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With its sandy beach and vivid blue lagoon, the tiny, tropical-looking island of Elafonisi is barely separable from the Crete shoreline. Daily boat trips from Palaiochora (May–Sep) take an hour each way (see Elafonisi).

This tiny islet, a stone’s throw from the mainland, may in Venetian or Byzantine times have been a preserve for deer, for its name means “deer island”. Between Elafonisi and the shore is a lagoon of turquoise water. It is possible to reach the island simply by wading (see Elafonisi).

The very rare Eleonora’s falcon breeds on some of Crete’s offshore islands and can sometimes be seen performing its remarkable aerobatics above the steep cliffs of Zakros, in eastern Crete.

Endemic to Crete, the tough evergreen plane has evolved to cope with the harsh island environment.

Europe’s southernmost point, where a few simple guesthouses, tavernas and beaches welcome visitors. Boats sail daily in summer from Palaiochora and Chora Sfakion; journey time around 4 hours.

Big-eyed gecko lizards, with suckertipped fingers that enable them to cling to walls and ceilings, inhabit many older buildings, coming out after dark to hunt insects. You may see several clinging to the wall near outdoor lamps, waiting to snap up moths and mosquitoes attracted by the light.

At the mouth of a river, 20 km (13 miles) west of Rethymno, lies Georgioupoli. It’s a quiet resort, the hub of the village provided by a taverna- and cafélined square shaded by plane trees. Georgioupoli’s hotel and self-catering accommodation is spread out along an expansive sandy beach.

The giant calamus reed grows as high as 4 m (13 ft) on the banks of Cretan streams.

A tiny patch of pebble and sand reachable only by scrambling along a rocky cliff path, or by boat from Loutro or Chora Sfakion.