Gerani is a coastal village in the northwest of Crete situated between the villages of Platanias and Maleme (approx. 2 kilometer). It lies on the Old National Road and it is also not far from a junction with the new national highway, so there is easy access to other places on the island. A little further, just west of Rethymno is another seaside village with the same name. This village of Gerani is located 14 km east of Chania. Gerani has a long beach that is partly organized (with umbrellas and sunbeds) and partly not. You can also enjoy water sports. The village is somewhat spread out along the coast. On the sea you find the new part of the village where most accommodations are (called Pano Gerani) and further inland is the old Gerani (Gerani Palaio). Through the village of Gerani runs a small river. There are a number of taverns and cafes, a few supermarkets, a bakery and a petrol station in the village of Gerani and there is a regular bus service to the city of Chania. Gerani is less developed for tourism as its neighbor, the village of Platanias and it is therefore also slightly more quiet.

Platanias is one of the tourist villages in the northwest of Crete along the main road and the sea between Kolimbari and Chania. The area is rather flat and it consists of one village / hotel after another. Real authentic Greece is not te be found here. It is more a world of concrete and fastfood restaurants. The village attracts the tourists because of its three kilometer long and 35 meter wide beach. It is sometimes refered to as the Chersonissos of the west, but it is less touristic than that and the beach is much larger, wider and better. There are many hotels, apartments and taverna's. It's a good place for people that want to be in a more lively surrounding and that are looking for a stylish hotel.

Kolimbari is an atractive village at the beginning of the Rodopos peninsula in the north west of Crete, with a long pebble beach on the east side (called Tavroniti), some dilapedated houses, and lots of fish restaurants. It's surrounded by the high mountains (with caves) and connected with other villages nearby (the whole road from Tavronitis to Kolombari is one village after another). Being away so far from Heraklion and its airport hopefully keeps it quiet in the near future.

As it is now the village of Kolimbari makes more the impression of being a fishermans village where there are also some tourists visiting. The village is popular with the inhabitants of Chania that like to come to Kolimbari because of the good fish restaurants. Mass tourism as you will find in villages like Chersonissos and Malia is unknown here. There are however enough restaurants, shops, apartments and rooms for rent for people who want to stay longer than a few hours and like to relax and experience the village both at evening and at daytime. Compared to some of the other beaches in the north of Crete the long sand- and pebble beach of Kolimbari seems dreamingly quiet.

On a hill just outside the village you can see the 17th century Monastery of Gonies, that is still inhabited by five monks. Here you find a small museum with religious artefacts like bibles with silver covers, silver crosses, priests vestments and old icons dating back as far as the 13th century. Some of these icons are concidered to belong to the most imporant icons of the island of Crete. The monastery of Gonies was built between 1618 and 1634 and is one of the most important monasteries on Crete. The monastery has a reputation of resistance towards the occupying forces throughout the centuries and has regularly been attacked, damaged and re-built.