Kayak the south coast near Preveli.

A kayak near Preveli follows the south coast where the cliffs drop to a river mouth and a palm-lined beach. You put in close to the sand or a little along the shore, with a guide and a sit-on-top kayak, and you paddle a short stretch of coast rather than a crossing. Three to four hours is the usual length. The south coast is the useful detail: when the north wind is blowing along Chania and Heraklion, this side of the island is often the water that is still paddleable. It is not always flat. A south wind, or a swell wrapping around the cape, will cancel the morning just as firmly. The advantage is statistical, not a guarantee.

What you see is the cliff line, the colour change where the river meets the sea, and a beach that looks different from the water than it does from the path down. Preveli’s palm grove sits just inland of the sand. You are not hiking the gorge on this trip. If the walk through the palms is the thing you wanted, do that on another morning and keep the kayak for the coast itself. The landing, if there is one, is brief. There is little shade on the water and the rock is sharp where you step out. Swim shoes matter more here than they do in a harbour.

The paddle suits people who want a quieter coast than the north and who are happy to get wet. It works well for couples and for confident older children. It is a long way to come from Chania for a three-hour activity, so it fits best if you are already staying in southern Rethymno, Plakias or Agia Galini, or if the kayak is one stop on a day you have given to this shore. Do not bolt it onto a Samaria hike. Both days ask for your legs and your patience with the road, and the south-coast drive is slow even when the paddle was easy.