Agia Lake south of Chania in Crete

Agia Lake, or Agia Reservoir, is considered to be the best birdwatching spot in Crete. (I know better places, for example Faneromenis Lake near Zaros.) Even if you are not interested in birds, it might be worth going here. It is a very beautiful and lush place, one could say it is a small oasis, and there are several tavernas by the lake. A walkway, funded by EU, runs around parts of the lake. Unfortunately it is not possible to walk around the whole lake.

The best period to see a lot of birds is in the spring and autumn when migratory birds stop at the lake to rest and eat. Ideally you should be here early in the morning or at dusk. To bring a good binoculars are of course a good idea. But you can see birds of different species even without binoculars.

One of the tavernas by Agia Lake. The Little Fun Train is seen on the left in the picture.

To get here by motor vehicle, you follow the main road south towards Alikinaos, Omalos and Samaria. After about five kilometres you turn right towards the village of Agia. There are several roads to Agia Lake, this one is the best as you get closer to the lake. The easiest way is to follow the signs with a swan. The sign also says the name of the taverna: Erasma café. If you choose to drive towards Limni café, you will not get the same overview of the lake.

The birdwatchers' lake Agia Lake south of Chania.

The Little Fun Train from Platanias or Agia Marina has Agia Lake included in one of their tours. This particular tour is called Blue Lagoon and also includes Platanias, Iardanos, Patelari, Kirtomado and Galatas.

If you like birdwatching, you should not miss Faneromenis Lake near Zaros.

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