An easy and enjoyable excursion from Agia Pelagia to Vai Beach that combines beach relaxation with a visit to historical sites on the eastern side of the island of Crete. During this trip you will see the eastern town of Sitia with its beautiful harbor and promenade, the ancient monastery of Toplou with its thirty-three meter high bell tower, but the highlight of this excursion is of course the trip to the palm fringed beach of Vai. This is probably the most famous sandy beach in eastern Crete. Wide bay, sandy coastline… The main feature of this place, however, is the large palm grove that almost reaches the shore of the Cretan Sea.
On this bus tour you will visit the following attractions:
A bus tour to Vai Beach from Agia Pelagia is a trip to the very east of Crete, which means it’s a long way. Let’s look at the details of this sightseeing tour in 2025.
We leave early in the morning and our bus heads east. On the way to Vai Beach we will visit one of the most important and beautiful monasteries in Crete – the first stop will be at the Monastery of Toplou. It was built as early as the 14th century or the 15th century and has the original name of the Monastery of Panagia Akrotiriani (Our Lady of Akrotiriani or Our Lady of the Cape) and since then… he’s been through a lot of, let’s say, hard times.
Throughout the years, Moni Toplou and its monks have faced numerous threats and destructions, including attacks by the Knights of Malta in 1530, a major earthquake in 1612, Turkish invasions in 1646, massacres during the Greek War of Independence in 1821, as well as in the period between 1941 and 1945 during World War II. That’s why, hundreds of years ago, the monastery was given a new name: its original name was changed to Toplou, which comes from the Turkish word “top” meaning “cannon” or “where the cannon stands”: at that time, the monastery had a cannon for defense against pirate attacks and other raids.
Today, it is practically the only large monastery in the area that has survived and now houses ancient icons, including the miraculous icon “Megas Ei Kyrie” or “Great Art Thou, O Lord” dated 1770 by the one of the foremost Greek icon painters Ioannis Kornaros. The Toplou Monastery also houses a remarkable museum of ancient engravings and you’ll also find a diverse array of artworks, including collections of manuscripts.
The monastery’s devotion to its land shines through the time. Exceptional products such as olive oil, wine, raki and honey are produced under the esteemed “Toplou” brand. Step outside and you’ll find the surrounding landscape, dedicated to vineyards and olive groves. Have you seen it? Next stop on the tour is Vai Beach and the Palm Forest!
According to an old legend, we have to thank for the existence of this beautiful palm grove in a quiet bay… Who do you think? Pirates! The story tells us that sailors came to this region and brought with them, among other things, the fruits of the date palm tree. The thrown stones sprouted and in time the shore was covered with a dense palm forest. That’s it! Now this palm grove is a protected area, that covers the plot of about 250,000 square meters. This makes it the largest palm beach not only in Crete, but in all of Europe. And the sea… the sea is beautiful there! You must go swimming, because you will have about three hours of free time at Vai bay.
Have you had a relaxing time on the beach? The final part of the tour is a trip to Sitia. This is the easternmost town of Crete and you will have about an hour of free time to stroll along its seafront, if you wish, to go deep into the narrow streets, climb up the hill to the old barracks building or sit on the shore in one of the tavernas and have a cup of Greek coffee. It will just be a nice touch after a wonderful day.
If you want to go to Vai Palm Beach, visit Toplou Monastery and the city of Sitia from Agia Pelagia with an organized bus tour, the price of the trip in 2025 is:
This tour is sometimes included in special promotions and sold cheaper for our followers – keep an eye out for discounts on Facebook!
Are you traveling as a big family or a group? Contact us in advance or visit our offices and we will try to make you the best offer.
You are welcome! We will run this personalised tour in a suitable car or minivan for you on any day. No large groups, long pick-ups or waiting – just you, your family or friends and the guide! You can ask us in advance – and we will organise everything for you.
You can book an organized excursion to Vai Palm Beach from Agia Pelagia online (see “How to book excursions in Crete”).
In 2025 the excursion to Vai Beach, Toplou Monastery and Sitia from Agia Pelagia takes place from 01/05 to 12/10. Available tour days – Sunday.
Please note that trip schedules are subject to change, including cancellation. This is extremely rare and may be due to weather conditions. For example, heavy rains at the beginning (April and May) or end of the season (September and October) and other force majeure situations. If there are any changes, we will try to let you know as soon as possible.
Please make sure that you have correctly identified your vacation area in Crete and read the cancellation and refund policy.
If there is less than 24 hours before the trip, please contact the manager to check availability before you make a booking!
Firstly, you can come to one of our offices where booking for all services is available and payment can be made either by cash or card.
Secondly, in case of online booking you can choose cash payment (which is available for some areas only) or you can pay online by card. In the case of cash, we will arrange a meeting with our courier in advance, who will bring the prepared documents to your hotel or villa and collect the cash. Please note that this option is only available for bookings made well in advance (days or weeks before the trip!). In case of online payment, you will receive the tickets by e-mail or WhatsApp – as you prefer.
Please keep all documents and tickets until the end of your trip!
We have many meeting points in Agia Pelagia, Ammoudi, Ligaria, Mades and Mononaftis, especially at the large hotels and most of the medium-sized ones.
You can go on this trip if you are staying at one of the following hotels: Acro Suites, Alexander House, Amazona Apartments, Ambelos Hotel, Anasa by the Sea, Anatoli Apartments, Andy’s Plaza Apartments, Angel Village Hotel, Apollonia Apartments, Aquarius Exclusive Apartments, Athina Palace Resort, Attalos Apartments, Bellair Village, Bellevue Village, Belvedere Village, Blue Bay Resort, Castello Infinity Suites, Chrissy’s Paradise, Creta Sun Hotel Studios, Diana Apartments, Dioskouroi Apartments, Eva Mare Hotel, Eva Studios, Fotoula Studios, Happy Cretan Suites, Infinite Blue Apartments, Irida Hotel, Joanna Hotel, Kladissos Villa, Laia Seafront Luxury Apartments, Litsa Mare Apartments, Maria Apartments, Marianthi Beach House, Nikos Apartments, Nymphes Luxury Apartments, Ocean Villas Complex, Out of the Blue Resort, Panorama Village Hotel, Pela Mare Hotel, Pelagia Bay Hotel, Peninsula Resort, Pennystella Apartments, Perla Apartments, Renia Studios, Scala Apartments, SeaBreeze Studios, Seascape Luxury Residences, Seaside A Lifestyle Resort, Summer Breeze Luxury Apartments, Thania Studios and some others.
Depending on the location of your hotel, the pickup point may be the reception or a nearby large hotel. If you’re not sure about the name or location of your hotel, villa or apartment, just ask us on WhatsApp or by email: we will choose the most convenient option and provide you with the exact meeting place and time!
It depends on the location of your hotel or villa. In some cases a tour bus will literally stop at the front door of the hotel and you just have to be there, in others it may be a short walk to the nearest pick-up point. This is usually a large central street, bus stop, square, car park, etc. – somewhere where there is no risk of the tour bus getting stuck on a narrow one-way street or stuck in traffic.
You will receive full details of the time and place of the pick-up with your travel documents when you make your booking. Please read it carefully before the trip.
Not much, it’s going to be an easy day. It’s mainly a trip to the Vai palm bay, so, again, it’s mainly a beach trip. There will be no long walks to Toplou Monastery or the city of Sitia.
You will have the opportunity to have a snack at the beach of Vai, where there is a cafe and even have a lunch in a tavern, as well as in the town of Sitia.
All the necessary sun protection, swimwear, comfortable walking shoes, money for extras.
Yes, the guide will be with the group throughout the trip. As this is primarily a beach trip, the guide mostly be involved in organizing and assisting the group, but of course he will tell you about all the sights on the route.
Not very high, since it’s mostly a trip to the beach and a little bit of walking.
Languages: English, German, French on any available day. On some days we can also organize excursions with Italian, Polish, Romanian and Russian speaking guides, so check the booking calendar or send us a request.
Please note that this is an approximate tour schedule. Times may vary depending on traffic and pick-up and drop-off locations. Exact times will be sent to you along with other information when you make your reservation and specify your hotel.
| Schedule of the excursion program | |
|---|---|
| 7:20 - 8:20 | Departure from the hotel |
| 10:20 | Arrival at Toplou Monastery |
| 11:20 | Transfer to Vai Beach |
| 11:30 - 14:30 | Free time at Vai Beach |
| 14:30 | Departure to Sitia |
| 15:00 - 16:00 | Free time in Sitia |
| 16:00 | Departure to the hotels |
| 17:30 - 18:30 | Return to the hotels |
| Duration and travel time | |
|---|---|
| Up to 3 hours | From hotels by bus to Toplou Monastery |
| 1 hour | At the Toplou Monastery |
| 10 minutes | Transfer by bus to the Vai beach |
| 3 hours | Free time at the beach |
| 30 minutes | Transfer by bus to Sitia |
| 1 hour | Free time in Sitia |
| up to 3 hours | Transfer by bus to the hotels |