|
Plakias
Written by and reproduced with the kind permission of -
John Osborne of Plakias.co.uk
Plakias is a lovely town. Not the prettiest I’ve seen, not the biggest or the smallest, it is just right for me. It is growing, or perhaps I should say ‘modernising’, but not too fast, and still retains a simplicity I like. It is a good place to relax for a couple of weeks – or to use as a base to explore the surrounding countryside and beaches, if you like a more active holiday. It is popular in May, as the flora then is spectacular, and it is not too hot for walking.
The town is built alongside a single street, which runs by the beach. Follow this along, past the small harbour (where you can get a boat to several other beaches) and you’ll end up on a rough track leading to Souda Bay (nice beach) after about 3km. With the sea on one side, and the shops and hotels on the other, you never feel far from the beach. Small roads lead off the main street, with apartments, shops, tavernas etc. to catch your attention. Follow one of these small streets as far as you can, and you'll probably end up in an olive grove, and there are tracks that lead up to the villages of Mirthios and Sellia, nestling in the hills. Mirthios is really unspoilt, and there is an excellent taverna there which makes the walk worth the effort. (Take a torch if you are walking down again in the dark).
Everything you need is available in Plakias – shops, supermarkets, plenty of places to eat and drink, and two discos. There is no bank (or hole in the wall) yet – but you can easily change money in most places. There are several travel agents – which are the places to check first if you want to do an excursion. You may well find prices a lot cheaper than those offered by your holiday company’s reps.
The Beach in Plakias is one long bay. In front of the village, it has a lot of pebbles, and is certainly not at it’s best. However, if you walk east you can follow the road right along the bay. The beach gets better as you walk along, and there is a lot more sand. At the far end, the cliffs provide a nice area for snorkelling too.
The beach is rarely crowded, and you can always find a fairly quiet spot somewhere. There are several showers along the way, which is a nice way of getting the salt off before getting back to the serious business of sunbathing. But beware, the gentle breeze tends to make you underestimate how strong the sun is.
The sea is fairly safe for swimming – usually there are no currents or anything nasty. There are rare occasions when the sea gets very rough. This is great for fools (like me) who like to make a total idiot of themselves in the waves – but look out for the kiddies then, as the waves can get nasty.
And if you want to get an all over tan, make your way to the far end, where it’s been ‘clothing optional’ for years and the majority of the folks there happily discard their swimwear.
One other warning - if you go snorkelling around the rocks, look out for the black urchins. The spikes are nasty if you stand on them - but not life threatening!
|
|
|
