East of Foteinari, some 2 km off, are the beaches of Skinos, the central one at Plakias and Paligremnos.
Skinos Beach
This is next to the main beach of Plakias: sandy and with enough rocks to make it an ideal location for those interested in diving and spearfishing.
Organized, with umbrellas, sun-beds and showers, the beach has tavernas and rooms to rent all about it.
Between Skinos and Palingremnos is the central beach of Plakias.
Plakias, central beach
Plakias is a popular tourist destination on the south coast of the Rethymnon Prefecture. The central beach is some 1.3 km long, sandy and organized (sunbeds, umbrellas and showers). It is a perfect spot for surfing and diving: a centre for the last operates here. All around you will find a sufficiency of hotels and rent rooms, restaurants and bars, and shops. Some 100 m from the beach is an organized camping site.
At its east end, the beach is sealed off by a high and smooth limestone barrier: beneath this natural obstacle, this portion, which is discretely shut off the rest of the beach, is frequented by nudists.
Round and about Plakias are chances for excursions and activities in the wide outdoors. In summer, ferries run to Preveli, Aghia Galini and Frankokastello, which you can also visit both by car and by walking. You can traverse the gorge of Kotsyfos (the Blackbird) by car and on foot, but for the impressive Kourtaliotkos gorge to the west only walking is possible. This last, by local tradition, gets its name from rattling sound heard when the north winds blow through its narrow passage. In the gorge is a church dedicated to Aghios Nikolaos.
When in Plakias, do not miss out on a visit to Moni Preveli: a religious monument with a rich history and glorious past.
To those who like walking or biking the area is heaven. One 3-hour trek starts at the Plakias beach and goes to the village of Selia, from which you will get pleasure from views of the Libyan sea. The road then descends to Souda beach and eastwards leads on to Plakias again. Another longer excursion begins at the central beach of Plakias: it climbs up to Myrthio, where you can visit the church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour. It continues north, crosses the Kotsyfos gorge and then goes east to arrive at Selia. After 3.5 km a left fork onto a dirt-road leads to the ruins of an old monastery. Therefrom the road descends to Souda beach, and on east again to Plakias.
Close by the central Plakias beach is that of Paligremnos.
Paligremnos Beach
Basically this is the east end of the main Plakias beach. Paligremnos, or Gonates (Knees), is sandy, well organized and with clear water. The following phenomenon takes place here: when the full moon (from early September through to late January) rises in the east, its light strikes the cliffs and is reflected onto the sea. Attracted by this, large squids come up to the beach, and the locals collect them with large sticks.
Nudists favour this part of the strand.
Very close to Plakias, following the road eastwards, is found the beach of Phoinikas (Palms) or the Pirates’ Fjord.
