Avlaki beach is located at the exit of the Avlaki gorge in the Arkoudovounia region of Cape Meleha, a short 16 km drive east of Chania. To get there, one must take an arduous hour-long walk, which begins with a steep descent down a cobblestoned path from the parking lot at the Gouverneto Monastery. This area has great spiritual significance, as it once served as a hub for religious ascetics. Now owned by the Gouverneto Monastery, the path from the monastery leads to the sacred Arkoudiotissa cave, before ending at the abandoned Katholiko Monastery, located near the cave of Saint John the Hermit. From the monastery, one can access the beach by walking along the canyon bed, with incredible views of the caves where the monks used to live.
The Avlaki gorge culminates in a breathtakingly beautiful, narrow rocky inlet with crystal-clear, sapphire-colored waters. Due to its orientation, the cove is protected from the waves created by the summer winds. On the shore, one can find a small well and a carved shipyard where the monks kept their boats, as well as an old quarry which was probably used for building materials for the Katholiko Monastery. It is also said that there is a petrified pirate ship which was turned to stone by the abbot of the monastery.
