Kalives Holiday Reviews

First impressions lead you to believe that this is just a one street village, but take the time to walk around and you will discover many little nooks and crannies and lots of interesting areas within and around the village. This is a proper Greek, working village with great beaches. There are two fresh water inlets into the sea, one at either end of the village. The one at the Kyani Akti end is the better, in my opinion, the other runs through the heart of the village by a large hotel, but this one does have resident ducks. There are plenty of restaurants and tavernas in the main part of the village, with all the other necesaties in life - butcher, baker, bank, pharmacy and internet cafe, and also one or two gyros/kebab takeaways. The beaches are fantastic for kids and adults alike, with gently shelving sand into the water - no rocks or stones to encounter so sea shoes are not necessary. At the harbour end of town the water stays fairly shallow for quite a way too, making it a little safer for children to be a bit more adventurous. We did not venture into the sea at Kyani Akti beaches, so cannot say how deep or shallow the water is here. There are plenty of amenities on the beaches, toilets, showers and changing cubicles, and plenty of places for refreshments. If you don't want to use a car you can take a bus into Chania and surrounding villages, although they are not very frequent. If you want to go to Rethymnon you have to walk up to the main highway, which can be quite a walk - these buses are more frequent. There are a couple of shops in the village that stock English products, if you really need them, although it is nice to have somewhere to buy Typhoo and Tetley! One particular freezer shop also has a vegetarian burger, which is very rare in Greece! Overall the village is quiet and peaceful, but has plenty of facilities to keep you going for a holiday, although I don't think teenagers would find it particularly fulfilling.

Kalives is a traditional village with great beaches, great food, and genuine people.You can relax and enjoy while you are close to many great excursions, sights, and shops!!!

Kalives is the perfect place if you want to relax and do nothing, not far from the bright lights of Chania, but a very authentic and Greek working village that just happens to have tourists.