Dear About Greece Travel Guide,
Can you advise me on any campsites on the beach with a sunrise where I might stay until the olive harvest season when I would assist in the harvest?
~K
Dear K,
As you probably have discovered, few of the official campgrounds have much of an internet presence. Your best bet is to contact them by phone if you want to confirm any details.
If you're planning to stay through till the olive harvest, some campgrounds will close in early October, so be aware that you might encounter a gap when the campgrounds have closed and the harvest is yet to begin.
This is a good site for you: Camping Chania but I wouldn't limit yourself to just the campgrounds in the Chania area. Crete has an excellent long-distance bus service, and you should be able to get around the island when you need to.
You might also enjoy the hostel in Plakias and the campground at Matala (obscured sunrise, but incredible sunsets). That's listed here: Camping in Crete
For the unofficial campgrounds, the beach at Menies on the Spathi peninsula near the site of the ancient temple of Dictynna is beautiful and has a good view to the East. Be prepared for several hours walk to get supplies, however.
Also unofficial, the nude beach at Sweetwater Beach on the south coast of Crete is popular with campers and no one seems to chase them away, judging by the color of some of their skins by fall. The plus at Sweetwater is that the spring water is completely potable. Again, a better sunset spot than sunrise. You'd get there either by foot from Chora Sfakia along the E4 trail or take the ferry to Loutro and walk back to the beach, again on the E4 (which is a pretty easy trail through this section, only minor scrambling over rocks at a few spots). At Sweetwater, there is a small taverna and water taxi service, plus a fairly steady stream of hikers.
The remote island of Gavdos might suit you - camping is not particularly regulated there: Gavdos.
~deTraci RegulaPlan Your Own Trip to Greece
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