Kalo Nero beaches
Kalo Nero is located near Kapsa Monastery, 68km south of Agios Nikolaos and 33km east of Ierapetra, in one of the most rugged areas of eastern Crete. It is a small village at the outlet of a small rocky canyon. You will see the church of Panagia (1881), around which the inhabitants of the mountainous village Pervolakia built buildings to stay in winter months, when they brought their cattle to graze here. The church was built on the remains of an older chapel, owned by Kapsa Monastery, which was built in 1461.
There are several springs with fresh water, hence the name Kalo Nero (i.e. Good Water), which looks very strange for such an arid region. Here, you will find three remote beaches that are ideal for swimming away from the crowds. The first beach on the west is called Koutsounari (don’t confuse that with Koutsounari by Agios Ioannis) and is accessible via a short trail. The secluded beach is pebbly and has crystal clear waters, while the bottom has large rocks in some places.
The next beach is the main of area. It is called Staousa and is separated from Koutsounari with a few rocks. It is very beautiful, with fine pebbles and turquoise waters, while its main feature is the large cave on the east, however note it's about to collapse. There is fresh water dripping from the cave walls. To get here, the locals have built a concrete path with stairs, making access very easy.
The third beach of the village, located east of Staousa, is used mainly as the harbor for boats of the locals and is protected by southwesterly winds. Anaskelou, as it is named, has a few small pebbles and rocks on the seabed, while it is very quiet. The rugged landscape of the surrounding mountains blends perfectly with the picturesque boats and the colors of the blue sea.
Just 150m west of Kalo Nero there is the small settlement of Lygidi at the homonymous cape with a few small olive groves around. At the exit of a small stream a narrow bay is formed with western orientation. The small rocky beach is called Mikro Limanaki (Little Harbour). The beach is not well known because it cannot be seen from the main road, although access is very easy.
Access from Makrigialos is possible through the road leading to Goudouras. Alternatively, you could get the bus running to Goudouras from Ierapetra, but be sure to check the hours first.
