I live in Plakias. I have always been a big fan of public transport. Here public transport is quite boring - only (depending on the season) 2 to 7 buses a day go to Rethimno and nowhere else. There is nothing really great on the way to Rethimno. So the only day trip of any bigger interest is actually to Rethimno.
But since yesterday (29 th of June 2008) there is - after 2 long years - public transportation again between Plakias and Chora Sfakia (CS). The bus runs 1 time in the morning from Plakias to CS at 9 am and twice a day (11am, 5:30pm) in the other direction every day of the week. This gives tourists in Plakias a lot of new option for day trips. The buses will probably and hopefully run til mid or end September.
To show how useful the bus is - some ideas for trips from Plakias:
- Short trip to Rodakino: Take the bus at 9 am for a short trip to our neighbour village. You will arrive at 9:30 am. You can walk down to the beach, walk up from Kato Rodakino to the tourist free village of Ano Rodakino. The bus back will leave at about 11:30 am. So you have 2 hours time.
- A day at the beach in Radakino: See above - extra you spend a few hours at the nice and pretty quite beach incl. swimming and eating in the good and cheap taverna next to the beach. You take the bus back at around 6 pm.
- A day trip to Frankocastello: Very nice beaches in a flat area. A few years ago only 10-20 houses - today I counted from the bus 70. The castello itself (free entrance) is worth a 10-minute look. The sea near Frangocastello is at some spots very flat (be careful not everywhere) and so good for smaller children. Once I walked about 500 meters out in the sea. Take the 9 am coach from Plakias and go back from Frangocastello at about 5:45 pm.
- A day trip to Imbros Gorge: Take the 9 am to Chora Sfakion, from the the 11 am bus to Imbros. At 11:50 you will start walking down the famous gorge (as do a few hundred tourists each day). After 2,5 to 3 hours you arrive in the village of Komitades. The gorge is on its narrowest part only 1,6 meters wide - it is one of the most famous and most intersting hikes on Crete. The bus back will go through Komitades. If you don´t want to wait in the boring village, you can walk on to more lively Chora Sfakio (1 hour on the road). The bus back starts at Chora Sfakia at 5:30 pm and arrives in Komitades 10 min later.
- A day trip to Gavdos: The Island of Gavdos - the southernmost point of Europe - is now in the first time I can remember in reach with public transportation from Plakias in one day return. Take the bus to Chora Sfakia. The ferry leaves at 11:30 am (Friday and Sunday only!). You have about 100 min on Gavdos. This is too less for the interesting island. Better stay - if possible - 2 days (Friday til Sunday) and return then to Plakias.
- With the ferry to Loutro: This ferry leaves Chora Sfakia at 10:30 , so hurry when the morning bus from Plakias arrives. I am not sure the ferry will wait for the few bus passengers from Plakias. You stay about 4 hours in the car-free famous village at the sea. It is one of the 2 villages of Crete not connected yet with a street to the rest of the island. The romantic fishing village is a base for many hikers in summer. For those you travel as fast as Japenese - you can also stay only two hours in Loutro and take the next ferry to Agia Roumeli from where you return about 1 hour later to Chora Sfakion. Agia Roumeli is the end of the super-famous Samaria-Gorge-Track and is overrun by a few 1000 of hikers a day. It is the second village on Crete without streets.
I hope I will see some of you in this buses - I will do 2-3 more of the trips above in the next weeks. It is important for the area you will use these buses - so the Crete authoroties will not cancel the useful service again. Every passenger counts! Public Buses are a cheap, environmental and safe way to see our great island!
By the way: Sorry for my bad English - I am a German living since a few years in Plakias.
I small video with impressions from the Imbros Gorge:
Small Film about Loutro:
Links: maxima - Sineu Mallorca - HD Ready or Full HD
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You are free to write comments and further suggestions for public bus trips from Plakias.
Danke für den Hinweis. Aber dieses Mal werde ich ein Mietwagen haben.
"Sorry for my bad English - I am a German leaving since a few years in Plakias."
That almost sounds like you are leaving Plakias (or leaving your German). I'm sure you meant to say living. ;-)
Ωρεβουάρ.
The Winch
Thanks The Winch!
I just corrected it.
This morning had 2 more great options for day tours with the bus:
You can take the 9 am to Chora Sfakia and walk to Sweetwater Beach and take a short swim. You walk on to Loutro (great hiking path along the beautiful south coast) and take the ferry back in the afternoon to Chora Sfakia. Again you use the 5:30 pm bus back to Plakias. You can do this this also the other way around if you can catch the ferry at 10:30 am at Hora Sfakia to Loutro.
For the lazy ones: You can of course just stay the whole day in Hora Sfakia. The small beach right of the port is beautiful (pebbels). The best taverna in Chora Sfakia is above that beach and is called "3 brothers" (also ok rooms for 25-30 Euro).
Hi,
I will be traveling from Chora Sfakion to Plakias in three weeks, and I was wondering if this bus was still running. If not, is there any other way to get there?
Thanks,
Bob
I am just in Plakias second day but can not find bus to Sfakia. There is nothing about it in the timetable near the bridge. And woman in reception of my hotel thinks there is no such connection. Karel
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