After visiting the Greek islands more times than he can count, here is what Thomas genuinely believes about each of the three islands GotoBeach specialises in — and what he tells guests who ask where to go.
Crete is the island Thomas finds hardest to summarise, because it is essentially several destinations in one. The northern coast between Hersonissos and Heraklion is the heartland of Crete’s all inclusive resort scene — a 25-kilometre stretch of hotels that accounts for more UK bookings than anywhere else in Greece. Hersonissos is the most concentrated: 15 hotels within easy reach, a lively town centre for evenings out, and the shortest transfer from Heraklion Airport. Kokkini Hani and Stalida are quieter, with some of the island’s best four and five-star properties on a long, sandy beach. Malia’s Alexander Beach sits on 800 metres of Blue Flag sand — one of the finest private beaches on the island.
Head west and Crete changes completely. Chania is, in Thomas’s view, the most beautiful town in Greece — a Venetian harbour lined with restaurants, narrow streets full of craft shops, and a backdrop of the White Mountains that turns pink at sunset. Rethymno, between Heraklion and Chania, has its own Venetian harbour, a Moorish lighthouse, a 16th-century fortress and one of Crete’s longest sandy beaches immediately adjacent. These western towns are for guests who want to experience Crete as a place — not just as a beach. Go east and you find Agios Nikolaos — a lakeside town that feels genuinely different from the rest of the island — and the isolated, dramatic landscape of Lasithi. Crete rewards going back. Every time Thomas visits he finds something he had not noticed before.
Rhodes is the island Thomas recommends most often to guests who have not been to Greece before and want to understand what the Greek islands are actually about. It has everything: a medieval walled city in Rhodes Town that is genuinely one of the most extraordinary pieces of architecture in the Mediterranean; a north coast around Ixia and Faliraki that serves families and couples looking for a proper beach holiday; and a southern coastline around Kiotari and Lambi where the pace slows and the hotel quality is, in Thomas’s experience, some of the most consistently impressive in Greece. The Akti Imperial in Ixia is a hotel Thomas has inspected multiple times and it always delivers. Faliraki gets a reputation it does not entirely deserve — the beaches there are genuinely excellent and the family hotels work well. Rhodes is also one of the sunniest islands in Greece, with over 300 days of sunshine per year. It very rarely disappoints.
Kos is the island Thomas most often recommends to guests booking their first Greek islands holiday. It is compact enough that no transfer from the airport takes longer than 30 minutes, which matters more than people expect when travelling with children or arriving late. Kos Town has a Roman agora, a Crusader castle and a palm-lined harbour where the boats to Turkey depart — a day trip to Bodrum is one of the most enjoyable excursions on this part of the coast. Psalidi is the closest resort to town and suits guests who want to combine hotel comfort with easy access to restaurants and nightlife. Mastichari is quieter, west-facing, and has a beach that catches the afternoon light in a way that photographs cannot do justice to. Tigaki sits on a long, flat sandy beach that is ideal for young children — shallow water, no sharp drops, and calm conditions for most of the season. Kardamena in the south is the liveliest resort on the island and suits a younger crowd who want nightlife within walking distance of the hotel.
In Thomas’s assessment, the best time to visit Greece is May, June or September. The sea is warm, the resorts are open and properly staffed, and you are not competing with the entire UK school holiday market for a sun lounger. September on Crete is particularly special — sea temperature at 25°C, air at 28°C, and a pace that the island only achieves once the August crowds have gone home.
For cheap Greece holidays, luxury Greece holidays or all inclusive Greece packages across Crete, Rhodes and Kos — book through GotoBeach and you are booking through a team that has been there, recently, and knows exactly what you are getting.
