Well I finally have enough time to write a review on Malia, a small island in Crete, Greece. I visited Malia this summer with my friends and found it to be one of the most exciting yet laid back cities in Europe. I hope to share my experiences of Malia to the Ciao community.
Brief History: ... Read review
Tastefully built the hotel has a main building with 26 rooms facing the sea and 79 bungalows hidden in the rich gardens Run by the family of Georgios Tsamandouras the hotel offers traditional cretan hospitality in combination with the quality of the services of a 4 star resort
shore of Crete where the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea beautifully blend with the vast blue sky The serene lovely fishermen's village of Sissi is just a few minutes walking distance where there are quite many entertainment alternatives restaurants traditional Greek tavernas cafeterias bars etcOur Hotel offers warm friendly and pleasant holidays to those who want to relax and enjoy the Cretan hospitality in the beautiful scenery of Crete where guests easily become friendsThere are 102 units in bungalow style:Maisonettes 3 4 persons twin rooms 3 4 person and double roomsAll rooms Garden Sea side view All rooms are equipped with:Refrigerator Colour satellite TV Bath or shower Hairdryer Independent air condition Music channels Direct dial phone Hotel facilitiesRestaurant with veranda overviewing the Mediterranean Sea Main Bar Pool Bar Snack Bar Sea water swimming pool Children's playground Water sports Scuba diving Mountain bikes upon request reservations at the Reception desk Baby sitter serviceTV Sallon Games room Laundry Dry cleaning service
A review by jaygami1986 on Malia, Crete August 31st, 2007
Author's product rating:
Value for Money
Excellent
Sightseeing
Good
Shopping
Good
Nightlife
Excellent
Ease of getting around
Excellent
Advantages:
Cheap drinks, good music, great fun
Disadvantages:
None
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Well I finally have enough time to write a review on Malia, a small island in Crete, Greece. I visited Malia this summer with my friends and found it to be one of the most exciting yet laid back cities in Europe. I hope to share my experiences of Malia to the Ciao community.
Brief History:
Malia is located on the Greek Island of Crete, 34km west of Heraklion, the largest city and capital of Crete. Most of the buildings and ruins found in Crete are from the Bronze Age, making Crete an ancient city with a huge historical background.
Booking the Holiday:
I and my friend's had decided to go to Malia some time back, however had yet to book it. In normal circumstances we would have booked the holiday months in advance, however due to lack of communication and laziness we left it to the last minute. Having looked throughout the internet, our best bet was to go to a local tour operator to see if we could get a last minute deal. We decided to book through Thomas Cook, and found flights for early June. We paid a total of £320 per person for one week, which included flights, transfers and accommodation. Obviously we could have got a much cheaper price, but due to last minute booking we had to settle for this. We were told we would be travelling with Excel Airways, a low budget carrier, much like that of Easy Jet or Ryan air.
The Tour operator booked us with the 18- 30 rep group. For those who don't know who 18- 30 are, they are perhaps the biggest reps. You can book your holiday direct from the 18- 30 website; (www.club18-30.com), however it tends to work out more expensive than your local tour operators.
• Quick Note the tour operator's ask if you would like to have an in flight meal at a cost of £20, say no. When we were on the plane, we were told that food is distributed to passengers regardless of if they have paid of not.
Airports & Flights:
We were fortunate to fly from Gatwick South Terminal on an early flight, which meant we would have more than enough time in Malia. As stated our airliner was Excel Airways. The flight lasted almost four hours, and their was a lot of tossing and turning, but taking into consideration the fact it was a low cost carrier we were happy as long as it took us from A to B. After four hours, we landed at Heraklion Airport, Crete. For an airport that generates thousands of people each year it was relatively small. The staffs were rude and not very helpful, but it didn't dampen our spirits. Once you leave the airport you are greeted by club reps. we looked for the club 18 -30 reps, who helped us load our baggage onto the coach and took us to our hotel. The coach ride lasted approximately 40 minutes, but that was more than enough time to take in the beautiful views. The clear crystal blue sky, the palm trees, the dessert floor all adds excitement over the fact that you are actually on holiday. Once the 40 minutes were up we finally arrived at our hotel, (VILLAGE OASIS).
Village Oasis:
Village Oasis is a family run complex, which is situated 15 minutes away from the main strip. This was great as we were not to close to hear the nigh life, but also within walking distance from clubs, pubs and bars. Before we had a chance to unpack we were greeted by one of the group reps, who took us to our hotel for a quick briefing. It is their that the whole selling part starts. The Reps will try to sell you tickets to events etc throughout the week. I would encourage people to buy maybe two or three events, but no more. Remember you're just as capable of finding your own way around the town without having to pay for it. These Reps work on commission so they will try to press you, but don't be scared to say no.
Ok now back to the hotel complex, we shared three rooms between us, all of which had the basic facilities one would expect. A toilet and shower, kitchen with fridge, gas powered cooker and kettle. The complex also had a brilliant swimming pool which was open from 9am to 9pm, if you stay here its best to get to the pool early in the morning or at 8am at night, as less people use them during this time. We also had a pool table, a bar and restaurant area, a small internet café, which charged 1 Euro for 20 minutes and a small arcade area, with games like pro evolution soccer.
A few quick notes about the complex and infact most complexes in Malia. - They charge you for your safe keys, which you cannot get back at the end of your stay - They have a detailed damage list, which you will find in your room, in the case of you breaking or damaging anything they will charge you ridiculous amounts. E.g. 30 Euros for a frying pan. A tip, if you break anything from the kitchen, go to the local supermarket were you can pick up a replacement for around 5 Euros, trust me we done the same. - Finally in the likely hood of you brining back a male or female companion to your room, hotels and apartments will charge you a fee of anything from 30 to 50 Euros. Something to do with tax law, but very silly, so just keep that in mind.
Now even though most of my holiday involved drinking, we still had time to do some daytime activities.
- In Malia there is a Go Kart track called Kartland, run by a Greek women who is married to an English man. The prices differ depending on how long you drive for. Either it's 15 Euros for 10 minutes of 20 Euros for 15 minutes, however we done some haggling and managed to get 20 minutes for 20 Euros, which is much cheaper than the rates on England. There are however a few things you should no, first although they provide helmets, the go karts don't have any seat belts and thus you could fly about; this is a risk, which you will have to take if you choose to take part. Secondly always ask to drive with your mates, we saw some scary drivers, and thus waited till they finished before we had our go. It's a great fun and I would recommend it to people who like these types of activities. If go karting is not your cup of teas, there is a paintball ranch next door, give that a go.
- The beach is beautiful, as it gives you a chance to soak up the sun and the view are brilliant, however one major problem is that it gets very busy. Your best bet is to get their early. The sun beds can be rented for about 2 Euros. Apart from sunbathing and sleeping on the beach, there are also tons of water activities that you could take part in. I and my friends took part in Jet skiing for about 30 Euros, but other activities include banana boat riding, paragliding and speed boat cruses. All activities come with the suitable safety equipment so not to worry their.
- There is a small crazy golf course right in the middle of the strip. It's a nice place to come and relax and simply chill out with the mates and have a bit of fun. 18 holes will set you back 4 Euros, however prices may have now changed.
- There is also a trams service that runs from the town, which takes you around the island, this is defiantly worth a try, and it may sound boring, but for only 5 Euros you get to see everything and chances are you will even find new bars and clubs that you never knew existed. It also gives you a chance to take a scenic view.
Quick guide to Mopeds and Quads:
The first thing you will notice when in Malia is hundreds of people on quads and mopeds. It may seem like a quick mode of transportation, but be advised there are some serious repercussions with renting them. The Sellers will say you are covered on their insurance, but don't be fooled because you aren't, if you crash or damage the moped or quad they will charge you the full whack. Our rep was telling us how the week before we came; a boy crashed his quad and was charged 4000 Euros to repair it. We also witnessed an accident between a quad and moped, so at the end of the day the risk is yours, if you have a deep pocket then by all means try it. But im giving you the same advice the reps will give you.
Nightlife:
This is the part of the review, which I feel I will enjoy writing about. We spent almost every night at a different bar, and it was great fun. Malia has a lot to offer in term of nightlife, they cater for everyone, with different types of music, drinks and atmosphere. Now one thing you will notice is that their will be people trying to encourage you to enter every club along the way, my view is there's no harm, almost every pub, club has a free entry policy and your always welcome to come and go. Banana club is defiantly a club that everyone should visit, its lively atmosphere, cheap drinks and great music makes it one of the places to be. They always have special offers, which vary depending on they day of the week, but your bound to get a good deal.
Newcastle bar is another club, which one should check out. Again lively music, a good crowd and cheap drinking flowing all night. Other clubs include Malibu, Sugar and Camelot Castle club (The only one were they charge to get in).
If clubs are not your cup of teas, and you want something a bit more quite, there are several bars, which cater to a more relaxed crowd. Nice deco seating, chilled out music and quite atmosphere make them a place to be if you have had enough of a crazy night. Lush Bar is defiantly my recommendation, located rite in the middle of the strip, its always chilled out and relaxing, no trouble and people just sitting down having a nice chat with one another.
Drinks & Prices:
Well I could go on and on about this section, you don't have to take my word for how many different types of drinks they have. From straight vodka shots, to jelly shots to fishbowls everything is a must when on holiday in Malia. The must is a fishbowl, which is basically what it says. A big fish bowl, packed with vodka and fruit juice, this is the type of drink which will normally set you back any where from 15 to 40 Euros and usually caters for about 8 people. So I would defiantly recommend this drink. I always found that beer was slightly on the expensive side compared to vodka and spirits. If you are a bear lover I would recommend by bear from the supermarket and having it at the hotel, or just bring it with you and drink it on the street, as far as drinking on the street anything goes, just don't bring it into the clubs and bars.
Prices vary depending on the bar and or club you go to. Usually most places will have the famous by one get four free, with one drink setting you back around 5 Euros, and this is again worth it. A note most spirit drinks and watered down, hence the cheapness of them, but they still do the same as normal drinks I feel. Secondly the bar person tends to fill drinks with huge amounts of ice, so just tell them to calm down with the ice or simply don't put any in, that way you get more of the drink.
Food:
Well Malia has a huge variety of cuisine that you could go for. There are traditional Greek Restaurants, which you should defiantly check out, as they always out on good shows, i.e. plate throwing and street fires with dancers dancing in the middle. There is also an Indian and Chinese restaurant and well as a Mexican restaurant. If you go to these places expect to pay a bit extra, but its worth it. If the though of expensive food has driving you away don't worry, there is also a McDonalds, Subway, Domino's, local kebab shops…… should I go on. Food is not a problem in Malia; I suppose its all down to one's taste and preference. Alternatively if you are doing self catering like we did, it would work out cheaper if you paid a visit to the local supermarket. The biggest and cheapest in Malia was Spar Supermarket, which has a greater choice that any tesco or asda in London.
Things Tourists should watch out for:
- Street Children: During the night you will be accustom to seeing street children selling whistles, and party gear, although they may seem cheap, there is a deeper meaning. Whilst one child persuades you to buy the goods, another will be trying to pick pocket you, so be very careful, always stay in a group. - Malia Touts: These again you will see night after night, they will grab you by the hand and try to lure you into a club or bar or event, best bet is to just walk away, again staying in a group often enough discourages touts to prey on you. - Finally the Malia police who ask anyone who's been to Malia, have a reputation for being a bunch of no braining, arrogant idiots. They love preying on tourists, especially the one's who are drunk, so again be careful and just don't get into trouble.
Money Exchange: It's a best bet that you should generally get your money exchanged at home before you go on holiday as it saves you the hassle to doing it when on holiday. In the event that you forget to change your money, there are several money exchange shops that will exchange money for you, and in most cases you will get a better rate than any Marks and Spencer's.
Quick Notes: - The time difference is GMT +2 - Always carry insurance - Never carry passports with you, keep them somewhere safe - Stay in a group, its just more safer that way
Remember Malia isn't just about drinking; there are things and places to see during the day, which I would recommend.
Advantages: Lots of nightlife Disadvantages: quite expensive
...go to the resort of Malia, you fly into Heraklion Airport, and although I've been to a lot smaller airports with a lot less facilities, I have never been to an airport that takes as little consideration to the amount of people the building will actually hold as this one. The seating area itself is large with a separate smoking section, but there simply are not enough seats to go around and there is very little standing room. There is no air conditioning ... ...and irritable.
May 2004
This year things were better. We flew from Gatwick North Terminal into Heraklion, and the only complaint I really had was that we arrived about 5 minutes after a flight from Manchester, and although they have 2 baggage carousels they unloaded both sets of luggage onto the same one. It was bedlam. Other than that, and a slow check in process on my flight home, I can’t really complain!
The hotels
August 2003 - Aeolas Beach
...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Hot, Great nightlife, Lots to do. Disadvantages: Scary Greek men, quite expensive in some places.
...for 2 weeks holiday in Malia, which wasn’t particularly cheap, as we met people who were staying right in the centre, and they had only paid £250 and they had their own pool.
~*~DURING THE DAY~*~
Whilst we were there, we didn’t do a huge amount during the day. We slept in quite late, believe me you will need it, if you roll in at 7am like we did! After a nice lie in, the best thing to do is sunbathe, have a wander to find where you ... ...It’s pretty dangerous driving in Malia, everyone drives quite erratically. We didn’t have to show any driving licences or passports when we hired out our scooters. One piece of advice I will give you, is make sure you get fully comprehensive insurance when you hire anything, there is often quite a difference in the prices, but if you don’t the Greeks have been known to follow you back to your apartments and damage your scooters, ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: hot, party atmosphere, something for everyone, Disadvantages: its too hot, most places are not air conditioned, all the clubs are meat markets
...every other drinking establishment in Malia, the main foci (?) were getting hammered and pulling. The phrase ‘meat market’ does not do justice to the Beach Road!
So, Malia is a definite recommendation as a groups holiday. Less expensive and clichéd than Ayia Napa/Ibiza yet seemingly just as much fun if dancing till dawn/sleeping past mid day floats your boat. There is plenty to do during the day both independently and through the package ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great weather and soon got fit Disadvantages: No working safe deposit boxes, poor hygiene in the apartments and the area is quite expensive for food, drink and activities
Malia, stated as being the in place for 2001 is situated on the North East side of the island of Crete. I only choose Greece again due to the great time I had in Kos last year, but as I was going with a group of people, I let them deal with the booking this time round. They went down to the Traveltext place in Nottingham and booked through Summer Sun and were flying with Carrier Air 2000 (non of wich I have ever heard of). Summer Sun were not the ... ...accomodation is very basic in Malia, and I mean basic. All you have is a bathroom with the usual amenities. The toilet however is very basic. It is the usual basin but no toilet paper can be deposited down them. All used toilet paper must be placed into the bin provided next to the toilet, which got cleaned / emptied every 3 or more days. The kitchen is basically two rings (one big, one small), and a fridge which just worked, then your sleeping area. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Drinking from 10pm til 7am :p Disadvantages: Not much to do during the day
Malia! WOW!
Just came back from a holiday in Malia Crete, 8 of us guys went for 2 weeks (which is to long btw) and had an awesome time :D
If your after ANYTHING from a holiday other than sun, sex and nightlife then simply dont go to Malia lol... thats ALL there is to do there- but like us 8 lads that was all we wanted!
The place itself is unusual the town only lives for the night and that doesnt start out there til 12 midnight- during the day ... ...pool and there is simply nothing else to do- we were there for 2weeks and we went water park twice and a Cruise other than that ever day was the same!
Food is great out there, hotel food is horrible but if you eat out a meal and a drink is only about 10euros, and at brekie you can get a 2.90euros from almost everywhere!
During the day finding things to fill your time with is difficult- theres a few shops out there that sell day trips to water parks, ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Location and the friendly staff Disadvantages: Not but going on the complex at the day and night
...Me and my girlfriend went in august 2006 and luved it. The Hotel is in a top location. Its is a 5 min walk to the main strip where all the night clubs are (which we were there every night out till 7 in the morning) The hotel is very clean and the owners and staff r really nice. It has its own private beach and the staff will stay up as long as u r buying drinks and food. Me and my girlfriend luv going on holidays where all the clubs are open all night and morning and Malia is the place for this. If u want a quiet holiday go to Stalis (Its just down the road from Malia). We went to Lagana in Crete this year and it was nothing compared to Malia. I would defo recommend to go to Aeolos Beach in Malia if u want to chill out through the day and party hard at the night. We luv it that much we r booking to go next year....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Plenty to see and do Disadvantages: Club 18-30 crowd could be a bit loud
...Just returned from a weeks holiday in Malia in Crete. When I heard Malia was a resort with a lot of clubs I didn't really fancy it, but once I arrived all that changed.
There is quite a lot of the Club 18-30 crowd there, but there are so many bars and resteraunts, that you don't have to be surrounded by clubbers at all.
Among the best of the resteraunts is the only Mexican one in Malia, which gives excellent portions at reasonable prices, and teh food is great.
If you go, take a trip to Spinalonga. This is an island off the coast of Crete which started out as a Venetian fortress, and became a leper colony, which was in use until as recently as the 1950's. The guides on the island give a really good tour of the island, and the colony which is being restored.
There is also some really good scuba diving in Crete. We traveled...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Good fun, the people are friendly Disadvantages: none
...A few months ago I went on holiday to Crete, and stayed in a town called Malia. We were lucky to be staying in an apartment which was very close to the town and beach.
Malia attracts lots of youngsters with plenty of nightclubs and taverna's to choose from. Although the nightlife in Malia is excellent, Malia is also suitable for families with small children. There's plenty of architecture and sites to visit during your stay. And the beach is so beautiful, you could quite easily loose track of time here. There's plenty of water sports available from the banana ride, paragliding and the big rubber rings what you sit in that the boats pull. For the less adventerous, you can just lay on a sunbed reading or sleeping.
I went in October, and found this the perfect time of year to go. It wasn't so busy, and not so hot either...
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12.09.2007
26.07.2000
16.02.2001
