CalmBeach Greece
Snorkeling
Snorkeling beaches in Rethymno
14 snorkeling beaches in Rethymno: with clearer water and rocky seabed. Check live wind & waves for each beach on CalmBeach before you go.
- 14beaches
- 6organized
- 7with photos
Want clear water and rocks to explore in Rethymno? These 14 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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TriopetraThe "Three Rocks" on the Libyan coast — The name means literally "three rocks", after the three large rocks rising at the shore. A small peninsula divides two beaches, on the south Libyan…
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SpiliesThe cove of the sea caves — Spilies, also known as Kitrenosis, lies on the north coast of Rethymno in Crete, in the remote area of Latzimas, just before Geropotamos. It forms at…
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KalypsoThe pirate fjord between the cliffs — Kalypso lies on the south coast of Rethymno, Crete, between Plakias and Preveli, about 33 kilometres from the town. It is a long, narrow rocky inlet…
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Mikro AmmoudiThe little white cove of Plakias — Mikro Ammoudi, also known as Ammoudaki, is a small cove on the south coast of Rethymno, Crete, next to Damnoni and a few kilometres east of Plakias…
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Photo credits
- Triopetra: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0
- Spilies: corali-beach, CC BY 3.0
- Kalypso: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0
- Mikro Ammoudi: Olaf Tausch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Klimata: Lourakis, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chochlakas: Eleni Roussou, CC BY-SA 4.0
Good to know
Where do I snorkel when the north wind blows?
11 of the beaches listed here face away from all three northerly directions, based on their orientation: Triopetra, Kalypso, Mikro Ammoudi and 8 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 Rethymno 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 14 of the beaches on this page, the open water in front of them is typically 0.47 m in June, 0.46 m in July and 0.43 m in August when the meltemi is at its strongest, and 0.46 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 14 of the beaches on this page the sea is typically 19.4 °C in May, 22.3 °C in June, 24.6 °C in July, 25.7 °C in August and 25.4 °C in September — ideal at the height of summer, mild in June. In October it is still 23.9 °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.
Open the live map →