Starting 11km east of Rethymno, the Skaleta beachfront stretches 3km to the east, with the first beach being Sfakaki, a very well-organized resort. Continuing on, approximately 1km away is Stavromenos, which is named after the homonym settlement of the region. The beachfront consists mostly of sand, with some parts containing pebbles and small rocks. Further along is Skaleta, the last part of the vast beachfront of East Rethymnon. This area is open to the winds, and is usually wavy. Skaleta is full of large hotels and touristic amenities, with frequent bus services from Rethymno to all three beaches. During the summer months, loggerhead sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand of the Gulf, which means small parts of the beach are blocked off and not accessible to visitors.
