Malia
Malia has become one of the tourist meccas of Crete. It is mainly visited by young British tourists who are not looking for peace and quiet, don't care much if they are in Crete but want to party. If you want some peace on your holiday and have some interest in the 'real' Crete avoid Malia.
Getting there Malia is located 40 km from Heraklion, regular bus service.
Atmosphere Great place to be if you are
very young, love getting drunk and want to party. Every second place
in Malia seems to be a bar or a disco. There are also restaurants,
shops for all your needs and the occasional hotel for those who need
to sleep.
There is also an old village in Malia which has retained a little bit
of atmosphere. It is located south of the main coastal road (so away
from the sea).
Accommodation Hundreds of small and large hotels. They are mainly in the hands of tour operators. If you want to be able to sleep sometimes make sure that you check that your accommodation is in a quiet area and away from the centre of Malia (the road leading to the beach). Find accommodation in Malia
Restaurants Lots of them. English food, full English breakfast, fast food and even some good Greek restaurants.
Shopping Malia has it all.
Nightlife Malia is synonymous with parties and nightlife.
Beach: a very nice beach of fine sand which probably contributed greatly to the popularity of Malia in the past. It won't get crowded until later in the day because lots of people sleep in the day time after partying all night. You can also walk towards the East where there is a great beach near the Minoan palace of Malia
On the web
Photos - click to enlarge
Links to other resorts: