Vai Palm Beach

Vai Beach is a natural wonder unique in Europe — a crescent of golden sand backed by Europe's largest natural palm forest, with over 5,000 Theophrastus palms (Phoenix theophrasti) creating a tropical oasis on Crete's far eastern tip. The palm forest, believed to have grown from date pits discarded by Phoenician traders thousands of years ago, gives Vai a distinctly exotic, almost North African appearance that's utterly unexpected in Greece. The beach's crystal-clear water grades from pale turquoise to deep blue, and the protected bay keeps conditions calm and swimable.

Vai gained fame in the 1970s as a hippie paradise and was featured in a famous Bounty chocolate bar advertisement. The area is now a protected ecological park — camping on the beach is prohibited to preserve the fragile palm ecosystem. A viewing platform above the beach offers panoramic views over the palm canopy to the sparkling sea.

The nearby Toplou Monastery, one of Crete's most important, produces excellent organic olive oil and wine.