Apollonia Beach Resort & Spa - Heraklion

The “Myth” of the Beach

The local folk tale says that the reef that runs along the entire Amoudara’s beach to the estuary of Giofiros river was built by the Byzantines to curb the attempts of the Arabs and the Saracens to occupy the Chandakas around 600-700 AD.

Marine Fauna and Flora of Apollonia Beach:

The coastal sea area at Apollonia Beach is made up of a sandy bottom with depths of no more than 3 meters, and then there is an extensive reef that runs along the entire Ammoudara beach to the estuary of the Giofiros river. It is a reef that hosts not only a significant number of flora and fauna but also interesting geological formations. In reality of course it is an old shoreline sandstone rock (beach rock formations) structured by the existence of freshwater from the four rivers that flow into the sea and submarine vents and so by physico-chemical processes that take place the rock is formed.

Small fishes pass by and live in search for food on the seaweed that grows on the reef. Larger as german (Siganus sp) and small sarguses form flocks swimming indolently. The sea urchins, hard-hooked, move slowly scraping the rock and eating the microalgae. Crabs are circulating in the slits of the rocks. Although they are big in size, they fear the presence of the man, disappearing when noticing him. Using a mask, a snorkel and a pair of flippers, a small lens and a small underwater camera, the visitor can see the life of the reef and capture it with the camera.

You can start from the shallows and see the small plaices in the sandy bottom and the king-fishes looking for food in the sand. Starfish sprout out of the sand and start their afternoon sherry. Passing the reef, you will see a submarine landscape with seagrass meadows at depths of 5-6 meters. A unique marine plant, endemic to the Mediterranean that forms vast meadows and hosts a large number of species. If you are lucky, you may see skate rays resting in the meadow, and maybe odd large fish can reach you silently by running out of the blue of the open sea.

Land Fauna and Flora of Apollonia Beach:

The dunes are the result of the action of the sea and the wind. These are sensitive and dynamic ecosystems that harbor plenty of plants and animals. Their ecological significance is great and is attributed to the dune vegetation, which has a primary structural role in their creation and preservation as this vegetation retains the sand, stabilizes the coastline and the soil from the corrosive action of the sea and the wind and acts as a protective natural dam (seawater and salinization of the aquifer, wind intensity) for the hinterland.

In addition, dams are fragile and fragile ecosystems that have adapted to changes caused by natural causes (wind, wave), and regardless of sandy deposits (extent, thickness, height), they play an important role in the underground hydrology of the wider region and this is due to the fact that they have considerable storage capacity with respect to the underground waters that they harbor in their mass.

Organisms living in dun-dwelling ecosystems are adapted to live in the hostile environment of dunes characterized by lack of fresh water and high salinity values of the air. At the same time, dunes protect the soil from the corrosive action of the sea. In the dunes we will find precursor plants close to the wave and first in the range of sand dunes that have adapted to this dry and hostile environment, having developed particular features such as small size, light green colors, thorns, hard and hairy leaves as well as a deep powerful root system. Then we will find the sandy species. Plants needed to stabilize younger dunes thanks to their powerful and extensive root system. They prepare the ground for its colonization by other species such as the water lily (Pancratium maritimum). This is a characteristic and emblematic type of sand dunes because as it blooms the beaches acquire a unique beauty. It forms bulbs in deep depth and dense clusters in the sand.

Sustainable Waste Management

Please dispose of glass objects, packaging and other waste only in the designated recycling containers. It is forbidden to throw any kind of objects into the sea or leave them on the beach.

Wetland of Almyros near Apollonia Beach Resort & Spa

The wetland of Almyros Heraklion, coded GR431389000 and named “Artificial lake of Almyros”, is located in the Municipality of Malevizi, about 1.5 kilometers northwest of the center of the municipal district of Gazi. It is a heterogeneous wetland system fed by two underground aquifers with seasonally changing salinity. In the area of discharge there is a lake which has undergone significant modifications over the years. Initially there were watermills, while in the 1970s a barrier was lifted to reduce the salinity of the water, something that was never achieved. At this point, the bed has been modified, and then the water follows a steady bed which locally forms saltwater ponds, seasonal ponds, reedbeds and eventually flows into the sea. Finally, efforts have been made to exploit the water of Almyros for water supply and irrigation.

In the wetland as well as in the wider area, 21 different habitat types correspond to approximately ¼ of the total habitat of Crete. Next to the river bank there are reed trout (Phragites australis and Arundo donax) and together with Tamarix parviflora are important habitats for the bird species. Naturally occurring wetlands are also Phoenix theophrastii palm trees. In the Almyros River and in the perimeter of the river, 11 species of mammals, 206 species of birds, 6 reptile species, 3 species of amphibians and 4 species of fish have been recorded. In the past, the wetland hosts large populations of riverturtles (Mauremys rivulata), but due to the degradation of their interests and their fishery, their current population is considerably reduced compared to what existed until some years ago. Unfortunately, the invertebrates in the area are very little studied.