Red Sand Beach (Kokkini Ammos)

Red Sand Beach (Kokkini Ammos)

Red Sand Beach (Kokkini Ammos)
4.5
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
See what travellers are saying
  • Hannes L
    35 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Strenuous but recommendable
    The walk there from Matala takes about 30 minutes. I would recommend sturdy shoes, but with decent Birkenstocks it was no problem. You will work up a sweat on the way, but the view of the beach makes up for it. Because of its remoteness, the beach is not overcrowded, you can rent loungers and umbrellas for 10 euros, and the prices for a drink are also OK. The sandy beach is very fine, but like everywhere else, there are lots of stones in the water. If you bring diving goggles, you can also see some colorful fish. Bathing with clothes on and nude bathing is possible on the entire beach.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 7, 2024
  • Frederic T
    12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sunset
    Hello, Superb beach and very nice meeting with Fannis and his two barwomens. The bar opposite that of the famous Yannis the so-called Mojito specialist. The Mojtos prepared by the two Barwomens was excellent. To be repeated with of course the meeting again of Fannis.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written August 17, 2024
  • Herr B.
    Bielefeld, Germany5 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    For freedom lovers in Matala the beach of choice
    In the summer heat, the road to the beach is quite strenuous than the road to the main beach of Matala. But if you want to do without clothes for sunbathing and bathing, you should definitely take the ascent and descent. A beautiful beach that is much quieter than the main beach of Matala. The right side of the beach for nudists is the left for those who may not be so sure if they really want to surrender to this freedom :D We stayed every day we were in Matala at Red Beach and can recommend this for anyone who likes to enjoy freedom without bathing suits or who likes to try it out;)
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written August 21, 2024
  • Cruiser01730434301
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Red playa
    Beautiful beach, simpathic hippie decor with wild goat Unfriendly and aggressive trader at the colorful bar, pity the mojito is at 10€ otherwise we would have consumed!! Leaving Matala with good shoes
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written October 10, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,063 reviews
Excellent
591
Very good
309
Average
100
Poor
35
Terrible
28

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

Balby
Milan, Italy138 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Wonderful. It can be accessed with a not too strenuous walk; in sneakers in 20 minutes, in flip-flops in 40 minutes. There are two bars and also a tent that offers fruit and drinks passing between the umbrellas (about 30 for one, cost 8 euros).
Given the walk there are never many tourists.
Google
Written August 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Couple_H_A
Sweden316 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
We parked in a manned paid car park a little further down town but it was nice to have the rental car both monitored and in the shade.
Hiking up and down can be demanding, but if you are just careful and avoid flip flips, it takes about 30 minutes.
Once down on the other side, you are met by a wonderful beach in a secluded environment where most are nude bathers.
Bathing shoes are not needed.
Renting a sunchair and parasol was a bit on the expensive side but they know they can charge for it because there are no alternatives.

We avoided the bar itself as those who worked there were very arrogant and unpleasant.

The only downside to this beach is that once the hike back is complete, a swim is needed.
Written October 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Monkeyboy45
London, UK357 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Friends
It is a 45 minute hike over a hill from Matala to get here, but it is totally worth it! There is little to no shade, although you can rent out some old umbrellas if you get there early enough. There is also no food or water so bring your own. There is however, Yannis and his legendary Mojitos, but be warned they are strong! The red sand is gorgeous, as is the clear warm water. The Sunset’s are also fantastic! If you want to take all your clothes off you can do that too!
Written August 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dambrugeac
Bordeaux, France19 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Income after 5 years: desolation. The bistro owner Ianis is totally disrespectful of the wonderful site. Climbing a steep mountain for 30 minutes to discover rubbish around your hut has become the rule. The character piles up waste from sunbathing, parasols and various products around his ruined establishment. He puts exorbitantly priced beach beds everywhere on this public beach and managed to chase the naturists from the right side to the left and the rocks while the entire beach was nudist. As a result, textiles proliferate and subdue the last naked couples. This character must really be influential for us to let him act like this and dirty a mythical place for his own benefit.
Google
Written September 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chiara F
Varese, Italy69 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
BEACH FOR NAUTISTS.
very isolated, to reach it you have to park at matala beach (4€ all day) and make a short trekking route. In this regard, there are two paths. What we have done is faster, but you have to be equipped with shoes as it is more dangerous and steep. Watch out for it in the hottest hours of the day.
Occasional presence of goats.
EYE, being isolated you can not pay by card, there are FEW umbrellas, they generally cost about 20 € and if the sea is rough (as in our case) then most likely you will find them submerged. There are some kiosks for eating too but we have not tested them. Sea not even too clean if you look at nearby Matala, presence of rocks.
Automatically translated
Written October 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JPB2433
Bordeaux, France12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Friends
This beach is absolutely beautiful, but it is ruined by the owner of the bar, a so-called mojito specialist, named Yannis. He is totally disrespectful of people and his entire environment. He whistles at his employee while pointing at him what he should do. He whistles at his customers and points them towards the exit from his terrace when they want to put on new shoes, even though they have just consumed at his place... He burns his waste around his bar rather than bringing it back to Matala for throw them away... Flee and boycott this establishment, and instead go and consume 50 meters away, among young people living on the beach who deserve to work.
Google
Written May 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ralf P
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Red beach - a dream - that's what it used to be. People, tourists, don't respect the turtles' sanctuary, nor do they pay attention to rubbish. No rubbish bins, cigarette butts are thrown in the sand - even the Mohito Master Iannis, who serves everything in plastic for 10E, throws his butts in the sand. What happens to the rubbish? 250 people and no toilet! Big business is done in the bushes! People go crazy there, paint themselves including their genitals and think it's hip! To be honest: if you like the sea and respect the turtles, don't visit this beach. Not even for Instagram and photos... We humans destroy nature and everything that goes with it. There are enough other beaches you can visit. Protect our earth, protect such paradises, if the Greeks don't do it themselves, you have to act clearly as a tourist!
Google
Written September 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aleksandar Vasiljević
Belgrade, Serbia3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Solo
So much raving about this beach, so I had to see it. First off, it’ll take you roughly an hour through steep mountains, so avoid flip-flops. When I finally arrived, the guy from the bar asked 8€ for sunbed. I declined and we agreed on 4€. Be weary. Everything in these only two bars is overpriced, which is to be expected, because you don’t have alternative. Small bottle of water 2€, “best mojito in the world” is whooping 10€. Not to mention very rude owners / workers. I wouldn’t torture myself with going again. Once is enough.
Written August 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thierry03
Chazemais, France393 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
The view and the beach deserve 5 stars, but the rest 😕?. Between 1970 and today there are hundreds more people on a beach which has nothing naturist about it, more textiles than naturists. The beach is not very clean and the king of Morito, although nice, seems to be a local godfather 😄. There you go, it's no longer the Matala of before, the tourists are legion there, as is the business.
Google
Written May 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kevin S
Cambridge, UK40 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Start the route where there is an arrow sign saying Red Beach. It’s near Church Matala, at Matala Beach opposite end to caves. We made the mistake of trying to start at the far end where the car parks are, its very steep and we give that up because you cannot be sure of a sure footing. As we were leaving, there were two other couples hiking up so it is for the more adventurous.

It is not up to the hype. It’s just a beach. The sand is not exactly red. Mojito bar has plenty of seating and nicely shaded, but no customer toilet! However, the bottled water is very cold, just what you need after that hike. You climb all the way up and down dangerous terrain half an hour there and back, just to pee in the sea. The straw umbrellas are full so you end up renting a small rickety beach umbrella. You need to stay after all that effort.

You can get lots of fantastic panoramic views across Crete and lovely (nudist) beaches that are less precarious to get to and better facilities.

The Red Beach is for serious hikers and the adventurous. You feel you have achieved a sense of survival : ).
Written October 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 198
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

RED SAND BEACH (KOKKINI AMMOS) (2025) - All You MUST Know Before You Go

All things to do in Matala
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars