Helsy - I'm sure it will be quieter later in the season and there are alot of lovely restaurants and tavernas to enjoy as well as friendly people.
Sma - well said - a holiday certainly is personal choice. My 'personal choice' is Stalis which I love and return to regularly and, no, we are NOT 'yobs', we enjoy a relaxing holiday with our children in a friendly resort with good food and nice people.

I have also stayed in Hersonnisos and although we enjoyed it I found it a little too lively for my tastes as my children were very young at the time.

Each to their own!

Well said SMa! Either way Crete remains the most varied and exciting of all the Greek islands. I think that's got something to do with the independent spirit of the locals. After all they stood up against the might of the Third Reich and many other invaders before that. Cretans share some of the traits of Corsicans and they have every right to be fiercely proud of their unique and beautiful island.

SMa the fact that there is an English bar was said tongue in cheek. It didn't detract from the area and was not " in your face" being run by mature people and certainly not an area for lager louts. Places change over the years which is one reason we haven't been back to the same place twice (save for Myrtos this year ) to avoid disappointment. If we can give accurate descriptions with honest opinions we might help others to make informed choices. "good heavens" seems a little condescending I'm afraid to others who have a wealth of travel to Greece. I tried to stay impartial with my review for the benefit of others.

I apologise if you thought my comment was condescending towards you - that wasn't my intention. Nor was it meant to imply anything about the owners nor the clientele of the said English bar. It was simply meant as an expression of my surprise at the changes that it appears have taken place since I was last there.

It doesn't feel that long ago but it must be because at that time I only remember there being 2 small locally owned and run cafes/bars in Almyrida which was very small and quiet. Nor was there a hotel - just one small self-catering development on the hillside above the eastern end of the bay. The only ex-pats we met were a couple of English women and one German one married to local Cretan men. Richard1's posts suggest that there are considerably more than that now. I do realise that of course places change over the years - it just hadn't occurred to me how much change seemed to have happened in the area in the intervening period.

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit and have often considered returning but I'm now unlikely to go back to Almyrida for exactly the same reasons as you say that you rarely go back to the same place twice - I would hate to be disappointed to discover that it was no longer the little place I remember. Better to stick with the memories I have than be disappointed in the present reality?

SM

Finally on this thread I suggest doing research before you visit Crete. It's a long island and takes too much effort for most people to evaluate both East and West in one holiday. Visit http://www.west-crete.com/crete-daily-photo.php which highlights the beauty and drama of Western Crete with a new picture everyday! You can also see all the previous shots. There's nothing like this for the East. Then try http://www.visitgreece.gr which is the national tourist board's main site. It gives priority to the West. Such research will soon help you make your mind up about where to go in Crete!

I dont post on here to offend people, but to give truthful information, after all this forum is called "Holiday Truths!!"

I do hope that the OP does enjoy their holiday, isnt that why we all post on here!!!! to help people make the right choice...... but having driven through Hersonissos and star beach last week.... I still stand by my previous post...its a dreadful place you only have to you tube the resort to get an idea of what its really like.

I will continue to post the truth!!! otherwise whats the point!!!!!.... and lets face it people save for a year for their 2 weeks in the sun - how dreadful to make the wrong choice.

its a dreadful place

This is an opinion - not the truth. And for exactly the same reasons that you hate it (and I suspect that I would too) I'm sure that lots of others will absolutely love it. By all means post the facts about what's on offer in a resort, the type of nightlife, the sort of bars, the type of restaurants etc the age grouip of visitors it tends to attract etc and then others can also make up their own mind as to whether they think that they will love it or hate.

Yes, by all means then offer an opinion as to your own preference but it's important for us all not to confuse our own opinions with the 'truth'. I'm sure that you don't post here with the express intention of offending people - I would think that very few of us do even if that's what does happen on occasions - but it's also important to respect the rights of others to ignore our opinions or any advice we offer. And take it with good grace when they do, however much we know that we wouldn't enjoy the holiday they've booked.

SM

Hi Helsy - Whilst its true different people have different tastes, I'm sure that you will enjoy your chosen holiday location. Yes, the Malia/Stalis areas can get a bit wild in July August but my fiancee and myself have both come to like the area so much since we first visited in 2005 that we will be having our 5th holiday on the Malia/Stalis border this October. By the way we don't go for the nightclubbing either since I'm no spring chicken at 50 lol !. We regularly walk along the coast from Malia to Hersonisos and enjoy everything the area has to offer. There's plenty on offer to suit people of different tastes and if its a taste of real Crete you're looking then you're only a short trip inland to some unspoilt traditional cretan villages.

I love this thread, it makes me smile. As I have often said it all depends what you want from a holiday. As a regular visitor to Greece and its islands on vacation and business I've seen many changes and different styles. For my vacation I visit Crete (Western region) because I like the Cretan way of life and attitude. It's not just about unspoilt traditional villages but equally about modern Crete. You won't find much of either in places like Malia and Stalis....and that is not an opinion, rather a fact! However I fully respect those who are happy to stay there but they should realise that the same style can be found on many Greek islands where the tour operators have taken over, mostly British these days. It used to be German dominated with Bier kellers everywhere. If you specifically want to relax in and absorb the beauty of Crete then don't stay in the Malia/Stalis area.

Hey Richard you forgot Hersonissos!!!!! LOL but having said that all of these "resorts" are surrounded by beautiful Crete countryside and pretty villages, so please dont write off the whole of the north east coast because of these dreadful places......and if you are staying in the area take a trip to Milatos a pretty village with some lovely tavernas right by the sea, or Neapoli where many of the local who work in these "resorts" live another lovely inland village.

I don't disagree with you Ilovecrete but why stay in a place that means you have to travel to get to the nicer areas? One contributor to this thread talked about being able to get to unspoilt villages. By definition this means they recognise that where they stay is spoilt. Why stay in a "spoilt" place? In reality most British visitors to Crete do little, if any, travelling around away from their resort. Maybe that's just as well or the island's roads would crack under the strain! I have friends up in the foothills of the White Mountains. They keep me up to speed with the politics and often harsh realities of Cretan life and their rabbit Stifado is to die for.

In response to SMa post

What is the point of having a forum if we are going to just post facts.....lets face it there are loads of Crete web sites were you can get loads of facts....this forum is about holiday truths and yes opinions. what individual "thought" of their holidays, resorts etc etc. I could post facts until I'm blue in the face.......I travel to Crete alot....every few weeks.....and on one of my trips I was chatting to a young couple who had stayed in Stallis, they hated it.... in fact they got a flight home early because they hated it so much, they said that they were never going to travel to Crete again....... they had posted their questions on a forum about Stallis (not this one but TA forum) and asked what Stallis was like they got a glowing report; they asked for a Greek resort!!!!!!!!!

We all love Crete, and want to share our love of this island..... and in the economic climate we want to encourage people to travel to Crete, not give them the wrong information so they never want to visit the island again.....get real guys and start posting what you really think!! and then people can make a balance decision!!!

Oh and my favourite places in Crete are in the North east Aghios Nikolaos, Elounda and Milatos and in the west Agia Galini and Chania.

I don't disagree with you Ilovecrete but why stay in a place that means you have to travel to get to the nicer areas?

I dont Richard lol... I leave Herkalion airport get on the national road and drive past all the dreadful places on the north east coast, Malia, Stalis and Hersonissos until I reach the area that I love Aghios and Elounda area perfect ... and I only have two more weeks until I am back there again :-)

But unfortunately some times I have to drive through and visit these tacky resorts :-( I dont have an alternative but believe me given the choice I wouldnt venture anywhere near these dreadful places

on one of my trips I was chatting to a young couple who had stayed in Stallis, they hated it.... in fact they got a flight home early because they hated it so much, they said that they were never going to travel to Crete again....... they had posted their questions on a forum about Stallis (not this one but TA forum) and asked what Stallis was like they got a glowing report; they asked for a Greek resort!!!!!!!!!

What a pity that they asked for facts and instead got opinions and made their decision on the basis of what appealed to other people. I'm not trying take a cheap shot here but trying to point out the pitfalls of gving and receiving value judgements.

Looking at your reply to Richard1 and then looking for more factual information on the places you list as being much better places to stay than places like Stalis and Hersonnisus, it's now clear to me that even so, you prefer staying in bigger, busier resorts than I do. But if I based my decision for a first visit to Crete on what you've posted here about them and had booked to go there, I think that I'd have found myself in a very similar position to the couple you met who'd stayed in Stalis.

However, that doesn't make Ag Nik, Elounda etc 'dreadful' places, even though a holiday there would probably be my definition of hell on earth and hence why I wouldn't go and book to go to any of them even though I am in the process of trying to decide on where to go for a possible return visit to the island in the near future (hence why I've become a regular browser on the Crete forum again). They aren't 'dreadful' just different to what I like and hence not for me, even though you clearly love them and they tick all the boxes for what you want from a holiday. And why I'm still looking and haven't booked anywhere yet.

Helsy has only been an occasional poster here - she's only posted 11 times in the two years she's been a member. In her most recent post, here on this thread, she said:

So once again thanks for all your posts and please don't all jump at me for going to Hersonissos. I'll let you know how things went when I get back.

Makes me wonder when, or if, she'll come back to HT considering that exactly what she feared might happen did happen with regard to your reply.

SM

Good post Sma.

By all means give facts and even opinions whilst a poster is seeking pre-booking advice but when a person comes on to say they've booked, why have a go at them when the deed's been done. What exactly would it accomplish in telling them they are going to a dreadful place (opinion only)- Nothing apart from bad feeling and the poster wondering what the heck have they gone and done?

Well i went to crete last year and was told i would love it , we stayed in Hersonissos and what can i say , it didn't give ,me the wow factor that i was looking for or was expecting from what friends told me i would get , but other areas did .........Piskipiano Koutouloufari (excuse spelling ) all along the coast did , personally it was the lack of the beach that spoilt it for me , but the people more than made up for that

It's really very simple. Take the risk factor out of it and head west where you'll find a little bit of everything but most importantly you'll know you're in the most beautiful part of Crete. If you doubt what I say just visit http://www.west-crete.com/crete-daily-photo.php which posts a new photo just about every day. You'll also benefit from being well away from the British masses. Fact not opinion.

OMG will you just stop pushing west Crete Richard!!!! its just getting a little sad now!!!!! have you got shares in it!!!!! personally I was disappointed when I visited western Crete, the old Harbour area in Chania yes that is beautiful - but the area around Chania, well its just an industrial mess... Chania outskirts and Souda bay .... they just merge into one another...and lets face it Richard hardly pretty!!! and we all know that western crete was the first area to be developed by the British and become and expat community!!!!!!!.....when I originally started looking for property in Crete the only area that was available was western crete, there were no developments,new builds, or decent selection of property available in eastern Crete, so thats why I decided to buy there before the british turned it into an ex pat community as they have done in western crete.

But having said that East and West Crete are BOTH beautiful.....both have different attractions....and after living and spending time in Crete not just the odd holiday in my view (sorry I should only be factual!!!!!!!!!!) but I prefer the east...why....because if you avoid the dreadful places like Stallis, Malia and Hersonissos then the east coast has LESS ex pats and is less developed commerically...and I think that the scenery is more dramatic... but thats just my view...google for more info......but PLEASE just because on the north east coast we have area like Stallis, Malia, and Hersonissos...doesnt make the whole of the east coast like these "dreadful" ...(in my view)......resorts!!!!

I totally disagree with your summary of Western Crete. I so rarely hear an english voice when there and I've never encountered an ex-pat outside the Kalives area. You seem to focus on Chania but the joy and beauty of Western Crete is in its mountains and general scenery from Elafonisi to Falasarna. Chania is a large, working city so yes it has industrial aspects but it also has a lot of charm and character. Please remember that I know Eastern Crete just as well including its positives but I prefer the style, the ambience and even the wildness of the West - as do so many that contact me after visiting for the first time. What is there in the East to rival the majesty of the Samaria Gorge?
The reason I push the East is due to the many posts on sites like this that forever talk about Stalis etc as if it's the only place to go. Even you know that's a narrow view. In these troubled economic times in Greece I just want people to continue to visit and discover the beautiful island of Crete and not just the part where the majority of British package tours go. I merely seek to represent an alternative view to that usually expressed on here. I speak always from a long and detailed knowledge of the whole island dating back to the early 70's - even to the time when martial law ruled! We should share a bottle of Raki sometime.
Talking of Raki you may be able to help me with something I've long found strange. I lived in Istanbul for some time in the 90's. Raki in Turkey is like Ouzo. How did this come to be? The spelling is the same but the drinks are totally different and nobody seems to know the origins. Any ideas?