Living in the Netherlands is comfortable and pleasant, but not endless rainy days. Therefore, I travel with two kids to Crete in Greece in early May 2023 for some sunshine! I had the imagination to lay aside the swimming pool while kids played in the waterpark all day. However, it is not what I expected, and I have some lessons and tips to share with you.
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Table of Contents
Short Introduction of Crete Island in Greece
Crete is the largest island and one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations. It is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea and is known for its beautiful beaches, stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture. The island boasts diverse landscapes, from rugged mountains to idyllic beaches, and is home to various flora and fauna. Visitors can hike through gorges, explore ancient caves, and swim in crystal-clear waters.
Our trip situation and expectations
After many rainy days at home with busy work and caring for two kids, I desperately need sunshine and rest. I joined a travel agency’s package for a 4.5-star all-inclusive water park holiday resort and planned to lie beside the swimming pool, read books, nap, watch the kids play in the water, and enjoy unlimited food and drinks, as lazy as possible.
However, all of the expectations rely on good weather and warm water. We are the unlucky ones, unfortunately. Here are the lessons learned!
Lessons Learned 1: Be careful with the advertised weather!
Many sites will tell you that May is a great time to visit Crete, as it is warm and sunny but not hot, with an average daytime temperature of 24°C (75°F), in between highs of 28°C (82°F) and lows of 19°C (66°F). Meanwhile, the sea temperature is also warming, with an average temperature of around 20°C (68°F).
It sounds great, right? Not entirely!
The weather above is the average temperature in May. As you can see, it is not that promising in early May. It could be sunny but not warm. Daily temperature can go to xx degrees C, and the water temperature is cold and unsuitable for kids swimming. Most of the amusement waterparks are only open after May 15th.
If you are not keen on water activities, it does not impact that much. But if your dream vacation is to lay aside the swimming pool to watch kids play like me, I will not take the risk (experience of two winey kids).
In the meantime, plan indoor activities in case of rain or chilly weather, e.g., museums, indoor play areas, or cinemas. Moreover, pack entertainment: Bring some toys, games, and books to entertain your kids during the rainy days.
Lessons Learn 2: Choose your Hotel carefully.
We chose a 4.5-star hotel with all-inclusive and expect good service and excellent food. However, you need to adjust your standard a little bit. Take our Hotel as an example; the room is clean, but the equipment is outdated and worn. The food in the restaurant is almost the same every day (grilled pork and lamb but not much fish and seafood). The swimming pool complex is ideal for children of all ages. However, it is only open from 10/11-18. Generally speaking, there is no craziness, but it is definitely not an EU standard you used to have.
Lessons Learn 3: Service is not guaranteed.
Our resort has several travel agencies for booking excursions and tours. I booked a Jeep Safari for me and two kids and asked if we could pay for a driver as I could not drive the hand gear. The agency person said there was no need and there would be a professional driver for us. Surprisingly, the next day, we realized on the spot that it was the passenger assigned to be the driver. There are only four seats on the Jeep, and they ask if anyone wants to drive for us. Of course, people want to stay with their family and friends. After 10 minutes, the organizer wanted to separate me and the kids into different Jeeps. I was pretty angry that day because I had checked with the seller before, and he did not tell me the truth. This is just one of the many examples, like over-charging for one ice cream for 9 euros, etc.
Lessons Learn 4: Do not fill the rental car tank full if you do not need it.
We took a rental car for a one-day excursion, and the car had an empty tank. So, the first we need to do is to fill the tank. Without a second thought, I fill the tank full. However, when returning the car, there was still more than 75% fuel inside, and the person refused to share some of the cost. A more responsible way is that he could highlight a bit before we filled the tank, but he said nothing and asked if I could rent the car for the second day if I wanted to use the fuel. It is not a significant loss, but it gave me an awful feeling.
Lessons Learn 5: Choose a residence close to a family-friendly beach.
The infrastructure is various areas per area. Take our Hotel as an example; there are many unfinished houses and roads to be walk-friendly. If your kids are still young, choosing a hotel near a family-friendly beach is better.
Recommend Family Friendly Beach and Museums:
Crete has four popular tourist areas: Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania and Lasithi. If your trip also focuses on family-friendly water activities, here is my recommended list. Many beaches in Crete has clear water and stunning view. However, there are also many rock beaches, and some are difficult to reach by walking.
It would be best to have a car ride or rent a boat. For parents, it is not convenient to bring everything and a buggy. I listed the kids’ friendly beaches with the following criteria.
- Sand Beach
- Easy to access by walking
- Clean environment (not much garbage)
You do not need to climb the hill for 20 minutes to reach the beach or via boat. Meanwhile, I do not mind the noise or pay for the chair, umbrella, drink, and food.
If you live in Chania
1. Falasarna Beach
One of the most popular beaches in Chania, with fine golden sand and crystal-clear seawater. Lovely beach with lots of water sports! Easy access, there are ample parking spaces, and comfortable beach equipment. Some people find it is too crowded and too commercial in summer. Close to Flasarna, there are also lovely beaches close by this one, e.g., Falasarna Big Beach (North End), Karkatsouli Beach, Falasarna – Small Beach, and Baby Beach Falasarna.
2. Elafonissi Beach
Big beach with thousands of meters in all directions. The water is beautiful and crystal. There are plenty of snack shacks for all your needs.
3. Minoan’s World
A fun refreshing place to enjoy some of Minoan history and mythology for about 1 hour, including a mix of brief history explanation, mythical figures, and, finally, four movies that incorporates movement, sound, water, and lighting effects. Three movies are shown, including a brief history lesson from a local professor, followed by an animated journey of the rise and fall of the Minoans, and finally, a canyon roller coaster in active chairs to simulate rock, vibrate, blow air, spray water, bubbles, and snows. The children probably aren’t excited about the history, but the Canyon Coaster film will capture their attention! The graphics and video were a bit dated but still were suitable for the story.
4. Greek National Football Team Museum
It is an outstanding museum for (little and big) football fans with free entrance. The owner is a former player and president of the Greek supporters club. He is keen to share his passion and incredible knowledge of football. There is a diverse selection of football shirts for sale from the Greek Super League, the Greek National Team, International Countries and also general football teams.
5. Maritime Museum of Crete
Although the building isn’t the prettiest from the outside, there is a different story when you see the inside. Many lovely ship models, maritime equipment, and war memorabilia (weapons, clothes, photos) exist. The sea wildlife collection is fascinating,
A great museum was full of models, pictures, sea creatures, and ship artifacts. It describes the naval history of Chania and Crete overall. I spent there almost an hour to see it all. The Maritime Museum of Crete is located right at the port of Chania and is only open on weekdays. The museum has the best collection of seashells from beaches worldwide. You can find every type of shell, hard corals, and Diodontidae species … Also, there is an adorable view from the windows on both floors.
6. Botanical Park & Gardens Of Crete
If you want a peaceful day, I wouldn’t recommend a better place than this one in Crete. It is a lovely and magical park in the mountains. There are many plants and animals: many peacocks, geese, ducks, goats, and donkeys. The trail through the garden is 2.5 km long. There is also a restaurant, shop, and free parking. Some signs say there are snakes, but we did not meet any.
7. Museum Of Typography
It is a small but fine museum in the middle of the industrial area, but it is worth visiting. The entrance fee (only 4 euros for adults) includes an exciting guided tour. Among the many interesting museum exhibits, you will have the opportunity to see a replica based on the original instructions of Gutenberg’s typo machine and many original machines, most of which are fully functional. You can dive into the vast world of printing, mechanic to digital machines, and even try printing yourself. You can also print your newspaper’s front page during the guided tour.
However, getting little kids interested is hard, and some machines may be dangerous. If you have children, the upstairs section at the end of the tour can interest them and lead to many stories, as it’s about the history of the alphabet.
If you live in Rethymnon
1. Apithano Honey Museum-Tasting & Tours
The museum is a lovely place to learn about bees, with a fantastic free and educational tour to explain the honey-making process from the owner. You can taste their honey and buy it if needed. There is also a little cafe and outdoor seating to enjoy the outdoors. You learn how they create different flavors and get to try them all.
2. Wooden Sculptures Museum
This is a beautiful and specialized museum with only wooden products. There are a lot of exciting and beautiful figures and scenery, in some cases simply grand scale. Every creation has a sense and a story (sometimes sad). Most of the sculptures are made of one piece of wood and are very large.
3. Reptisland
As you reach the entrance, you are greeted by the most gorgeous tortoise. Most of the animals are rescued reptiles. Without places like this, these poor animals would have no hope. If you are ever in the area, pop in. It’s an excellent place for all age ranges to see all the reptiles and even hold them. You’ll get to hold snakes, lizards, and chameleons, which are very docile and used to being handled. A tortoise wanders around like he owns the place, and many other reptiles are just for viewing.
If you live in Heraklion
1. Sarantari Beach:
Transparent seawater, narrow beach but quite easily accessible and not crowded. There are not many fish in the underwater world; there are stones in the sea, so it’s better to wear rock shoes not to harm your feet.
2. Gouves Beach:
It is a typical tourist beach with a clean and shallow sea, but sometimes it can be harsh with waves—beautiful sunset and walking distance to supermarket and few restaurants. There is a prominent beach volleyball place close by, so it is a big plus.
3. Natural History Museum of Crete
There’s much to learn about the island’s flora and fauna and how these have changed with time. Moreover, there is also a section displaying a few fun physics experiments with an earthquake simulator and another section with dinosaurs. The earthquake simulator was a great addition to participate in, with insightful and informative about earthquakes.
When we visited in May, the cafe was closed. I was skeptical when I saw the disintegrated building, but after the visit, it seems they are doing wonders with their little budget and resources.
4. Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Crete is also where today’s Europe has one of its roots. Visiting the Heraklion Archaeological Museum should be part of anyone’s vacation here. You will find many artifacts spanned over thousands of years of Cretan history, from the Neolithic age to the Roman period.
It is the most important museum to learn about the ancient Minoan culture, history, artwork, and artifacts. The collection was pervasive and had both simple Greek and English descriptions. Incredible how many archeological treasures this museum has. It’s amazing what the Minoans already were able to do.
However, the museum staff are very much watching you, and if the children touch anything…even put their finger on the glass to point something out, they will tell them off immediately.
5. Lychnostatis Open Air Museum
It was a great place to learn what life was like in Crete. You start with a video explaining the museum’s creation and see the museum was built as an actual labor of love. There is so much to see, and the audio guide gives lots of information, too. It is an excellent introduction to Cretian culture and fun for children. If there was a festival, you could mash grapes, drink wine, taste figs, dumplings, and other delicacies, and there was dancing. Well-presented depiction of life and working practice of locals in the past. From shoe making and textiles to beekeeping and herbs, gardening, soap making, cheese making, and so much more. Also, regular workshops and a cafe and beach access. A gem of a museum in easy reach on foot from the coastal resort of Hersonissos.
6. Labyrinth Park
The theme park is located in Hersonissos and is easy to find with the core concept of the Minoan Labyrinth
7. CretAquarium
CRETAquarium is the largest Aquarium in Greece, but it does not take much time (maximum 2 hrs) with a beach nearby. It has the basics you’d want to see, including sharks, octopuses, jellyfish, etc. But there is nothing exceptional to distinguish it from other aquariums.
It is an excellent place to go if the weather is not great or your kids are fascinated by the ocean animals. There is a cafeteria, but the service depends on person by person.
8. Waterciy Waterpark Crete
The park is organized and well-maintained, with lifeguards at both ends of the slides. The busy period was in the afternoon, and the long queue started. The swimming rings for the slides were limited, and everyone kept his ring. Because of this, some people do not have any chance to do the slides with the rings again (and those were about half of the slides). Children under 1.40m are not allowed on most slides. You can order things with a barcode on the wristbands.
9. Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre
It is a fantastic small rescue center for various fish, reptiles, and other beautiful creatures, some of which we could hold and touch, with friendly and knowledgeable staff. My kids had an unforgettable experience. It is not just an exhibition but can pet snakes, lizards, and turtles in a small garden.
10. Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre
A charming center with a nice collection of local fishes and reptiles. There are many amazing animals, some of which we could hold and touch, with friendly and knowledgeable staff. Despite being very small, we were there for a few hours. It is not a giant aquarium and reptile center, but it is incredibly well-managed, and the reptiles and fish are exceptionally well-kept, healthy, and happy.
11. Acqua Plus
Acqua Plus is another great water park that is perfect for kids. Located in Hersonissos, the park is open from early morning until late at night and offers a variety of slides, pools, and games for all ages. Restaurants are available on-site, so finding a place to eat after a fun day is never an issue.
12. Dinosauria Park
If your children love dinosaurs, check out Dinosauria Park. You will see a wide range of dinosaurs, each of which is massive and well-designed. But if you already visited a similar one, you can escape as this one is nothing special.
If you live in Lassithi
1. Vai Beach
A blue flag beach with everything you need with palm trees. A perfect latte and clean water. You can try paddle boarding or Skyjet on water.
2. Erimoupolis beach
Close to Vai Beach and just a short walk (5 min) over the hill, with parking. If you want something way less touristy than the Via beach, head here. But remember there is no restaurant or snack bar, not crowded, or jet skis.
3. Amazonas Park
It is the perfect place for lemur lovers in the Crete mountains. You can also find tortoises, parrots of different kinds, peacocks, goats and monkeys. The monkeys were the absolute highlight to see. Visitors are being briefed on how to act when contacting the monkeys before they walk through their cages. Still, it’s a strange feeling when little monkeys jump on your shoulder for tasty vegetables. After the walk through the park, where the visitor can also watch birds, turtles, goats, and other animals, one can relax in the shade at the restaurant, where all parents of small children can collect their buggies.
Final Thoughts from Pragmatic Lifestyle
We generally rate 6 out of 10 for our trip to Crete. It is okay but not good enough to recommend an early May vacation to others. Firstly, if you are enthusiastic about water activities, do not try your luck and pray for good weather. Secondly, the area is not prepared for the tourist season yet. Many bars, restaurants, and water parks are still closed. Some people are not in the mood to smile or are eager to earn money, including cheating, which gives us a terrible impression. You thought you avoided the tourist wave, but the wrong attitude is enough to kill your mood to enjoy the island’s best attractions. Lastly but also most importantly, thanks to our friends who traveled with us, it is so much more fun with you together.
