Vai Palm Forest

A famous tourist attraction not only for its wonderful palm forest, but also for the large sandy beach spread out at its foot…

The Palm Forest Vai is one of the most popular sights in Crete and one of the most beautiful and special places in the whole Mediterranean. It covers an area of approximately 250,000 square metres, making it the largest palm forest in Europe.

Vai was “discovered” by hippies who were turned out of Matala in the early ’70s and sought a new refuge in the area. By the early ’80s.
The beach and palm forest of Vai is also fascinating for its biodiversity, as many migrating birds stop here on their voyage to and from Africa. Vai is just like a tropical beach, with its palm trees and small islet in the middle of the bay.

The Vai forest is protected by the Forestry Service, the European Union and the relevant conventions, attracting thousands of visitors each year.