Fodele’s golden beach stretches on both sides of the river mouth of Pantomantris (Fodelianos) in the Fodele Bay, northern Crete. The western part of the beach belongs to Fodele Beach & Water Park Holiday Resort, while the east side is public.
The entire beach is primarily sandy, with a few pebbles in the eastern part, close to the hill. It is well taken care of and clean. Occasionally, after strong winds and waves, you can see small amounts of driftwood or seaweed here and there on the beach; however, these are natural elements that don’t take anything away from the cleanliness and charm of the beach.
You will find room to bring your own sunbed or beach towel on the public side of the beach to stay without renting sunbeds and umbrellas from the local taverna. At Fodele Beach & Water Park Holiday Resort, sunbeds, umbrellas, and beach towels are complimentary for all our guests, and so are the refreshments and snacks in an all-inclusive regime at the bar.
On the public side of the beach, there are a couple of tavernas serving Greek and international food, drinks, and refreshments. A souvenir shop stocks more than trinkets to take with you to remember Crete by: here you can also buy swimwear and beach essentials, clothing, and accessories.
The beach at Fodele is not necessarily a tourist destination – naturally, except for the part in front of the resort.
The other side is favoured by locals with families, mainly because the beach is easily accessible from the VOAK (Greek National Road 90).
But there are also other reasons why local families favour this beach: it is less crowded than more popular beaches, and the water is shallow for a few meters close to the shore, making it a safe environment for children to play. However, you should note that the beach faces north, being exposed to the Meltemi winds, which blow all summer long and may cause high waves.
Fodele Beach Water Sports
There are several options for water sports and scuba diving for action enthusiasts. Fodele Watersports offers wakeboarding, water skiing, pedalo boat rentals, parasailing, and extreme rides with towables, bananas, and sofas. They also have SUP, jet skis, and Zapata Flyboard®.
The Fodele Beach & Water Park Holiday Resort guests have access to all these entertaining water sports. In addition, we also partner with Stay Wet Diving Center to offer our guests a mesmerizing adventure under the sea.
Besides sunbathing, swimming, playing beach volleyball, enjoying a variety of adrenaline-rushing water sports, and dining, there is not much else to do at the beach of Fodele. So instead, you could end your day in the sun with a visit to the village, which is some three kilometres inland. Here you can visit the El Greco Museum, shop for authentic Cretan souvenirs, take a stroll in the park, or stop at a local taverna for lamb chops and mountain-style Cretan food.