Greece's largest island, Crete, has a lot to offer windsurfing fans. When you think of Crete, you usually think of the top spot in the east, Palekastro, which boasts a breathtaking wind quota. So now the west? Do the spots recommended in this guide compete with it? A very clear "No!", because: If you're travelling to Crete for windsurfing and want to stay at the same spot the whole time, Palekastro clearly offers the best chance of getting plenty of water time and a perfect package of good wind conditions, a surf centre and accommodation close to the spot. However, those who are mobile on site, be it with a camper or a hire car, should keep an eye on the alternative spots, because the top spots in the east all need one ingredient that is essential: Meltemi!
And as in Greece as a whole, it can also happen on Crete that the Meltemi sometimes comes to a standstill for a few days. Spot reporter Woife Strasser, who spends around 70 days on Crete every year, has noticed: "The Meltemi has become increasingly erratic over the past ten years. It used to be a rarity for it to switch off completely for ten or twelve days at the height of summer, but now it happens again and again, most recently in 2023. It was the worst Meltemi summer for a long time, but I was still on the water on Crete 72 out of 75 days, mainly because I surfed a lot on the west spots." So if you don't want to languish in the sweltering summer heat when the meltemi stops, you should load up your surf gear and head for the north and west coasts, which are much less well-known among water sports enthusiasts. Because as our spot reporter Woife Strasser knows from many trips to Crete: "When the Meltemi dies down, a reliable thermal usually forms in the west of the island, which, depending on the spot, can be 15 to 30 knots strong. You also get the pleasure of discovering something completely new."
Crete - over 1000 kilometres of coastline
On the way from east to west, however, it also becomes clear: firstly, Crete is damn big - the island stretches almost 260 kilometres from west to east. And secondly: Crete is also quite high - so instead of just cruising across, there are many metres in altitude and many a steep bend to take. But those who are prepared to do so can also discover a great deal of unspoilt nature: small mountain villages where time seems to stand still, imposing peaks, breathtaking views and friendly people.
Have fun discovering the wild west!
Windsurfing spots in the west of Crete
1st Georgioupoli/Episkopi
35.3521, 24.3409
The spot is located about 30 kilometres east of Chania, on a kilometre-long sandy beach. The spot is not ventilated very often in summer, but there are always nice Meltemi days (12 to 25 knots from the northwest) with a cross onshore wind from the left, light waves up to 1.50 metres and some shorebreak! With NW and WNW currents, thermals of up to 25 knots can also build up there. If the neighbouring spot Kalyves is ventilated with over 25 knots, you can also expect a gliding wind here from around 4 pm. In the winter months, the spot sometimes turns into a wave spot with winds from the north-west and north-east, but then only for experts!
The spot has a fine sandy beach, but the standing area is manageable at just under five metres. The best entry point is at Episkopi Beach, seven kilometres east of Georgioupoli. There is a large car park, kiosk and the Kymata taverna with parasols, sunbeds and showers. There are also numerous hotels, bars, supermarkets and tavernas along the sandy beach.
2. calyves
35.4532, 24.1738
Kalyves is located around 15 kilometres east of Chania and is a spot only for winds from the west to west-northwest. When there is no Meltemi wind in summer, this spot is an alternative, as a westerly current normally develops there, which can increase to four to six Beaufort (five to seven Beaufort on good days) in Souda Bay due to thermals. The wind then comes sideshore from the left in Kalyves. The surfing conditions near the shore range from flat water to light chop, the standing area is around 20 metres. Further out there are waves of up to one metre depending on the wind strength.
Car parks, showers, hotels and bars are available on the sandy beach. The wind usually blows about three kilometres to the west in Kalami from the west or WSW in the morning and usually turns WNW towards Kalyves from midday. There are plenty of places to live and shop as well as bars and tavernas in the tourist centre of Kalyves, making it a lively place in the evenings.
3. kolymbari
35.5439, 23.7809
Just as the Meltemi intensifies from the NE in Phalasarna, it is the other way round in Kolymbari. With a forecast in Phalasarna from WSW, the spot and its surroundings are the first choice. The wind strengthens at Kolymbari with a forecast of 10 to 18 knots from WSW direction mostly to 15 to 25 knots, and the wind comes diagonally offshore/sideshore from the left. There is alternating flat water and chop.
The wind is strongest in Kolymbari and there are days with six to nine Beaufort. Then there is the option of looking for some entry points on the coast about five kilometres further east towards Maleme, as the wind then usually turns more to the west and is about one to two Beaufort weaker. There are many small hotels with beach bars and a good infrastructure along this stretch. The wind blows more sideshore from the left and, depending on the wind, the chop can be up to one metre high. Fine sandy beach with a standing area of five to ten metres.
4. kissamos
35.4997, 23.6521
This spot works with strong Meltemi from north to north-east, which blows quite onshore and brings some surf and shorebreak with it - intermediates are less well catered for here. When the wind on the leeward side of the peninsula, in Falassarna, is blowing at 30 to 40 knots, the wind on the north side is usually a good 15 to 20 knots, which can be a lot of fun. However, if Falassarna only has a thermal wind from the north-east at 12 to 20 knots, there is only a light breeze in Kissamos. From the port of Kissamos, a coastal road (approx. 1.5 kilometres) leads along several bays with infrastructure. At the end is Kaliviani Beach, a wide sandy beach, partly with rocks in the water and no infrastructure. The entrance is at the end of the beach, parking is on the shore road.
If the wind is blowing from the north, there is an alternative entrance in a narrow bay on the way from Kissamos to Balos, directly behind the toll station. Parking is possible on the pebble beach, but there is no infrastructure here either. The entrance is on the left-hand side of the bay, but there are also large rocks under the water, the location of which should be checked beforehand. However, the wind must not be too north-easterly here, otherwise the shore break will be too strong.
5. livadia/zebra
35.3484, 23.5379
Livadia is ideal when the wind blows from NNW to NNO. There are lots of pebbles with a zebra pattern at the entrance, which is why we, together with the local Christos, gave it the name "Zebra Spot". You surf about 500 metres south of the Livadia beach kiosk, with the wind coming almost sideshore from the right. The water gets deep after a few metres, and for the first 50 to 100 metres (depending on the wind direction) you surf in a small wind cover. Outside, the spot offers flat water and, depending on the wind strength, a small swell of up to one metre, which invites you to jump and do tricks.
6. stomio
35.3284, 24.5482
The spot is located on the west coast around seven kilometres from Elafonissi and is a good alternative, as Elafonissi has been closed to cars since 2023 for nature conservation reasons. You now have to park in the village and then walk almost three kilometres (!) to the beach - not a walk in the park with equipment. The situation is different in Stomio, where parking is possible anywhere directly on the road next to the beach. The spot, a large bay with a wide beach and large stones, works with a north-westerly wind direction. With a forecast of eight knots, the wind is strengthened by a chop effect to around twelve to 20 knots, usually in the afternoon. The more northerly it blows, the more gusty the wind gets. NW winds come sideonshore from the right and offer flat water close to the shore, with chop of half a metre further out. The spot does not work with Meltemi from the north-east. There is little infrastructure, just a bar to enjoy the sunset in the sea after a good day's surfing.
7th Krios
35.2343, 23.6035
The spot is located around ten kilometres west of Paleochora and around 300 metres before the actual Krios Beach and works with WSW to NW. The wind blows sideshore or slightly sideoff from the right and provides perfect freestyle or slalom conditions with flat water or choppy water. At Krios Beach, the wind often blows through in the afternoon, and there is often an afterburst in the evening with a super wind from the north-west. The pebble beach drops off quite quickly, so there is no significant standing area. You should be careful further to the right of the cape, as there is a strong current outside! You can park at the entrance next to the road. At Krios Beach itself, there are showers, parasols and sunbeds as well as a kiosk. In the small village of Grammeno (about five minutes to the east) there are small supermarkets, tavernas, accommodation and a campsite.
8th Kountoura
35.2324, 23.6208
Probably the best flat water spot with westerly winds on Crete is located roughly in the centre on the way from Paleochora to Krios Beach. An offshore headland about 200 metres long provides a 1-a runway for heating, manoeuvres and freestyling in winds from WSW to WNW. The wind comes sideshore from right to slightly cross offshore, but is relatively constant. Behind the headland there is a chop of up to one metre, depending on the wind strength. Access to the pebbly beach is via a dirt track. Parking is possible on site. There is no shade and no infrastructure, but there are shopping facilities in the nearby village.
Area information Crete
Journey
The best way to travel is by ferry from Venice or Ancona to Patras with anek.gr or minoan.gr, then about three hours by car to Piraeus, where the ferries depart for Heraklion, Rethymnon or Chania.
TIP: If you book by the end of February, there is an early booking discount on the ferry price. If you book the return journey and the domestic Greek ferry at the same time, there are additional percentages, and there are also discounts for members of automobile or camping clubs - it's worth asking! Camping on board" can also be booked, but it is not possible to stay in the motorhome/bus; instead you will be allocated a cabin. The contingent is very limited and usually no longer available at the beginning of January.
There is also a ferry connection from Githio/Peloponnese to the village of Kissamos in western Crete.
Charter flights usually go from many German airports to Heraklion and to a limited extent to Chania.
Wind & Weather
Crete is so large and offers such diverse landscapes and spots that travelling here can be fascinating all year round. The summer months between May and September are, of course, the ideal and most constant time to go windsurfing. Due to the solar radiation, a stable heat low develops over the Near and Middle East, which draws in air, creating the Meltemi, which arrives on Crete as a north to west wind.
The windiest corner is the east around the well-known top spot of Palekastro, where it blows almost daily for small sails in high summer. The spots on the north and west coast are a tip, especially when the Meltemi collapses, as this often creates a thermal from the west, which can reach considerable strengths due to local effects. Temperatures on Crete are mild all year round, with the water temperature rarely dropping below 17 degrees and rising to 26 degrees in midsummer. In view of the hot and dry weather then, shorties up to a maximum of short-arm neos are the first choice.
More spots on Crete:
Living & Camping
The entire island is well developed for tourism, and you can also find accommodation in all price categories in the west of the island via the well-known online booking platforms. There are also some campsites in the west - here is a selection:
Chania
Kissamos
Krios/Paleochora
Wild camping is officially prohibited in Greece, and there are controls, especially during the main holiday season. In many places, however, you are tolerated as long as you stick to the rules: Don't spread out too much, take your rubbish with you and support the local catering industry.
Surf schools
If you want to explore western Crete, you should travel with your own equipment. There are no hire stations here. There are also no shops in the west.
Alternative programme
Lake Kournas, Crete's only natural freshwater lake, and the village of Kournas with its quaint tavernas, around four kilometres away, are well worth a visit. A few kilometres further inland from Episkopi Beach is the historic avocado village of Argiroupoli with its mighty spring, trout farm and several tavernas. Our favourite is the "Agia Dinamis" taverna, which has been family-owned since 1989 and was the first taverna at the spring. Here you can enjoy freshly caught trout or traditional Cretan cuisine such as snails, stuffed courgette flowers, wild vegetables (xorta) and antikristo (traditionally grilled lamb or beef) in an authentic setting surrounded by greenery and cascading water.
Good to know
The summer heat can be intense if there is no wind, and appropriate sun protection is also absolutely essential on the water. You should have surf shoes in your luggage, as the entrances are not sandy everywhere.
