On the beach
Right now
Live conditions from Open-Meteo, refreshed hourly.
7-day outlook
7-day marine forecast from Open-Meteo.
Sea temperature
Next 7 days, °C
Wave height
Next 7 days, metres
View as table
| Day | Sea temp (°C) | Wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 27.5 | 0.6 |
| Thu 3 | 27.4 | 0.9 |
| Fri 4 | 27.3 | 1.3 |
| Sat 5 | 27.2 | 1.4 |
| Sun 6 | 27.1 | 0.9 |
| Mon 7 | 27.1 | 1.1 |
| Tue 8 | 27.0 | 1.4 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Excellent2015
- 2016: Excellent2016
- 2017: Excellent2017
- 2018: Excellent2018
- 2019: Excellent2019
- 2020: Excellent2020
- 2021: Excellent2021
- 2022: Excellent2022
- 2023: Excellent2023
- 2024: Excellent2024
- 2025: Excellent2025
Excellent in the most recent season, and 11 of 11 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Excellent |
| 2016 | Excellent |
| 2017 | Excellent |
| 2018 | Excellent |
| 2019 | Excellent |
| 2020 | Excellent |
| 2021 | Excellent |
| 2022 | Excellent |
| 2023 | Excellent |
| 2024 | Excellent |
| 2025 | Excellent |
Typical sea temperature by month
Modeled estimatePlausible seasonal climatology derived from latitude, for illustration — not a measured average.
Monthly sea temperature
Typical range across the year, °C
View as table
| Month | Typical sea temp (°C) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 17 |
| Feb | 16 |
| Mar | 17 |
| Apr | 19 |
| May | 22 |
| Jun | 24 |
| Jul | 26 |
| Aug | 27 |
| Sep | 27 |
| Oct | 25 |
| Nov | 22 |
| Dec | 19 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Kokkini Chani566 mCrete
- Estavromenos1.7 kmCrete
- Kato Gouves3.3 kmCrete
- Gouves3.8 kmCrete
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Bus Stop 5, about ~270 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: Κοκκίνη Χάνι, about ~600 m away.
- 8 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Whisky Bar, about ~300 m away.
- 8 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Themis Beach, about ~110 m away.
- 4 shops nearby, the closest about ~490 m away
What kind of beach is this?
This beach sits in a built-up resort setting, with hotels, restaurants and services clustered around it — a full-service stretch of coast that tends to be busy in peak season and quieter outside it.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
- Full-service days
Is the water clean at Kokkini Chani?
Thinking of swimming at Kokkini Chani? The short answer: its official EU Bathing Water rating for 2025 is Excellent — the highest official classification under the EU bathing-water assessment. That rating is set once a year under the EU Bathing Water Directive, from a full season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli reported to the European Environment Agency the following spring, so the 2025 season's grade appeared in spring 2026 and the 2026 season won't be graded until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, the national environmental authority — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Excellent for 11 straight years. You can park about ~240 m away.
Looking to avoid the busiest weeks? The water is typically warmest around August, with the most reliable swimming window running July–September; outside that stretch you'll find a cooler sea but a quieter beach. That rating has been consistent: every one of the 11 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. On site you'll find Toilets, Restaurant, and Parking. Κοκκίνη Χάνι — the closest town — sits about ~600 m from here.
“Excellent” is one point on a four-step scale — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — assigned once per year from that season's water samples, not a live reading. It describes how the site performs on average across the season, not the exact water quality this afternoon; for day-to-day sea conditions, see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. There are 8 places to eat within a kilometre — Whisky Bar is the closest, about ~300 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Can you safely swim at Kokkini Chani?
It's about as safe as bathing water gets: Kokkini Chani's 2025 EU rating is Excellent, the top tier on the scale, and 11 of 11 classified seasons have come back Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Excellent for 11 straight years.
Is the sea warm at Kokkini Chani today?
Right now, the sea at Kokkini Chani is measuring around 27°C; see the “Right now” panel above for the latest conditions. That's the reading right off Crete.
What's the ideal time of year to swim at Kokkini Chani?
The most reliable stretch for warm water runs through July–September, based on the modeled climatology. That applies to the water around Crete.
What does the water quality rating actually measure?
The grade comes from a full season of official sampling for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring under the EU Bathing Water Directive, which assigns Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor. Some countries (Croatia, via IZOR) also publish individual in-season samples ahead of that report; Kokkini Chani doesn't have that feed yet.
How do you get to Kokkini Chani?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Bus Stop 5, about ~270 m away. The nearest town is Κοκκίνη Χάνι, about ~600 m away.