Location
Undoubtedly one of the loveliest beaches in south west Crete, Glyka Nera (i.e. Sweet Water) is situated between Chora Sfakion and the village of Loutro.
The beach is located 4km west of Chora Sfakion and 75km south of Chania.
Characteristics
| Access By: Foot/boat | Beach Type: Pebbles |
| Depth: Deep | Temperature: Cool |
| Organised: Little | Nudism-friendly: Yes |
| Crowded: No | Natural Shade: Yes |
Facilities
Sweet Water is a quite isolated beach with no other facilities than a canteen serving refreshments and food as well as renting umbrellas.
There are around 15 large tamarisk trees offering their shade.
Notes
The deep blue sea water is quite cold here, due to the mountain water springs.
Fresh, potable water can be found even beneath the sand after a little digging.
Keep in mind that this is one of the best beaches for naturists so you had better avoid it if you object the practice!
How to get to Sweet Water
You may access Sweet Water beach:
- by boat from Loutro. The boat departs at 10:00 and returns at 16:00.
- by a fishing boat that takes passengers to Sweet Water from Chora Sfakion every morning during summer and returns in the afternoon.
For the more adventurous, there is a path leading to Sweet Water beach:
- from Chora Sfakion which takes about 1 hour but bare in mind that someone has to show you where it begins.
- from Loutro which takes less than 2 hours but it is viewed as a tougher one, and moreover, inappropriate for those suffering from vertigo as hiking near the edge is quite stressful.
The aforementioned path is part of the European E4 footpath which is considered a safe one as it is frequently conserved by the local authorities.
