Done with being in an all inclusive (although secretly missing the gluttony) we decided to head to the east of the island towards the town of Agios Nikalous.

Being August, accommodation was thin on the ground but we managed to find a place in Istro which was functional but a good base to explore the Mirabello Bay area. Enthused by our previous gorge walk, first up was a 5km trek through the Kritsa gorge. More taxing and spectacular than the Deliana gorge with rope climbs and plenty of scrambling up rocks, Jimbo enthusiastically led the way but needed a daddy shoulder ride towards the end.

We were all pretty exhausted afterwards so we rewarded ourselves with a chocolate milkshake (and iced coffees for grownups) in the enchanting nearby village of Krista.

Not wanting the days adventuring to end there, we headed to the upmarket costal town of Elounda and the nearby Plaka beach. We found a pristine pebble beach with irresistible crystal clear water and a view across the bay to Spinalonga island, a former Venetian fortress. Dusty from the morning’s walking and unprepared for beach action, we resorted to swimming in our underwear, much to the bemusement/entertainment of the others on the beach.

Whether it was the shared choccy milkshake or that evening’s seafood dinner the next days’ planned celebrations for my birthday had to be put on hold. The beautiful Plaka beach also became the destination for the arrival of a stomach bug for James and we then had a stressful drive back to our accommodation where we locked down for 24 hours waiting for Lucy and James to feel better. The joys of travel!!

In contrast to Plaka, late the following day we made a visit to the highly rated beach of Voulisma. Literally every square metre was packed with sun beds and people, the sand was littered with cigarette butts and the water was full of plastic fragments with virtually no fish to be seen. A sad and upsetting reminder of the negative impact we humans can have on the environment.

For the next leg of our journey in the east we were lucky to find a couple of nights in a posh (for us) hotel in a suburb of Agios Nikolaus, complete with an infinity pool on our balcony with stunning views across the bay. Just the tonic team JJL needed. The real gem however was the very Greek family beach on its doorstep with its own chilled beach cafe, tavernas which cater for locals and superb jetty for James to jump into the sea from.

We spent a blissful couple of days enjoying the beach with an early evening walk into Agios Nikolaus town – followed by an after dark ice-cream on the beach. A perfect ending to our exploration of the east before heading back west and inland for a few days to see what non beach fun we could find.