Kalamaki
Kalamaki is Crete's most accessible surf spot—a south-facing beach near Heraklion that catches rare winter swells when Mediterranean storms generate southerly fetch. The waves are inconsistent and often windswept, but when clean conditions align, local surfers celebrate the opportunity to ride Greek waves. The setting combines ancient Minoan civilization history with modern tourism infrastructure. This is Greek island surfing: chase Poseidon forecast obsessively, score occasionally, and appreciate the mythology of it all.
Today's Conditions
Find FlightsLocation & Conditions
Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows
Tide times today
Strike Score Breakdown
Plan Your Strike
Return flights to HER, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
Search Flights on SkyscannerLocation & Conditions
Know when Mediterranean is about to fire
Get the best strike windows in Mediterranean — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.
Get the full Kalamaki trip window
Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.
10-day window
See the trip window before flights get expensive.
Unlimited alerts
Let the app watch your score threshold for you.
Custom spots
Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.
Spot Details
CustomizeCustomize this spotSwell Requirements
- Optimal direction
- SW (220°)
- Direction range
- 190° - 260°
- Size range
- 1m - 2.5m
- Ideal size
- 2.0m
- Height multiplier
- 0.97×
- Ideal period
- 11s+
Wind Requirements
- Optimal direction
- N (0°)
- Offshore range
- 330° - 30°
Tide Requirements
- Optimal tide
- all
Water temp
16°C
Wetsuit
4/3mm fullsuit
Difficulty
4/10
Crowd level
6/10
Access: Beach access near Heraklion airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tide is best at Kalamaki?
Kalamaki handles all stages of the tide, so time your session around the wind instead. The live chart above shows the next few days.
What wind direction is offshore at Kalamaki?
Offshore wind at Kalamaki blows from the N (0°). Anything in the 330° to 30° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.
What swell size and direction work best at Kalamaki?
Kalamaki wants SW swell (190° to 260°) between 1m and 2.5m, with a period of 11s or more for quality waves.
When is the best time of year to surf Kalamaki?
The main season at Kalamaki is Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. A secondary window runs Oct, Mar. Winter Mediterranean storms. Spring secondary.
How do I get to Kalamaki?
Fly into HER, then allow about 15 minutes by road. Beach access near Heraklion airport.
What kind of wave is Kalamaki?
Kalamaki is a beach break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 4/10.
Best Season
Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
Secondary: Oct, Mar
Winter Mediterranean storms. Spring secondary.