Elafonisi beach with kids – Crete’s pink sand beach

Greek island + kids always = beach – but when you’re on Crete, you don’t just have the usual golden sands to tempt you, and I knew a visit to Elafonisi beach in Crete with kids would be unmissable.

Crete’s pink sand beach is one of the most famous places on the island, and not just for families. With snorkelling, the small lagoon to paddle and swim in, and some lovely scenery, it’s well worth keeping on the list.

Around 90 minutes from Chania on the north coast, where we were staying for part of our holiday in Crete, it pays to plan ahead if you are heading to Elafonisi beach with kids – here are my top tips.

Plan your drive

There are guided tours which will take you to Elafonisi – or Elafonissi – beach but if you’re happy driving on narrow mountain roads, it’s much better to hire a car and head down there yourself.

Firstly, because you need to get there early. When we arrived just before 9.30, I could still find a parking space in the shade and we pretty much had our pick of loungers on the beach itself.

If you’re planning to hire a car to explore Crete with kids, one of my favourite sites is Zest Car Rental or you can also compare rates at Discover Cars

Most of the coach tours arrive later so it will already be busier (although obviously you don’t need to worry about parking).

The drive also takes you through some amazing mountain scenery towards the end – although I had my eyes firmly fixed on the road, navigating some tight and twisty bends.

But with your own car, you can stop en route if you fancy taking photos. If you have travel sick kids, you can also pause for a breather, plus they’re less likely to be affected in a car than in a coach.

If you definitely don’t want to drive yourself, there is a big choice of tours to Elafonisi Beach, with pick-up options around the island including Chania and Rethymno but also Heraklion – bear in mind you’ll have a longer journey from the island’s capital though

Go to the right car park

As you drive closer to the beach, you’ll spot countless signs for parking on the road down – don’t be tempted to stop here though (unless you’ve arrived late and there’s no other option).

You’ll get charged to park and it’s a long way down to the beach itself – plus a steeper climb back up after your day by the sea.

Instead, just continue following the road until it stops, as that leads you directly into the free car park at Elafonisi beach itself. In all likelihood, you’ll be following a string of other cars down there as well, as anyone heading here is likely to be making their way to the beach.

EDIT: Based on the comment below from a visit in June 2023, it seems they may have closed the free car park

Bring cash

While more and more places are moving to contactless payment, you’ll want to bring cash to rent the loungers and beach umbrellas.

In summer 2022, these cost 15 Euros per pair with a parasol and 5 euros extra per lounger. Contactless seemed to be an option but there wasn’t any data for the transaction, so thankfully we had enough to cover it.

If you don’t, make sure you bring your own beach umbrella and towels – there’s barely any shade otherwise. Elafonisi Island is one of the best spots to find a more shaded spot, but we decided it was well worth paying for these.

The toilets by the car park also need cash: it’s 50 cents to use these, although kids are free.

Not all the sand is pink

The sand on the main beach, where all the loungers line the water, is more golden than pink – the pink colour comes from tiny ground-up shells so it varies depending on the tides and the time of year.

But this area isn’t the place where you’ll find the rosiest shades anyway.

Wade over to Elafonisi Island and you can find more pink stretches, plus warm tidal pools – as ever, it’s worth heading there early on if you want to snap photos and enjoy the views without too many crowds.

It’s not always obvious to see where the shallowest sections are, but keep an eye on the other people crossing to spot the sandbanks, and be prepared to go in up to your waist at least.

The sandbar which connects Elafonisi Island to Crete itself rarely has more than around a metre of water over it – younger kids may need to swim or be carried rather than wade, but older ones should still be able to keep their heads above water.

A dry bag will definitely come in handy, otherwise you’ll probably need to carry your belongings above your head at some point. It’s well worth the effort as the colour really is incredible.

Explore Elafonisi island

The island is actually a nature reserve, and feels very unspoiled – especially by comparison to the string of loungers along the rest of the beach!

Do save a little time to explore here as well, although bear in mind it’s best to do this early too as there’s limited shade.

Bringing waterproof shoes (or carrying your flip flops over your head) is also a good plan as the sand on the island itself gets very hot as a result.

Home to 110 plant species, including some which are rare or unique to the reserve, you should stick to the paths to avoid damaging the plants.

If you’re very lucky, you may even see turtles as they nest on the island, although they tend to steer very clear of people so don’t count on it.

Bring a snorkel

If you’re travelling with younger kids, the shallow water is perfect to splash around in – as well as the little tide pools, which heat up nicely under the Greek sun, there’s a very gradual slope in the main lagoon.

The sea here is an amazing turquoise colour and incredibly clear, so if you’re visiting Crete with slightly older kids, do pack a snorkel as well.

The sheltered lagoon is very calm so it’s ideal for novices and there are tiny fish swimming around. You might spot other sea creatures as well, depending which area you swim in.

You’ll find kayaks to rent too if you’re visiting with teens or more adventurous kids who want to venture further out.

There are even lifeguards during the summer months as an added precaution.

Facilities are limited

As well as parking and a few toilets by the car park, there are stalls selling expensive beach toys and a couple of snack bars serving food.

The choice is limited and it’s unsurprisingly pricy, plus with a lot of people lounging on the beach, you can expect queues. Best to bring your own food and drinks if you can.

Alternatively, if you’re not planning to spend the whole day at Elafonisi beach with kids, you can head off before lunch as the temperatures rise, and venture over to a taverna elsewhere. Another bonus of having your own hire car!

Instead of retracing our route through the heart of the island, we drove over to the west coast towards Sfinari where there are some lovely tavernas on this quiet beach serving fresh fish. There are more loungers here if you want to finish the day on a less pink stretch of sand too.

For more things to do in Crete with kids, check out my top picks

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission. All opinions on visiting Elafonisi beach with kids are my own

Images copyright MummyTravels

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