Malia holidays

For a quieter night out, Malia has dozens of friendly local bars, cafés and restaurants. The dining scene offers everything from traditional Greek dishes to familiar favourites from home – you'll find pizza, pasta, burgers and even curry dishes on the menu.

Beyond the beach, day trips make it easy to visit the top sights of Crete, such as Heraklion's traditional markets where you can shop for designer leatherwear, artisan-made jewellery or local herbs. Adventurers, meanwhile, can trek through spectacular gorges and hidden valleys, delve into spooky caverns, or ride quad bikes on mountain trails that begin within sight of Malia's beach.

History buffs and culture cravers don't have to go far to find the ruins of ancient Minoan cities and medieval fortresses. At Heraklion's Archaeological Museum, you can marvel at gold and ivory treasures from archaeological sites like Knossos and Festos.

Summer is high season, with guaranteed sunshine and almost no rain from June until the end of September, when daytime temperatures top 30C. Nightlife gets into full swing in July too, with the massive Malia Live Beach Festival that has starred many of Europe's top DJs.

Holiday prices fall with the season, winding down between September and even October. There's plenty of mellow sun at this time of year, the sea has had all summer to warm up, and there's plenty of room on the beach, though many visitor attractions and nightlife venues close for the winter by mid-October.

Malia's beach isn't just for lazing in the sun. Many hotels have their own watersports clubs, and you'll find lots of outfits along the beach offering everything frombanana-boat rides and parascending to jet-skis, windsurfers, paddleboards and pedalos.

For serious thrill-seekers, find a flyboard or jetpack. Propelled by high-pressure hoses, you’ll be boosted high into the air and really get that adrenaline pumping.

Star Beach

More than just a water park, Star Beach is a palm-dotted green oasis on its own sandy bay at Hersonisos, a 15-20 minute drive from Malia.

For kids, there are gentle lazy river rides, water slides and multiple pools. For older daredevils, Star Beach offers an array of exciting activities on, above and under water. There are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from, and a day and night fun scene features foam parties and top DJs.

Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre

Turtles, pythons, chameleons and iguanas are stars of the show at this family attraction in Hersonissos, around a 15-minute drive from Malia.

Clever octopuses and other strange marine creatures from waters around Crete are also on display here, and kids can get up close and personal with exotic creatures and learn more about where they come from.

Ancient Knossos and the Archaeological Museum

With its brightly painted columns and vivid fresco paintings of bulls and dolphins, Knossos - around a 35-minute drive from Malia – is Crete's must-see location.

Combine a visit here with a trip to the Archaeological Museum in nearby Heraklion for a glimpse of ancient treasures.

Ancient Malia

The remains of an incredibly ancient city lie on a hillside just 2 miles (3km) from Malia's old town.

You’ll need to use your imagination to visualise it in its heyday, almost 4,000 years ago, but it's much less busy than Knossos. Wander around the foundations of its royal palace, central courtyard crypts and storehouses at leisure.