Ilingas, Chania
Ilingas, Chania, is a secluded beach in Southwest Crete full of pleasant surprises
Ilingas is a beautiful secluded beach in South Chania. Although not as frequently mentioned in the travel guides as other splendid beaches in Crete, Ilingas is one of the best beaches in Greece, which also never gets crowded in the summer.
Ilingas is located in the region of Chania, in Sfakia province. Its distance from Chania city is about 75 kilometres. In order to get to Ilingas, you don’t necessarily have to rent a car or motorbike. You can get to the nearby village of Hora Sfakion using the reliable public bus service, and then walk to Ilingas beach.
Ilingas beach – a small paradise of sea, pebbles and seclusion in South Chania
Ilingas beach is a beautiful beach with pebbles in Southwest Crete. The waters are crystal-clear and the location and natural surroundings of the beach are magnificent.
In the beach there is a large picturesque cave, characteristic of Ilingas. As there are no trees nearby, you can use the shade of the cave to protect yourself during the hot summer midday of Crete.
The beach is not very organized, but in recent years you can find some amenities, like sun beds and parasols, and also a small tavern by the beach that also serves cold water, refreshments and coffee.
One of the great advantages of Ilingas beach is that it’s not affected by the seasonal winds of Crete and the Aegean Sea, the well known “meltemia”, as they are called in Greek. That means you can swim in Ilingas beach even when the winds are high!
Ilingas beach is easily accessible from Hora Sfakion, Chania. The beach is located about 2 kilometres west of the village. If you have a car or motorbike, you can take the road to the beach – the trip is very short, lasting only about 5 minutes – and then walk the last 200 – 300 metres to the beach. If you don’t have a vehicle, you can get to the beach from Hora Sfakion on foot after about 30-40 minutes.
Keep in mind that Ilingas is one of the beaches in Chania that is also popular with naturists. Generally, most of the best secluded beaches in Crete have a smaller or bigger corner reserved for naturists!
Ilingas is one of the best beaches in Crete. When you explore the South of Chania region and you are in Hora Sfakion, a good thing to do would be to go for a walk and for swimming to Ilingas, Chania. This great beach of Crete will most probably amaze you!