Palm Forest of Vai Crete

The Palms Forest in Vai, we find it in the north east of the Crete island almost on the extreme eastern tip about twenty kilometers from the Sitia Town.

Considered the largest palm forest in Europe, it is a protected area and is one of the 19 most important preserved wooded areas on the island. The others to name a few are located in Preveli, Agios Nikolaos, in the gorges of Martsalo, on the mountain range of Asterousia and on the south coast of Heraklio. The Vai palm grove is also included in the Sitia geo-park, a mosaic of habitats and ecosystems mostly shrubs ranging from rare aromatic herbs, flowers such as broom, rose hips, wild carnations and many species of orchids, and even animal specimens such as the peregrine falcon, the golden eagle or the bearded vulture, non-poisonous reptiles for humans, the Caspian tortoise the only species of aquatic turtle in Crete that can be observed in the streams and finally the loggerhead turtles that nest on the Vai Beach

An area of 20 hectares that extends for two kilometers reaching the sea where the scenic Vai beach is located. It hosts about five thousand palm trees belonging to a rare Cretan endemic species, the Phoenix Theophrasti already present in the Minoan era. Inside there is a spring that feeds a small stream and towards the beach gentle sand dunes that favor the growth of plants.

It is completely fenced as it is the private property of the nearby Toplou Monastery dating back to the 16th century, an interesting stop if you are visiting the beach or the forest, because it preserves a beautiful and rich collection of Byzantine icons. You can also take home some local products of the monks such as oil, cheese and wine.

Its name Vai comes from the local dialect that the palm trees call Vagies or Vagia. Various popular legends attribute the birth of the forest, some say it was the Phoenicians, some Saracen pirates and some the Egyptians when they arrived in Crete in defense of the port of Itanos which was an important stop on the trade routes for purple sponges and glass between the West and the near Middle East in continuous struggle with the other cities of Crete such as the city of Ierpetra. The common factor of its origin would be the date seeds left by the various merchants who stopped in the area who found fertile ground for the proliferation and began to reproduce giving life to the beautiful forest that we can see today. However, unlike other species, the Phoenix Theophrasti palm does not produce edible fruit.

For many years the area was off-limits to the public because it was under assault and in serious danger due to the lack of respect for nature by man, after being included in the Natura 2000 project and therefore becoming a protected area, it was reopened but with a strict regulation for access that prohibits overnight stay, lighting of fires and picnics. However, the rule is always valid that you must not leave waste and do not take souvenirs home!

Today, however, another worrying danger looms over the Palm Forest in Vai and is the invasion of the beetle of African origin known as the red weevil. Fortunately, the Cretan palm species has shown great resistance and has not suffered damage, unlike other arecaceae that have been affected, thus causing fear of contagion.

Very simple, you have to get to the beach of Vai. It takes your own vehicle that you can leave in the parking lot and with a ten-minute walk you will reach the palm grove. From Sitia there are also daily buses that take you to the beach. However, many tourist agencies organize excursions to the forest, it could be a valid alternative.

A combination of nature and beach to leave you breathless, an exotic landscape that will remain in your heart forever where you can relax on the soft white sand, or take a walk inside the palm grove. For sure to be included in the things to see in Crete.