South Crete: Lentas and Ditiko (Dytiko or
Diskos) beach
I woke up from the sound of the sea. I opened
the window and I saw it in front of me. I am in Lentas, on the
beach Ditiko (Dytiko) or "Diskos",
roughly one kilometer west after Lentas in southern Crete.
The western wind brings big waves at this beach and water deepens
very abruptly. Hardly three steps and your feet do not reach the
bottom.
The beach Ditiko (Diskos) resembles a place forgotten from time.
It still is the paradise of camping and tens of tents are set up
each summer under the enormous lion-shaped rock that dominates
above Lentas. Lentas comes from the Greek word "Leontas", which
means "lion". A lion that protects the south coast of Crete...
This rock keeps the sunrays away from the tents in the early morning,
thus preventing the early morning rise. Surely, the campers all
over, consider this a great advantage. Of course there are plenty
of tamarisk trees, which offer their shade almost throughout the
day.
Although hippies have been "extinct" from the remainder world, "Diskos" is
the place where you may meet a few of them, occasional or permanent.
You will find them on the beach having set up offhand lodgings
or in front of the tavern "Odysseus" with their benches, selling
cheap jewels.
There are plenty of rooms for rent on beach Ditiko (Diskos) plus
3-4 taverns. People resorting
here, love the wild beauty of nature, the relaxed and primitive
atmosphere and the makings of relative isolation this long beach
has to offer.
The beach Ditiko (Diskos) is an established beach for naturists
and a lot of families and young couples take to the enjoyment of naturism. In the part of the beach in front of the taverns, there
is a more conservative atmosphere, with "dressed" bathers
only.
In case you're asking about the things you can do on the beach
Ditiko (Diskos), the answer is simple: get some rest, relax, enjoy
the sea, meditate on the beach, feel the power and the energy of
this very special place. The beach Ditiko (Diskos) is a part where
anything could happen and attitudes are not determined. The surprises
are not absent, as you are likely to witness in amazement, a girl
dancing on the beach at night carried away by the magic of this
place. The scenery is beautiful throughout the day, from early
morning until late in the nightfall. When the night falls, beach
fires are lighted up, the guitars are taken out from their sheaths
and neat small companies are formed. Most of the frequenters, are
directed to the taverns or the small beach bar, each one following
their own rhythms and mood and choose what is most pleasant for
them and what will make them feel good.
For the days when western wind will make the sea unsettled and
too wavy for swimming, the alternative is the nearby protected
small port of Lentas . Here the seafront is usually much calmer
and the water is equally clean and less abrupt. There are a lot
more rooms and taverns and a few coffee-bars.
The beach is sandy with a few trees valuable for their shade.
The community has set up umbrellas that are offered free of charge
(!) to the visitors. However, you will probably have to wake up
very early in the morning to find one available.
If you have a snorkeling mask with you, you may swim to the last
tavern on your right (westwards), and you are likely to realize
that one or more "Caretta - Caretta" sea turtles swim next to
you (*** protected species
of sea turtles found in certain areas of Greece).
ARTICLE by Yannis Samatas
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