Agios Pavlos beach

Agios Pavlos (St. Paul) Sandhills beach is located near Agia Galini (18km) next to Tripetra Beach (Akoumiani gialia) and Sachtouria village.Agios Pavlos is a little remotely located thus it is not overrun by tourism.The bay has a beautiful beach with green deep waters and magnificent rocky seabed.With warm water it is ideal for swimming and snorkelling. At Agios Pavlos it is quite common to see people in various states of beachwear or lack thereof owing to the area's relative seclusion and privacy offered by the coves around the beaches.

The bay has a beautiful beach with green deep waters and magnificent rocky seabed. Near the beach you can find a few rooms and taverns. Moreover, basic services are provided on the beach, such as umbrellas, sunbeds and pedal boats. Above the beach you can visit the small church of Saint Paul; according to the legend Saint Paul lived here during his journey to Rome (this legend is also adopted for some other places in Crete, such as Kali Limenes and Selouda).

Although the beach in front of the village is pretty, some visitors prefer Agios Pavlos for accommodation and food, but swim in the nearby idyllic beach with the huge sandhills. Akoumiani Gialia or Melissa, as this beach is called, is behind the western edge of Agios Pavlos bay and is considered one of the best beaches in Rethymno prefecture but it's usually wavy. You can get there through a path that starts from Agios Pavlos.