ditto !!!
but stopping in the platanes area nr rythemon
many thanks
not long now till the 17th

Scully really good bus service so you can get around pretty good so try to do some things yourself, water park,bus to ag nik and fix up at the harbour for spinalonga.Regular buses to Heraklion so make sure you aint payin excursion shops unless there's no other way of doing what you want.
Rick

Hi ya Scully13

Hope i can be of some help to you regarding finding a cheap excursion shop in Stalis!! I also due to head to Stalis in 3 weeks time, for my 7th year running... guess that lets you know that you are sure to have a fab time!!

as for finding a cheap excursion shop i can reccomend a very good one for you that we discovered a few years ago and also used them last year and worked out 50euros cheaper on a trip to spinglonga, compared to people on the same cpmplex who booked internally with reps!! 50 euros is a good few extra drinks on your last night Scully13 if you look at it that way!!

Defo dont book with your tour operator reps...as nice as they all can be in the welcom meeting, the add on for personal service is great and we found just as good personal service by booking in a shop!!

The place that we use is located up a back street that runs off the main beach road in the main stalis area. Guess its hard to give you directions as i dont know where you are staying, location wise in stalis, and as its your 1st time i wont be able to use pointers for you!!

I will give you basic directions below, but if you can let me know on this forum the name of your accomodation then that may make my directions easier for you!! Especially as it is a woman leaving the directions!!

Try these directions in the meantime scully13.
according to where you are staying in stalis, try and locate the Anthoussa Hotel (most people local or tourists would know where this is to direct you to)!! Standing outside the hotel at the bus stop you will see a road ahed of you facing away from the hotel that has a few phone boothes and the happy train station on the corner. Head up this road towards the national road junction upthe top. once you have passed a spar shop and Kostas apartments (on your right as walking up the road!), you will come upon a very lively taverna called Katerinas taverna/apartment. fab place where we permenantly reside between the hours of 8 and 10pm most nights!!. You might want to tie this in with you voyage of discovery to the travel shop and grab a great stifado one night in George and Marias great company Just past this taverna right next door is the travel shop and money exchange that we use. Kind run family business who are not pushy and very welcoming. Have all the trips that tour companys use plus lots more. great prices and selection of alternative days according to your holiday duration so you should have a chance of securing a good day out.

just 1 thing to bear in mind Scully13 some of the trips are not solely british people so make sure you ask the lady that the day you are going on your trip is only british tourists and english speaking guide!! She is very good though and will normally do this automatically, but worth bearing in mind.

great trips to consider are spinalonga +Cove BBQ, very relaxed. Samaria Gorge though very athletic and lots ofwalking and jeep safari or day in western crete which is totally diffo to north Crete.

Good luck and hope this is useful to you. Dont forget to let me know where you are staying and i might know of somewhere nearer for you. Also if theres anything else in general that you want to know about your hols in Stalis then catch me through this forum and i will try and assist. Im abit of a Stalis professional now, and although some may say its boring going back year after year i dont care... I know i will have a fab hols with people that see you as lifetime friends after more than one visit (and a few free drinks thrown in each evening!!).

have a good one Scully13.
P.S how long are you there for, might pass you in the haze???

Suki Sue

hi suzie,
we are staying at the dias apartments 19th aug ,stalis, they are at hersonosis end.(aparantly)..thanks for the reply..gr8 read for us,
defo interested in jeep safari(is water gunstyle)..?,and boat trip(short)..and waterpark..?
we are also looking to go to ag nik for a day...is that best by bus.?

looking forward to ur reply

Hi Scully13

Glad the information was useful, sorry abit of a long read but guess it made sense!!! L.o.l!!
In view that you are staying at the hersonninos end of stalis then you may want to use a travel shop that is closer than the one that i mentioned to you!

If you head down the main strip of beachroad into stalis centre from your apartments you will come across a mass of irish bars, pubs, and jasmine house chinese restuarant as you walk down on your right!

You will go just pass here and there is a car hire/travel shop on the corner by the ceramic factory/chinese restuarant. The prices here are the same as my previous mention as its the same family.

The best short boat trip would be from Ag Nik!! so guess you could tie in your visit to Ag Nik with a boat trip in which case your transport would be provided... alternatively make your way to the main national highway in stalis(you cant miss it and your transfer coach would come off this road from heraklion to drop you at resort!). Many bus stops along here and you want the public bus to Ag Nik. "Minoan Line bus", more of a green coach, very comffie and air con!! they run from eaqry morn till 11 at night between heraklion/hersonnisos/Ag Nik and cost stupid money like 3euros! One top tip....Make sure you are heading the right way! without sounding patronising!!
Heraklion is worth a visit for something abit different and non beach orientated. fab shops even M/S and Next and dixons, wierd!! and great on a thursday night which is late night opening. without the shopping its still a good crack for a diffo night out.

Hope this is all useful again for you Scully13 and you are the lucky 1 with only 10 days to go!! We still have 20!! Make sure you leave us good weather behind when you leave as im going later this year!! being there normally in July or early august i dont go until 28th Aug this time so worrying about the weather abit!!! or the sun tan should i say!!

Make sure you visit Bliss, rythmn and Cocktails beach bar for a real crack night out, live music, and/or karaoke according to day etc etc but all a fab laugh. Go have some fun scully13.

Any more info needed im about for few more weeks, not like you!!

Suki Sue

any 1 know of trips from the platanes area ?

Sukiesue
Have to agree with you about the Katerina, always make you so welcome,just to let you know though, sukisue, Georges wife is named Irania not Maria.
Rick