Agia Marina

Agia Marina is a busy seaside resort on the north coast of Crete, located about nine kilometres west of Chania city and sitting between Stalos and Platanias. It is one of the most popular resort areas in the Chania region, with extensive tourist infrastructure, hotels and a lively, holiday atmosphere right along the shore. The beach is a long, wide stretch of golden sand running for around three kilometres along the coast. It has been awarded the Blue Flag in recognition of its cleanliness and safety, and there is plenty of room to spread out and for children to play even when the resort is busy. The water is generally shallow and usually calm close to shore, which adds to its family appeal. Facilities here are comprehensive, in keeping with its resort status. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available for rent, lifeguards are on duty, and numerous beach bars serve food and drinks directly to your lounger. The compact, walkable resort behind the beach is packed with the full range of tourist services, from restaurants and shops to family-friendly extras such as mini-golf and playgrounds. Water sports are a major draw. Visitors can take part in scuba diving, jet skiing, snorkeling, windsurfing, parasailing, banana-boat rides, pedal boats and canoeing among other activities. From the nearby harbour at Platanias there are also daily boat trips to the islet of Agioi Theodoroi, a pleasant excursion that suits the whole family. Agia Marina suits families and visitors who want an active, well-serviced beach holiday with everything close at hand rather than solitude or wild scenery. The trade-off for all those amenities is that it is busy and developed, so those seeking quiet should look elsewhere. Its proximity to Chania, the Blue Flag sand, calm shallow water and abundance of activities make it a dependable, convenient choice on the north coast.