Everything Included in one Price Malia – All Inclusive

Malia All Inclusive Holidays – Partying in the sun

Malia is the party capital of Crete – and one of the top party holiday destinations in the whole Mediterranean. Just 30km from Heraklion airport, this is where teens and twenty-somethings come to drink and dance the night away– as featured (or hopefully not quite as featured) in The Inbetweeners Movie.

The main street and beach area are crammed with bars, pubs and clubs full of mostly British youth enjoying the sun, sea, and being away from home.  The small Old Town is in complete contrast: a web of quiet narrow lanes with a few traditional tavernas.

malia, greece

To the east of the town is a quieter stretch of beach and one of Crete’s best Minoan archaeological sites. Less crowded than Knossos and less reconstructed too, it is a delightful place to visit – peaceful and fascinating.

When to go on holidays to Malia

If you are looking to party, summer is the time to go. Spring and autumn are also very pleasant and excellent for visiting the archaeological site. Spring also brings wild flowers and long comfortable days. In autumn the sea is still warm enough to swim whilst most of the crowds have gone home. And of course, it is much cheaper early and late in the season. Bear in mind that much of Malia closes down for the winter.

Getting the best deal to Malia

The best bargains for a Malia holiday come outside the peak summer season. Late spring and early autumn are good times to travel on a budget as both flights and accommodation are cheaper. Booking early or late can help with finding the best offers, too, so take a look at our best deals below or check out our late offers here.

Airport and transport need to know

Getting to your all inclusive Malia holidays is really simple, especially in summer. Between May and October there are direct flights, taking under four hours, from Gatwick and numerous other UK cities to Heraklion, the Cretan capital.

Heraklion airport (HER) (www.heraklion-airport.info) is not large, has few facilities and can become overcrowded in summer.  A new airport is under construction and expected to open in 2015. Malia is just 34km from the capital and Crete has a good bus service www.bus-service-crete-ktel.com. There are regular buses from Heraklion to Malia taking about an hour and costing €3.80 (about £3).

Taxis and hire cars are also readily available at the airport, although it is often cheaper to organise your car hire before leaving the UK. A taxi from Heraklion to Malia should cost about €46 (around £37).

The best beaches in Malia

Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and has plenty of beaches of all sorts, from long strips of golden sand to hidden coves, rocky lagoons and off-shore islets. There is something for everyone from Malia’s party beach to secluded bays backed by nothing but rocks and greenery. The one crucial thing they all have in common, though, is the shimmering blue waters of the Mediterranean.

There is plenty of action at Malia’s main beach, about 1km from the centre of town. This is a broad, long sandy beach. The area closest to town is lined with bars pumping out loud music and doling out copious cold booze to young holidaymakers. The sand is packed with sun beds and umbrellas and pedaloes and banana boats ply the waters. To the east of town it gets quieter and less crowded.

Sun Beach, 2.5km from Malia, is less manic but still has plenty of facilities with cafes and sun beds as well as a children’s pool backing this broad sandy beach.

If you want to get away from loud music and crowds, head for Patomas Beach, a blue flag beach about 3km from Malia and next to the Minoan archaeological site. The beach has a café and sun beds and here you can combine a bit of culture with a peaceful swim and sunbathe.

Things to do while on All Inclusive All Inclusive Holidays in Malia

Beaches

The resort with the best nightlife in Crete also boasts one of the best beaches. The golden sands on Malia beach stretch for miles and this is the perfect place to relax after a hard night’s partying. The beach is lined with bars, nightclubs and restaurants and music will be pumping out of the bars during the day. Holidaymakers who wish to escape can head to nearby Tropical beach for some peace and quiet.

Water Sports

Malia beach attracts a young, lively crowd and water sports are a popular. Jet skiing, wind surfing, paragliding, pedalo hire and motor boat hire are just a few of the water sports available in Malia.

Cruises

One of the best ways to spend an afternoon is to take one of the many cruises from Malia. Cruises can include onboard barbecues, drinks and dancing. Stop off at points of interest such as Hersonissos and Sissi for swimming and snorkelling. Night cruises are also available around the Crete coastline and Aegean Islands.

Scuba Diving

Scuba diving in Malia is a must do holiday activity. There is a fully equipped dive centre in Malia that will provide lessons and excursions to the most exciting dive sites in Crete. For more information on diving in Malia go to www.diversclub-crete.gr

Day Trips

Day trips from Malia can include a visit to archaeological ruins such as the recently unearthed Minoan town and mansion near the site of Malia Palace. The famous Malia Palace itself is one of the most important archaeological sites on the island. It stretches over a massive 7.5 hectare area and at a mere 3km away from the town centre is well worth the short trip. Holidaymakers can also hire boats from the beach and cruise the fascinating coastline, stopping off for a leisurely swim or a floating picnic at various beauty spots along the way.

Nightlife

The nightlife in Malia is second to none in Crete and once the sun sets the resort does vibrate to the music spilling from the bars and nightclubs. Expect the partying to last well into the small hours of the morning and usually until sunrise.

The Holiday weather in Malia

Summers in Malia are hot, dry and sunny with daily highs in the upper twenties from June to September. Even May and October are very pleasant with peak temperatures in the low twenties and in April and November they hover around the 20ºC mark and there is a bit more chance of rain. Water temperatures can be as high as 27 ºC in August and usually remain above 20 ºC from May to November.