Kournas Natural Lake

Kournas Lake is the only natural lake in Crete and one of the most beautiful naturalistic destinations in Chania. The landscape is picturesque, beautiful, idyllic, relaxing. Around the lake, there are hills and mountains which are reflected in the middle of the lake.

The lake changes color because of the dense vegetation and the depth reaches 22.5 meters during the summer period. Its dark color was the reason for creating the myth that the lake has no bottom, while its beauty preserves, until today, the legend of a fairy who lives in the lake. 

The ecosystem of the lake and Delfina river, which flows into the Cretan Sea, is one of the most important of the island and Greece in general,. That's why the area is a part of the Natura 2000 network. It is a station for migratory birds, as well as an environment in which many endemic species of Crete and the Eastern Mediterranean find shelter.

What can you do at Kournas lake? You can taste delicious food or cafe at one of the taverns located there, overlooking the beautiful landscape. You can also ride a sea bike or Canoe Kayak in the lake.  

If you visit it during the summer months, when the waters reced and reveal the white sandy beach that gives the green color to the waters, your options are more: Sunbathing on the beach loungers or swim, walking the perimeter where you will meet ducks and other residents living in the wetland of Kournas. 

The lake is located in the municipality of Apokoronas, east of Chania, close to the borders with the prefecture of Rethymnon. It is 4 km. from the seaside village of Georgioupolis and 2,5 km. From the settlement of Kournas.