After our visit to the monastery of Toplou we made a quick stop at Sitia where we spent few hours shopping for provisions and strolling and then we continued to the miraculously blue beach of Tholos. In the afternoon we visited the archaeological site of Gournia one of the best preserved Minoan villages in the island known also as Pompeii of Minoan Crete where excavations are still going on.
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Few hours later hoping that the situation would calm down we left Itanos heading towards Vai. We were right. This world famous beach (it is surrounded by the largest natural palm forest in Europe) was still busy but it was nothing compered to what was happening earlier in the day. We enjoyed the exotic beach and then, although we don’t surf, we decided to go to Kouremenos to spend the night.
While thousands of tourists struggle to find a place to lay their towel in the world-famous beaches of West Crete (Balos, Elafonissi), on the opposite end of the island there is something strange (though marvelous) happening. The beaches of Xerokambos with their crystal clear, turquoise waters are crowd-free! Its beauty and tranquility make this remote area the appropriate place to spend a few days relaxing by the sea.