over the Kalypso beach, which is also known as the Pirate’s Fjord.
Don’t head to Kalypso expecting sand – it’s a narrow rocky inlet with incredibly clear water, some of the best for snorkelling we’ve seen anywhere in the world.
Where To Stay Near Damnoni Beach
**** – Hapimag Resort Damnoni – beachfront Aparthotel, phenomenal views, restaurant on site too
*** – Horizon Beach Hotel – beachfront hotel at the west end of nearby Plakias village
** – Anna Ageliki – rooms and studios a mile from the beach, close to the Plakias to Rethymno road
** – Ammoudi Hotel – highly-rated 2-star a 2-minute walk from Ammoudi beach, the next bay along from Damnoni
Damnoni Beach Crete – Final Thoughts
I hope you have enjoyed this guide. The area immediately around Damnoni has some of the best beaches in south Crete, and warrants at least a day, maybe two, of your time.
We’ve spent around eight months inn Crete, and I’ve written extensively about the island. Take a look at some of the articles below for further inspiration:
20 Best Rethymno Beaches To Visit
20 Best Things To Do In Chania
15 Best Things To Do In Heraklion
Visiting Heraklion Archaeological Museum
12 Best Things To Do In Agios Nikolaos
Visiting Spinalonga Island Crete
Balos Beach Crete – perhaps the most famous Crete beach of all, a gorgeous beach with a lagoon on one side and the turquoise Mediterranean on the other
Pink Beaches In Crete – Elafonissi, Balos and more
Falassarna Beach – a little unheralded, but one of the best beaches in Greece and the whole Mediterranean
Elafonissi Beach – the magnificent remote series of pink beaches in the south-west corner of Crete
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.