The westernmost beach that you will find here is not actually a beach, but a cement dock from where you can dive. It is located on the west part of the rocky Cape Sarandaris, near the picturesque chapel of St. George Sarandaris. Close to the picturesque chapel, there is a staircase leading to the rock. On the rock, you might see the umbrellas of the nearby hotels. Swimming there is a great experience and the rocky seabed is a very good choice for snorkeling. On the base of the Cape Sarandaris, you'll find the amazing beach of Sarandaris Cape, maybe the nicest and mostly protected (from winds) beach in Hersonissos area. It is a sandy beach with shallow water and vivid blue colors. The beach is not as crowded as the rest beaches; climbing down the steep stairs from the whitish limestone cliffs is a bit tricky. There is a small sea cave formed in the whitish limestone at the north end of the beach.
The heart of Stalis pounds on the 5km long coastal road, which has the most shops in the area. A walk along the beach in the afternoon is a must! Beside the seaside road lies a long sandy beach with shallow water, which extends to the east till Malia. The beach is broken into two parts by a short rocky cape. Nearby there is the Byzantine Church of Agios Ioannis, dating back to 1600. The beach of Stalis is very well organized with umbrellas, lifeguards, beach volley courts, showers, beach bars, water sports, changing rooms, and generally anything that a well-organized beach has. There is also a small colony of Cretan Date palms, one of the few in north Heraklion prefecture. Stalis can be accessed from Heraklion by the bus running to east Crete, but you will stop on the Old National Road, just 500m from the beach.
The main beach of Malia is located in front of the town and is crowded by thousands of people. Thus, those who cannot stand the crowds and congestion prefer to go to one of the sandy beaches located east of the port of Malia, very close to the site of the palace of Malia. The easternmost beach is known as Potamos (i.e. River), because a small stream flows in its east part, next to the wetland of Malia.
Potamos is a long sandy beach, very well organized, but usually less crowded than the main beach of Malia. The region, particularly its east part, is not developed due to the archaeological site. However, in the west of the beach, there are several hotels with small sandy coves in front of them.
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