By John Freedman
Originally posted elsewhere August 14, 2019
Reposted to Contemplating Crete April 11, 2021
Crete is not a tropical island, but a trip to the beach at Vai might make you think it is. Located in the island’s far northeastern corner, Vai is the location of the largest palm grove on Crete. You can hear all kinds of stories about how the palm trees got here, but the most popular is probably that it was the result of pirates who would stop for a rest, eat dates, and toss off seeds that later sprouted. We are told, however, by the reliable Explore Crete website that this legend is nothing more than a good story. The reality, according to the site, is that, “Scientists have proven that the Vai palm trees are an endemic species known as Phoenix theophrasti, or Cretan Date Palm.” Not as exciting as pirates perhaps, but every bit as interesting. Indeed, there are a few other places on the island where the Cretan Date Palm can still be found, the biggest of them being near the beach at Preveli, on the island’s south shore. Vai today is a true tourist destination, with a paid parking lot (2 Euros for the day), cafes, chaises lounge, dressing rooms, showers, and even wooden sidewalks to keep sand out of the shoes of the squeamish. The beach has been awarded a Blue Flag, designating it as one of the best, cleanest, and most tourist-friendly in Europe. Frankly, it’s all a bit civilized for me, so when I go to Vai, I walk out past the thatched umbrellas to the part of the beach that has been left as God intended it – pure sand, craggy rocks and glassy blue water. To my delight, there is a grungy old sign at the end of the beach that is held up by a rusty old contraption and declares: “This is the end of the beach awarded a Blue Flag.” That’s where you’ll find me at Vai, out by that sign… Vai is about a one hour, 50 minute drive from Agios Nikolaos, or two hours, 40 minutes from Heraklion. The road for most of the trip is as spectacular as the beach itself.
All text and photos © 2019 John Freedman. If you wish to reproduce, repost or use any of the text or any photo, please ask for permission. Renewal of copyright © 2021 John Freedman.
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