The palmbeach of Vai, in the north west of Crete, is without a doubt the most photographed of all Cretan beaches. Every day from all the corners of the island hundreds of people come to visit it. It is called the Caribean beach of the Mediterenean sea. Vai is famous for its palmtrees, the "phoenix theophrasti". It's typical for Crete and it doesn't grow in the wild anywhere else. They stand on the beach and in the valley behind it.
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The entrance to the beach is through a big (paid) parking area (I suggest you leave your car a little bit before the beach where it is free). At the crossroad with the main road there is a banana plantation. You can visit Vai between 7.00 and 21.00. You will not find any hotels there because it is a protected area. For me it was a bit too crowded (since I like it quiet...), and I prefer the nearby beaches of Itanos and Kouremenos. No palmtrees there, but less people and it's equally beautiful.