Malia

About 7 km from Hersonissos, the capital of nightlife in Crete, there is another seaside resort loved by young people from all over Europe: Malia.

With a long avenue lined with clubs open until dawn and others that open at dawn, Malia offers non-stop entertainment 24 hours a day made up of clubs, disco pubs, beach bars to which are added theme parties and foam parties. Not enough for you? You can climb aboard a party boat and let loose to the sound of music on the high seas.

So far it’s the Malia that everyone knows, but this town in the north-east of Crete is also worth considering for quieter vacations.

Thanks to its location between Agios Nikolaos and Heraklion is an excellent base for exploring the island of Crete: the capital of the island can be reached by freeway in less than 30 minutes and other important tourist resorts can be reached easily.

Without moving from Malia it is possible to see a necropolis along the coast and the remains of an important Minoic Palace1 (the third largest on the island, after the most famous ones of Knossos and Phaestos); nearby, in the locality of Marmara, there are also remains of the Romanesque period including a basilica of the sixth century.

Two other good reasons to choose Malia as a vacation destination are the presence of a beautiful city beach, equipped with all services, and the large number of accommodations to choose from, with proposals for all tastes and all budgets.

Beaches of Malia

The Malia Beach2 is located west of the old town, in the modern part of the city: it is a sandy beach of fine golden sand about 3 km long on which alternate free areas and other equipped, bathed by a clean blue sea and calm waters.

The eastern part of the beach is generally quieter and recommended for those who want to snorkel for the presence of some rocky stretches (low and not dangerous). The west part is busier, suitable for those who want entertainment and water sports: here you will find all the services, beach bars, a diving center and many sports equipment rentals.

The seabed is shallow and slopes slowly, so Malia beach is also suitable for inexperienced swimmers and families with small children.

For a less crowded beach move to Potamos3, beyond the port in an easterly direction: it is another beautiful sandy beach, but less developed than the city beach of Malia. For other beaches for young people, instead, you can go to Hersonissos or Stalis.

Nightlife in Malia

The area of nightlife in Malia is basically one, that is a pedestrian avenue about 1.5 km long that leads to the beach known as “The Strip”: here are concentrated most of the nightclubs of Malia. It is a street that sleeps during the day and wakes up at sunset, becoming completely animated when it gets dark and the sky is illuminated by an uninterrupted succession of colorful neon lights.

In spite of its name, “The Strip” is by no means a red light district; there is only one lap dance club, often frequented by groups celebrating a bachelor party.

In many clubs and disco pubs of Malia the entrance is free (you pay only the drink), so it is very common to do the “pub crawl” in English, or spend the evening going from one place to another. Among the most famous places in Malia we can mention Candy Club4, Corkers Nightclub5, Apollo6 and Zig Zag Club and Lounge7.

As far as music is concerned, Malia cannot be defined as a place that creates trends (as it happens in the most famous party destinations in Europe such as Ibiza or Mykonos), but it certainly knows how to promptly receive them.

In the discos of Malia you can listen to the hits of the moment, but also less commercial genres such as techno, trance, r&b, d&b and rock, or give yourself to wild dances on the notes of the hits of the 80s, 90s and 00s.

Where to stay in Malia

The city is divided in two by the main road: the inland part is the historical center; the coastal part is the more modern one, where hotels and nightclubs are concentrated. It is important to choose where to stay in Malia according to the type of vacation you want to do or you risk turning a dream vacation into a nightmare.

If you come to Malia for its legendary nightlife, it is better to stay in the center of the action: look for your accommodation in the coastal area, which is full of modern hotels, apartments and resorts, built following the development of tourism.

If you want a quiet vacation, absolutely avoid the disco area, recommended only to those who come here in search of unbridled fun. Look for your accommodation in the historic center, where there are small hotels, b&b’s and vacation homes suitable for vacations with your partner or family. You can also look along the coast, but it is better to move a couple of kilometers away from the center of the new town.

Recommended Hotels in Malia

Being a very popular tourist resort, Malia offers a wide variety of accommodation and choosing can be a bit difficult.

We have selected for you the best hotels in Malia for location, value for money and charm; our list of recommended accommodations includes beautiful beachfront hotels, luxurious 5 star hotels and resorts with every comfort and service.

Recommended apartments in Malia

Do you prefer the freedom of an apartment to the classic hotel vacation? Don’t worry, you don’t have to waste time searching either. We have selected the best apartments in Malia: among our proposals there are accommodations with a good quality/price ratio suitable for groups of friends, families or couples.