Freediving near Heraklion: try it, take a course or go spearfishing
Freedive Crete is in Plakias, on the south coast of Crete, about 2 hours by car from Heraklion. We teach freediving and spearfishing in the Libyan Sea. Here is how to get to us from Heraklion and how a day with us works.
How to get to Plakias from Heraklion
By car
About 110 km, roughly 2 h each way without stops. That is a routing estimate: summer traffic and the winding road over the mountains to the south coast can add time.
Directions in Google MapsBy public bus (KTEL)
Take the KTEL bus from Heraklion to Rethymno, about 1.5 hours, with buses roughly every hour in the current timetable. At Rethymno bus station change to the bus for Plakias. The Rethymno-Plakias bus takes about 40 minutes and runs up to about six times a day in summer, and its timetable changes with the season, with fewer buses outside summer. Allow 3 hours or more each way and check both timetables.
Official timetables:
By taxi
Taxis run from Heraklion to Plakias. Agree the fare with the driver or the taxi rank before you set off. It is a long round trip, so compare it with letting us arrange your transport below.
We arrange your transport
Tell us where you are staying in Heraklion, the date and how many you are, and we arrange the transport for you, there and back, timed with your session. No comparing taxis or working out bus changes.
Price: quoted with your booking.
The message is pre-filled. Add your hotel, date, number of people and activity, then send.
What you can do with us
Try freediving
Discover Freediving is a half-day first session with an instructor beside you, no experience needed. From €160 per person in a group.
See pricesFreediving courses
Molchanovs, SSI and AIDA certification courses, usually 2 to 4 days. From €360 per person in a group.
See the coursesSpearfishing
Discover Spearfishing is a half-day first session on gear, safety and technique. Courses and coaching for experienced divers too. From €160 per person in a group.
See spearfishingHow a day with us works
- Leave Heraklion around 7:00 and reach Plakias by about 9:00.
- Half-day session: a Discover Freediving or Discover Spearfishing first session, or one day of a course.
- Lunch in Plakias, then drive back and be in Heraklion in the early evening.
- Courses run over 2 to 4 days. That is about 4 hours of driving a day from Heraklion, so stay in Plakias for the course.
We agree the session start time with you when you book. Rooms in Plakias
Questions from visitors
- How far is Plakias from Heraklion?
- About 110 km, roughly 2 hours by car each way. By bus it takes 3 hours or more, with a change in Rethymno.
- Is a day trip from Heraklion worth it?
- For a half-day first session, yes, if you start early. For a course of 2 to 4 days, stay in Plakias instead of driving 4 hours a day.
- Can you arrange transport from my hotel in Heraklion?
- Yes. Send us your hotel, date and group size and we arrange the transport there and back, timed with your session. The price depends on the date and group size, so we quote it with your booking.
- Can I get to Plakias from Heraklion by bus?
- Yes: KTEL from Heraklion to Rethymno, then the Rethymno-Plakias bus. The second bus runs only a few times a day, so check both timetables first.
Want to try scuba too? Our partner next door, Scuba Diving Crete