Beach of Agios Pavlos, Crete

The beach of Agios Pavlos, perhaps the most beautiful beach of prefecture Rethymnon, is a fantastic bay in a wild and majestic scenic landscape with huge sandhills. There are a few umbrellas, but you can find shade in the rocky caves shaped in the middle of the beach. Moreover, given its large size, the beach never seems busy and you can easily stay nude even in peak season. The beach has rich seabed and is ideal for snorkeling.The sunset of the area is stunning. The best sunset can be viewed from peak Thronos, directly above the beach (some 300m high, vertical cliffs). To get there follow the dirt track starting just next to the point where the roads Agios Pavlos – Sactouria and Triopetra-Agios Pavlos join and then walk to the edge of the cliff. This point overlooks Paximadia islets at south, Gavdos island and the White Mountains.
The easiest way to get on the Sandhills is by following for 500m the road leading to the west of Triopetra harbor (Stomio), till you meet the beach in your right hand and the Akoumianos river below you. You can leave your car somewhere there, descend to the small valley shaped near the river and walk to the beach. Alternatively, you can park your car in Agios Pavlos and then follow (for 5′-10′) the path that leads behind the western edge of the beach of Agios Pavlos and go down the steep sandy slope.