Getting around on Crete

Unity

Hi there,

I'm just looking for advice on getting around the island of Crete. We'll be staying in Elounda (along the coast from Ag. Nik) in early June and wondering about car hire v the cost of coach trips? We booked via the Net so won't have to run the gauntlet of holiday reps trying to sell us overpriced trips, but I wondered if anyone has experience of booking indepent trips via local agents and the cost?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give :wave: .

MrsE_2

Unity wrote: »

Hi there,

I'm just looking for advice on getting around the island of Crete. We'll be staying in Elounda (along the coast from Ag. Nik) in early June and wondering about car hire v the cost of coach trips? We booked via the Net so won't have to run the gauntlet of holiday reps trying to sell us overpriced trips, but I wondered if anyone has experience of booking indepent trips via local agents and the cost?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give :wave: .

My DH & I hire a scooter/moped to get about.

We got from Stalis to ag nik on a moped.

You taste & smell & hear so much more on a moped, you loose that in a car.

PS, I'm not a biker.....The only time we use them is in warm med countries:D

jaymac_2

When we were in Stalis we could get to places like Ag Nik, Hersonissos and Heraklion on the local buses but to get to the south of the island..and to places like Elounda it was much easier in a hire car. I think we used Fox car hire though they're all pretty similar.

Unity

[quote}My DH & I hire a scooter/moped to get about.

We got from Stalis to ag nik on a moped.

You taste & smell & hear so much more on a moped, you loose that in a car.

PS, I'm not a biker.....The only time we use them is in warm med countries:D

Thanks MrsE,

I used to be a biker, but due to a totally unrelated accident in a library :rolleyes: , I'm now disabled and wouldn't be able to manage, even as a pillion passenger.

I know it's laughable, travel round on the back of a large bike with no problems - but beware of libraries!!! :rotfl:

MrsE_2

Unity wrote: »

Thanks MrsE,

I used to be a biker, but due to a totally unrelated accident in a library :rolleyes: , I'm now disabled and wouldn't be able to manage, even as a pillion passenger.

I know it's laughable, travel round on the back of a large bike with no problems - but beware of libraries!!! :rotfl:

I didn't mean that to sound like I thought there was any thing wrong with being a biker:o

Just that if I can do it nearly anyone can.

They have a good bus service, cheap & all air conditioned coaches.

And car hire is pretty cheap.

SILLYMEEEE_2

We booked a late deal and ended up in Stalis which was very nice. We wanted to walk the Samaria Gorge which was on the other side of the island. The price with Thompson was expensive and the day was something like leave at 5am in the morning and get back at 12pm, so a very long day. So we opted to get a bus and do it ourselves . We took a bus to Heraklion (spelling!!) and from there a bus to Chania (bus station) which was absolutley beautiful . When you arrive in Chania bus station y ou are about 4 minute walk from the coast and another 5-6 minutes walk to the mediieval port where all the bars and restaurants are, Stunning. We found an appartment from the kiosk at the bus station for about £14 for a double room which was very clean and pleasant and seaview. We stayed the night in Chania and so glad we did as it was so lovely, In the morning we strolled back to the bus station and took the bus which takes you straight to the Samaria Gorge through amazing mountain scenery. My husband is a bird watcher (not a geek though!) and was delighted to see eagles flying past the coach. Takes about hour or so. You walk the gorge ( 5-7 hours) and end up in a village on the coast where a large boat comes to collect everyone every couple of hours and sails for about 30 minutes along the costline to take you back to the bus which takes you back to Chania. We chose to stay another night in Chania then did a reverse trip. The whole thing including 2 nights stay in Chamia cost far less than the Thompsosn arduous one day trip. The gorge is staggeringly beautiful and well worth the effort.

Unity

MrsE wrote: »

I didn't mean that to sound like I thought there was any thing wrong with being a biker:o

Just that if I can do it nearly anyone can.

They have a good bus service, cheap & all air conditioned coaches.

And car hire is pretty cheap.

I didn't for a minute think you were anti-biker :A MrsE, I'm more embarrassed about having an accident in a library LOL.

Sorry I didn't realise that my reply might have looked like I was quibbling and thanks for your advice, I would love to give it a try, but there's nowhere to put the bloomin' crutches :rotfl: .

missyg_3

I saw the title and came straight in to recommend a moped... Sorry to hear of your accident.

Unfortunately I can't help with any advice on other transport but I hope you have a wonderful time!

MrsE_2

Unity wrote: »

I didn't for a minute think you were anti-biker :A MrsE, I'm more embarrassed about having an accident in a library LOL.

Sorry I didn't realise that my reply might have looked like I was quibbling and thanks for your advice, I would love to give it a try, but there's nowhere to put the bloomin' crutches :rotfl: .

I usually use a mixture of travel abroad.
Sometimes we get bikes (mopeds, not pushbikes:o :rotfl: ).
Other times we go on organised tours, never with the travel reps though, I use local agents.
We get public buses & coaches.
Finally we sometimes hire a car (or a soft top jeep:D ).

Decide where you want to go in advance if possible & then research the best way to do that trip.

This site is brill, ask anything, someone will know;)

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/

EDITED to say, no need for you to say sorry, I didn't see any quibbing in your post, just worried about how I phrased mine.:o