Sitia Beach. Organized beach with sun beds, umbrellas (for a fee) and showers near to the town of Sitia. The beach and the sea floor are partly sandy and partly with small pebbles. Sitia is a nice town and the beach is within walking distance. It is very long ( about 1000 m ) and it only gets crowded near the harbor. There are some flat areas near the east end of the beach where campers can park.

Makrigialos Beach is 35 km far from Sitia and 29 from Ierapetra. The name Makri Gialos means "long beach", which indeed it is the long sandy beach with crystal clear, shallow waters, is perfect for children and non-swimmers, and further out for more experienced swimmers. The beach is lined with a good variety of tavernas to suit all tastes, the fishing port being the most picturesque part of the village.

Itanos beaches are located 2 km north from Palm beach Vai, 8 from Palekastro and 26 from Sitia. The sandy beach of the ancient town of Itanos or Erimoupolis. There is another longer sandy beach that you can get to - on foot - over the low hill to your left, where the main road stops.

In fact, there are 3 beaches here: the first is the one at the end of the road, the second is reached walking to the north (the beach on the photo) and the third is also reached walking south behind the small fortress. The third one is also suitable to spend time under the shade of the palm-trees.

Kato Zakros Beach. The settlement of Kato Zakros, only 8 km away from Pano (upper) Zakros, 25 from Palekastro and 44 from Sitia is a most impressive small fishing village, hidden away in the southeast corner of Crete, behind a beautiful tamarind-fringed beach. There are several excellent fish tavernas on the beach, ideal for relaxed, long lunches or for romantic evening meals. Anyone staying in Kato Zakros should walk down the 'Valley of the Dead', approximately a 2-hour walk, which leads down from Pano Zakros to the sea at Kato Zakros.

Vai beaches are located 25 km from Sitia. The combination of a magnificent beach with a rare grove of palm trees makes Vai one of the absolute musts of Crete.

According to a legend, Arab pirates who came to Crete threw out the pips of the dates they were eating while they were here and that from these came this grove of 5000 palms. It is prohibited to camp overnight within the grove, which covers an area of 60 acres and is protected by fencing under the care of the Forestry Service. It is organised and has been awarded with the EU Blue Flag.

It is an exotic, tropical beach with fine sand and pebbles and crystal-clear blue sea. 6 km far from Palekastro.

Xerokambos is located in an untouched region, 48 km from Sitia, 10 km from Zakros and 28 km from Palekastro. Mountains, olive groves and magnificent isolated beaches make up the breathtaking scenery. Xerokambos boasts probably the finest beaches in the area and is ideal for those seeking peace, quiet and relaxation. Public transport stops in Zakros, therefore anyone wanting to explore the area would need to hire a car.