Koutsounari beach

Situated 6km east of Ierapetra and 43km southeast of Agios Nikolaos is Koutsounari, a small seaside village in a lush green hill with many olive groves and pine trees. Just 1km north of the South Cretan Sea lies the Long Beach of Agios Ioannis, one of the longest in Crete and spanning 5km. The beach is characterised by its wonderful coarse grayish sand and is slightly organised in places, with facilities such as hotels, restaurants, mini markets and a camping site nearby. To the east is the small bay of Psaropoula, with soft sand, shallow waters, and an area well-equipped with umbrellas, sunbeds, showers and water sports. Following Psaropoula is a second small cove, Villa Despoti, which has large rocks from which you can jump into the sea. In the autumn, the Long Beach is home to the rare white lilies of sand, which are protected and should be admired from a distance.