Stalida(Stalis)
You can walk into Stalis quite easily if you go down the main bar/beach road in Malia and about half way down there’s a crossroads. Turn left and you will continue straight into the resort of Stalis that has many more bars, shops and restaurants as well as a beach area. You could also ask the bus to drop you at the top road and walk down into Stalis, or just get a taxi, but remember to confirm the fares.
Hersonissos
If you haven’t got a car Hersonissos is easily reached by the local bus. The bus stop is opposite the pharmacy and the buses run every 30 minutes or so and are very reasonable. Ask the conductor to tell you when you get to Hersonissos. Hersonissos is a busy resort with a good shopping centre and lots of bars and restaurants. There’s a busy beach including popular Star Beach area with all of its facilities.
Hersonissos has a vibrant port area and run many boat trips from here, including the infamous Pirate boat. Boats will typically take you out to visit coves and beaches and there’s the opportunity to jump off the boat and have a BBQ on a beach. Some will take you to Sisi which has a really picturesque Greek port. The boats leave between 10am and 11am so you’ll need to get down to the port at a reasonable time to get a place on board or book ahead.
Krasi & Mohos
Krasi & Mohos are pretty little mountain villages not too far from Malia. You will need a car to get to them unless the tourist train is running as they often do visits to Krasi. The roads winds up the mountains that look over the town of Malia and you can get fantastic views over the town and coastline. The villages themselves are sleepy places but both have a pretty square full of tavernas to spend a few hours either at lunch or in an evening, just watching the world go by, like the locals do. Mohos usually has Greek dancing during the summer months on a Wednesday night.
Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos is a popular resort on the Eastern coast and easily reached on the regular bus route through Malia. It takes about 40 minutes. Agios Nikolaos is a really picturesque town set around a lagoon and a port. It’s a lovely day out as there are plenty of shops and tavernas to explore as well as some good beaches.
From here you can also visit Elounda, one of our favourite places on Crete. Elounda is a really pretty port and you can get boats over to the island of Spinalonga, from Elounda or Plaka, Spinalonga was famous for once being a leper island.
Heraklion
Again, an easy one to get to as it’s one of the main bus routes through Malia, Heraklion is the capital of Crete and is a busy, bustling city, with good shopping, an interesting port, regular markets and of course, it’s a tourist hot spot because of Knossos. The huge archaeological site of Knossos dates back thousands of years to the Minoan civilization, and includes frescoes and baths. Guarding the city’s Venetian port is the 16th-century Koules fortress. Heraklion Archaeological Museum has a large collection of Minoan art. If you are on the hunt for the perfect souvenir from Crete, head to the pedestrian-only 1866 Street, known as the Central Market. This narrow street is full of vendors, with wares piled high and spilling out onto tables.