CalmBeach Greece
Snorkeling
Snorkeling beaches in Heraklion
21 snorkeling beaches in Heraklion: with clearer water and rocky seabed. Check live wind & waves for each beach on CalmBeach before you go.
- 21beaches
- 6organized
- 7with photos
Want clear water and rocks to explore in Heraklion? These 21 beaches are good for snorkeling, usually with clearer water and a rocky or mixed seabed. Visibility is often better on low-wind days — check wind and waves in CalmBeach first.
The beaches
The order is not random: rockier seabeds first, and among those the ones whose orientation leaves them less exposed — that is where the water tends to stay clearest. Check conditions before you go.
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Matala
The carved caves and the hippies — A sandy bay framed by sandstone walls pierced by dozens of caves. They were carved as tombs in Roman and early-Christian times, but many have rooms…
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Kokkini AmmosThe red sands behind Matala — Kokkini Ammos, the Red Beach, lies on Crete's south coast about 800 metres south of Matala, hidden behind the hill of Kastri. It owes its name to its…
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AgiofarangoThe "Holy Gorge" of the hermits — A gorge ~1.5 km long with vertical walls full of caves ends at a remote pebble beach with crystal-clear water. The name ("Holy Gorge") comes from the…
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SarantariThe first of the Limanakia of Hersonissos — Sarantari lies at Cape Sarandaris, at the western end of the well-known Limanakia of Hersonissos, about 27 kilometres east of Heraklion. Its name is…
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Made
The little cove with the twin islets — Mades beach lies about 20 kilometres northwest of Heraklion and 4 kilometres east of Agia Pelagia, next to Lygaria. The name of the small settlement…
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Limanakia Chersonisou
The little coves beside the ancient harbor — The Limanakia of Hersonissos are a string of small successive coves on Crete's north coast, between Cape Sarantari and the harbor of Hersonissos…
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Photo credits
- Kokkini Ammos: User:Anna.Tsolidou, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Agiofarango: Nikolaos Alexopoulos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sarantari: Stegop, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Karavovrysi: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0
- Mononavtis: Eugen Kalloch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Macha: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0
- Glykos Kolympos: Dretakis Manolis, CC BY-SA 4.0
Good to know
Where do I snorkel when the north wind blows?
17 of the beaches listed here face away from all three northerly directions, based on their orientation: Matala, Kokkini Ammos, Agiofarango and 14 more on this page. That usually means less chop and better visibility while the Meltemi is up — orientation is a strong hint, not a promise, so check wind and waves before you go.
Which beaches in Heraklion are good for snorkeling?
The beaches listed here have rockier seabed and clearer water, where you are more likely to see fish and underwater life. Conditions vary, so check the forecast before you go.
When is snorkeling more comfortable?
Snorkel close to shore when conditions are mild and avoid strong wind, waves or currents. Check live wind and waves in the app and follow any local flags.
When is the sea calmest here?
Across 21 of the beaches on this page, the open water in front of them is typically 0.57 m in June, 0.56 m in July and 0.53 m in August when the meltemi is at its strongest, and 0.54 m in September. August is the calmest month of the season. We calculate these figures ourselves from European Copernicus wave-model data at 4.2 km resolution. They describe the sea offshore, not the shelter of an individual cove — a bay protected by a headland will usually be calmer than this.
How warm is the water, month by month?
Off 21 of the beaches on this page the sea is typically 19.3 °C in May, 22.5 °C in June, 24.8 °C in July, 26.0 °C in August and 25.6 °C in September — ideal at the height of summer, mild in June. In October it is still 24.0 °C — warmer than June. August is the warmest month. Satellite measurements, 1995–2024, from a sea cell about 5 km offshore; shallow bays usually run warmer than this.
Wind and waves change every day. See live conditions for any of these beaches before you drive out.
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