Here is my guide to the three pink beaches in Crete, all breathtakingly beautiful beaches on the west coast of the island.
The island of Crete is endowed with many astounding beaches, and the three pink beaches in Crete are among the most extraordinary of all.
These three beaches often have a fringe of pink sand along the shoreline, a sprinkling of magic stardust that draws visitors from around the world to the remote Crete west coast.
Pink sand – formed from millions of crushed red and pink shells – is extremely rare, and only seen at a few beaches around Sardinia and on Formentera in Europe.
The sight of this vivid salmon-pink sand being washed in by pristine turquoise water is magical, well worth the trek to remote corners of Crete to see for yourself.
My guide to the three pink beaches in Crete takes you to three of the very best beaches in Crete. One of these, Elafonissi, is renowned for is pink sands, while the others aren’t as well known for this unusual phenomenon.
Why Are There Pink Beaches In Crete?
The Crete pink beaches are the result of a very unusual natural phenomenon. The pink sand you see on the fringes of these beaches is made up millions of crushed red shells of foraminifera.
These minute sea creatures can be found in ocean environments across much of the world, and they come in a great many colours. So pink sand only forms when their shells are red or reddish-pink.
Foraminifera tend to live close to the sea bed, and feed off other creatures and are also eaten themselves by others. Some of the pink fragments washed ashore are fossilised, and are possibly as much as 500 million years old. Some are also tiny remnants of pink coral.
Is All Of the Sand Pink?
No. When you visit the beaches with pink sand in Crete, you’ll see a fringe or rim of pink sand being washed ashore by each wave. Sometimes the strip of pink sand is barely a few centimetres wide, but it can be several metres wide. It all depends on the tide and how much of the pink detritus happens to be in the water at the time.
Are there Pink Beaches Anywhere Other than Crete?
Yes, though they are very rare in Europe. There is one on Formentera, one of the Balearic Islands, and others around Sardinia. There is one on Isola Budelli, off the north coast of the island, and another, Lo Cisso beach, on the west coast of Sardinia.
Pink Beaches In Crete – Elafonissi Beach
The most famous pink sand beach in Crete is Elafonissi Beach, in the remote south-west corner of the island. Elafonissi – also spelt Elafonisi – is a series of beaches, with one on the shore of a lagoon, the main Elafonisi beach and a series of smaller beaches on Elafonissi Island, a short walk away across the lagoon.
Elafonissi’s pink sand is the prime draw for most visitors, and it’s much more famous for it than the other two beaches we’ve written about.
If you’re absolutely set on seeing one of the pink sand beaches in Crete, our tip would be to go to Elafonissi, as the pink sand seems to be in greater and more regular supply than at the other two beaches we describe.
The main Elafonissi beach – on the ‘mainland’ – is by far the busiest of the Elafonissi beaches. One side faces the sea, and the other, quieter side faces the lagoon. There was plenty of pink sand on each side both times that we visited.
Elafonissi Island is a short walk across the shallow lagoon from the main beach. The first time I visited, the water was little more than ankle-deep. The second time was just below my knees, around half a metre deep.
Relatively few people venture as far as Elafonissi Island, which isn’t surprising as nearly all the beach facilities – beach bars, sunshades, loungers, toilets – are back near the entrance to the main beach.
However, if you seek solitude and a frisson of pink sand, I’d advise heading onto the island, where the further you go, the quieter it gets.
If you get a whiff of wanderlust, there is also a walk in the opposite direction, along the E4 trail to the secluded paradise of Kedrodasos Beach, a series of coves with a large bay interspersed with groves of juniper trees.
Elafonissi beach is one of the most popular day trips from Chania, the regional capital. Day tours to Elafonissi depart from Chania, Rethymno and most resorts on the north Crete coast, even as far east as Heraklion.
This Elafonissi tour from Chania includes a lunch stop in the mountain village of Elon, as well as a few hours at Elafonissi Beach.
And this Elafonissi tour from Rethymno includes a stop in the scenic Topolia Gorge on the road to Elafonissi, as well as four hours on the beach.
You can even do an Elafonissi tour from Heraklion, and this entails a 15-hour day with a lot of travelling.
And this Elafonissi catamaran cruise from Paleochora is a great way to visit the pink sand beach, with food on board and a swimming stop at stunning Kedrodasos Beach nearby.
Buses also run from Chania to Elafonissi during the season, taking the scenic route through the magnificent Topolia Gorge.
The other option you have is driving – if so, be prepared for some slow, narrow and winding roads, especially in the later stages of the journey. Count on around two hours to get to Elafonissi from Chania.
Small ferries to Elafonissi also run from Paleochora during the season (usually ending mid-October).
Thinking of staying near Elafonissi? Elafonissi Resort by Kalomirakis Family is one of the closest places to stay to the beach, and garners excellent reviews from guests.
Pink Beaches In Crete – Falassarna Beach
Stunning Falassarna Beach – also on the isolated Crete west coast – is not widely known as one of one of the pink beaches in Crete. However, as our images show, it’s a beach with pink sand, so that makes it a Crete pink beach in our estimation.
Falassarna is an incredible place, a series of five beaches hidden away from the rest of Crete and the world by a wall of mountain peaks, a remote coastal Arcadia.
If you seek the Falassarna pink sand, make your way to the main (and busiest) beach, and head beyond the left (southern) end of the umbrellas. Soon after this you’ll reach a small headland overlooking a curve in the beach and some rocks in the shore.
This is where I found the Falassarna pink sand.
I should point out that we stayed at Falassarna for over two weeks, and passed this section of beach five or six times. However the pink sand was only visible twice – only traces the first time, and a lot more the second time.
Several locals I spoke with also tipped me off about a tiny beach just beyond Falassarna harbour, at the southern end of the main beach. It’s only around 20-30 metres long, but the strip of pink sand appears there more frequently than on the main beach.
Falassarna can be reached by regular bus from Chania during the season – check the K-tel website for times. Otherwise it’s a 90-minute drive from Chania, or 20 minutes from the nearest town, Kissamos, the departure point for our final Crete pink beach, Balos.
Tours To Falassarna Beach
This Falassarna tour from Chania gives you four hours (sunbed and umbrella included) at this legendary beach, plus transfers.
And this Falassarna tour from Rethymno offers pretty much the same thing.
There is also the option of a Falassarna sunset tour – and as someone who spent two weeks there, it’s a breathtaking sight.
Staying in Falassarna – we stayed two weeks at the Falasarna Bay Hotel, a two-minute walk from the northern part of the beach and with incredible views from the apartments.
Pink Beaches In Crete – Balos Beach
Breathtaking Balos Beach Crete is one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, in a spectacular lagoon setting in north-west Crete surrounded by mountains.
We weren’t expecting it, so got a wonderful surprise to find that Balos was the third pink beach in Crete we had encountered.
Balos Beach is one of the most popular places to visit in Crete, and most people book a tour which includes a return ferry from the port of Kissamos. Our article on How to Get to Balos Beach gives you all the information on how to arrange this – and we also advise on the dirt road to Balos in this feature.
Like Elafonissi, Balos Beach is located in a lagoon, though the setting of Balos is much more dramatic, with a steep rocky cape on one side of the beach and lagoon and a striking peak rising out of the sea on the other.
As with Elafonissi, Balos is one of the best beaches in Crete for families, with the shallow water of the lagoon – the south side – giving ideal conditions for paddling and splashing. There is also plenty of deeper but still shallow water for the little ones to try out their swimming strokes.
The Balos Beach pink sand can be found along the busy central strip. It’s more prominent on the seaward side (to the left as you approach from the ferry, looking north towards nearby Imeri Gramvousa Island).
There are several patches of pink sand in this area, with one of the largest close to the mainland shore.
When walking along the beach, I didn’t really notice the pink tinge in the sand on the lagoon side. It was only when I was looking down on Balos Beach from the hillside above (I’d urge anyone to make this brief, steep climb) that I noticed a considerable amount of pink sand on both sides of the main strips of sand.
If you take the Balos beach ferry, you usually get the bonus of two hours at the astonishing Gramvousa Beach, on Imeri Gramvousa island. Faye even preferred this beach to Balos Beach – it is one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, undoubtedly.
Tours To Balos Beach
From Chania or Rethymno – Balos and Gramvousa with return ferry tickets and transfers to the port at Kissamos included
You can also book a ticket-only option that cover the ferry from Kissamos to Gramvousa and Balos and back
And there’s also the option of this catamaran cruise to Balos and Gramvousa with food and drinks on board.
Pink Beaches In Crete – Final Words
I hope you have enjoyed my guide to the three pink beaches in Crete, and that it has inspired you to visit one or more of them.
If you haven’t already, check out my individual guides to each of the pink beaches. Elafonissi Beach is astonishing, the frosting of pink sand along the shoreline an unforgettable sight. If you drive there, you may also have time to visit nearby Kedrodasos Beach. This is an equally beautiful beach, a series of sandy coves among a grove of juniper trees. It’s one of the best hidden gems in Crete.
Also check out my detailed guide to Falassarna Beach. We stayed there for two weeks, so walked every inch of this series of beaches several times over. The beaches are varied, the scenery awe-inspiring, the water crystal-clear. One section even has two shallow natural rock pools, perfect for kids. It’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, if not the world.
And don’t miss Balos Beach, one of the most popular beaches in Crete. Take a look at my guide on How To Get To Balos Beach for information on how to reach this remote corner of paradise.
Further afield, check out my guide to the best things to do in Chania, the most beautiful city in Crete. And also see my photo guide to the enchanting corners of Chania Old Town, one of the most picturesque in Greece.
And be sure to check out my guide to the best day trips from Chania, which suggests many more places for you to explore.
For more articles on central and eastern Crete, and some themed articles on the island, see below:
Overall Crete Articles
Regions of Crete – what to see where, and how to choose your ideal base for your Crete holiday
Pink Beaches In Crete – the 3 stunning pink sand beaches to visit on Crete
Famous Landmarks In Crete To Visit – from Knossos to its most famous beaches, gorges and more
Castles in Crete – Heraklion, Rethymno, Frangokastello and more
Minoan Sites in Crete – the six World Heritage-listed Minoan palace sites on the island
Heraklion and Central Crete
Things To Do In Heraklion – discover the greatly underrated capital of Crete
Visiting Knossos Palace Crete – the foremost ancient Minoan site in the world
Visiting Heraklion Archaeological Museum – the foremost museum on Minoan history
Things To Do In Malia – away from the foam parties – terrific beaches, lovely Old Town and a Bronze Age World Heritage Site
Things To Do In Hersonissos – Crete’s other main party town
Hersonissos or Malia – which is better for you?
Bali Crete Beaches – guide to all 5 beaches in this beautiful north coast village
Kalypso Beach Crete – a fjord, of all things, in Crete – and one of the best places to swim and snorkel in Greece
Visiting Spinalonga Island Crete – the impregnable Venetian fortress that became home to Greece’s last leper colony
Voulisma Beach – glorious golden sands in eastern Crete