Vatos Beach

The beach of Vatos is located on the southern coast of a particularly remote and secluded part of Crete island. On the borders of the two prefectures of Heraklion and Lassithi, south of the forest of Selakano and framed by the mountain range of Dikti to the north, the closest settlement to Vatos is the village of Myrtos to the east. If you were to drive west from the beach of Vatos on the coastal road, you would come across nothing but tiny villages and secluded beaches. Vatos is not suitable for nudists due to the fact that it is located right on the main road that crosses this area. Furthermore, you will not find accommodation options or other amenities nearby unless you drive towards Myrtos. The only thing on offer here is the natural shade of the tamarisk trees and the refreshing waters of the Libyan Sea. Near the beach, we find the church of Agios Panteleimonas, which is worth visiting on the 27th of July on its feast day, when a huge festival takes place.

Traveling east you will meet more quiet beaches like that of Kalikovrechtis, Tertsa and Psaroharako. A 4×4 vehicle is best as you may have to navigate long dirt roads through tricky narrow paths. To reach Vatos from Agios Nikolaos you will need to head east first towards the settlement of Istro and then south to Ierapetra. From there, it is only a 15 km drive that takes less than 20 minutes and crosses through Potami, Gra Lygia, Ammoudares and Myrtos.

If you choose to stay here, you will be amazed by the range of hiking trails, and be able to take advantage of and explore off the beaten track locations, gorges and charming villages. In Myrtos, there are two archaeological sites and the museum of Archaeological and folklore Collection of Myrtos, which will give visitors a better idea of its ancient past especially during the Minoan period. Despite the rich historical past, Myrtos has only recently started to gain popularity as a holiday spot and has a permanent population of fewer than 1000 people. During the German Occupation in World War II, Myrtos suffered great losses.