Asterousia

The very quiet beach of East Tsigounas, mostly known as Petrakis, is located 1km east of Lendas and 76km south of Heraklion. it is located on the foots of the steep and inhospitable slopes of Asterousia Mountains.

The small pebble beach Vourlidia is formed at the exit of Flomias gorge, at the west part of Salamias bay and at the base of Oxa cape. This incredible beach can be accessed after strenuous hiking from Agios Ioannis (east) or Tripiti beach (west). The place above the beach can be approached through very bad dirt track from Koumasa or Kapetaniana.

Leprias or Lepries is a small pebbly beach located at Kalokambos area, about 73km south of Heraklion city, amidst the wild and majestic landscape of Asterousia Range, southwest of the summit of Kofinas. The beach is formed in front of a steep dirt slope, which crumbles and collapses like the leper's skin, therefore it is called Leprias, after the Greek word for leper.

Between the monastery of Panagia Koudoumas and the Cape Martelos there are imposing vertical cliffs with beautiful striped formations, known as Aspes (don't confuse with the popular Aspes beach). At the base of the cliffs three small beaches with crystal blue waters and pebbles are formed, which are only accessible by boat, as there is no access by any trail.

The inaccessible area of Gournia is located in the Asterousia Mountains, between Vathi beach and the rugged location of Sideropetra. In Gournia, five consecutive fjords are formed, the largest of which, for some years, forms an amazing tiny beach.

Between the settlements Tsigounas and Platia Peramata there are several beaches with the characteristic black pebble of southern Crete. One of the most unknown and secluded is the long beach of Agios Onoufrios, in a secluded location with many greenhouses almost hanging from the cliffs.

Glykys Kolymbos beach (or Glykos Kolymbos) is the westernmost of all the beaches in the area of ​​the Tris Ekklisies in the Asterousia Mountains. It is a special place with impressive geological formations in the water, which from above look like stripes.

Pikrovlychada (or Petrovlychada) beach is formed at the exit of a small steep canyon with technical descents that starts at an altitude of about 900 meters south of the village ​​Ethia.