CRETE TRAVEL GUIDE

Crete Travel Guide
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5 Camping
Camping can save you
some money, with most
campsites charging around
half the cost of a budget
room for a tent and two
people. On the downside,
few campsites are easy to
get to using public transport,
and camping means carrying
a tent.
Working Holidays
Finding casual work picking fruit or olives is less
easy than it was, as migrants from Albania and other
eastern European countries provide a supply of cheap
labour. Bar and restaurant work in resorts is very poorly
paid (most earnings are from tips), with very long hours.
If you have a degree in English you may find work
teaching in a private language school. In theory, EU
citizens do not need work permits.
7 Hitch-hiking
Hitching can be a good way of getting around the
island (especially to out-of-theway spots), and Cretans
themselves frequently hitch-hike. Off the beaten track,
where there is little traffic, you may have to wait for
hours in hot sun.
Cheap Eats
Giros stands (see Giros
(Kebab) Stands) offer the
cheapest tasty hot meals in
Crete. Markets are piled with
inexpensive fruit in summer,
and if you stick to picnicking
on fruit, olives, cheese and
freshbaked bread (the healthy diet of the Cretan villager),
you can live on surprisingly little. In restaurants, Greek
salad (onions, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and a slab of
feta cheese, drowned in oil) is a cheap meal in its own
right. Fish is always the most expensive dish on any
menu, and chicken and squid are usually the cheapest.
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Drinking and Entertainment
A half-litre bottle of beer or a half-litre of wine in an
old-fashioned local café is usually half the price of a
smaller beer or a fancy cocktail in a smart café-bar.
Admission to most discos and clubs in resorts is free,
but drinks are expensive. Make the most of half-price
happy hour in lively resorts like Chersonisos and Malia.
10
Resorts to Avoid
Budget travellers should avoid the purpose-built
north coast resorts – including Elounda, Malia,
Chersonisos, Bali and Georgioupoli – which cater to a
captive market of high-spending holidaymakers.
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Health and Security Tips
1 EKPIZO
traveldk.com
The EKPIZO organization helps tourists who encounter
problems with hotels, campsites, car rental and tour
companies while in Crete.
2
Travel Insurance
You should take out comprehensive travel insurance
covering you for private medical treatment and for
evacuation if necessary, as well as for loss or theft of
belongings and expenses incurred due to delayed or
cancelled flights. Make sure your policy will pay for
medical and hospital fees direct and that it covers you
for holiday activities such as trekking, scuba diving, riding,
and motorcycling, as well as for personal liability in the
event of damage to rented cars or motorcycles.
4
3
Minor Ailments
Sunburn and heat
exhaustion and mosquito
bites are easily prevented
(see Things to Avoid). A
basic medical kit should
include painkillers,
anti-histamine tablets and
cream for bites and stings, a
diarrhoea remedy, and
motion sickness tablets for
boat or bus journeys.
Insects and Pests
Hornets, scorpions, tarantulas and vipers all exist
in Crete but are not dangerous unless handled. Their
bites and stings are painful but not normally lethal to
adults, though medical attention should be sought if small
children are bitten.
5
Breakdowns and Accidents
Set up a warning triangle if possible – your hire car
should be equipped with one. If anyone is injured,
passers-by are required to stop and help, and you must
contact the police. If involved in a collision, never admit
liability, sign any statement of responsibility, or lose your
temper. Contact your travel insurance company as soon
as possible.
6 Doctors
There are private medical clinics in all the main
towns. Many doctors speak good English. Consultations
must be paid for in cash.
7 Dentists
Dentists are proficient and can be found in major
towns including Irakleio, Chania, Rethymno, Agios
Nikolaos, Siteia and Ierapetra. You must pay for your
treatment in cash.
8 Hospitals
Greek public hospitals leave much to be desired,
but private hospitals and clinics are as good as any in the
world. Make sure your insurance covers private
treatment.
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Practical Info