Maleme Crete

holiday report and Maleme Crete map

Maleme beach Crete

MALEME is a quiet village about 16km west of Chania on the north coast of western Crete. It is the last in a string of beaches along this part of the coat starting at Agia Marina in the east and passing through Platanias.
Maleme is built on a small hill between the rivers of Tavronitis and Geranis, and was the focus of fierce fighting in World War II, during the battle of Crete.
German paratroopers gained a foothold on the airfield that lies in the plain behind the beach, a vital move that led the them taking over the island and forcing the evacuation of thousand of Allied troops through ports like Chora Sfakia in the south.
The airfield was taken after great loss of life on the German side and there is a cemetery to those who died on hillside overlooking the sands.
Today Maleme is a major holiday resort with small hotels and apartments spread over the plain. The main road is also packed with tavernas, cafes and bars.
Although a tourist hotspot it is much less overrun than the resorts to the east like Platanias.
Maleme beach is very wide and deep with scruffy sand and pebbles backed by scrub and low dunes. There are plenty of sun beds and tourist facilities like beach bars and watersports.
Maleme also has cafes and tavernas along the waterfront road, but for more lively nightlife most tourists head into Platanias or Agia Marina to the east.
Maleme beach is much less crowded than those in Platanias and Agia Marina. There is a regular bus service along the coast to Chania.