Crete is one of the most convenient of the Greek islands to reach not only because it is close to the mainland but because it has major airports and ports. To get to Gavalochori, you have to travel either by plane or by boat, and you have various options whichever one you choose.
To get to Gavalochori by air, you will either fly into Chania (Χανιά), which is on the Western side of Crete, or into Heraklion (Ηράκλειο), which is in the center of the island. Try to fly into Chania because it is only 35 kilometers (22 miles) from Gavalochori, while the airport in Heraklion is 116 kilometers (72 miles) from Gavalochori.
The Ioannis Daskalogiannis Airport in Chania hosts regular year-round service by Aegean/Olympic and SkyExpress airlines. It also services seasonal (April through October) destinations operated by many airlines that offer direct flights throughout Europe. During the off season, travelers seeking to go anywhere but Athens need to change planes in Athens, which has year-round service by all of the major airlines that serve Greece.
In Heraklion, the airport is the Nikos Kazantzakis Airport, the second busiest airport in Greece. Heraklion has a full complement of year-round and seasonal carriers.
Another option for getting to Gavalochori is via the ferry from the port of Piraeus (Πειραιάς). The ferry will leave you off at the port of Souda (Σούδα), which is the commercial port for Chania; it is 21 kilometers (13 miles) from Gavalochori. One advantage of taking the ferry, of course, is that you can bring your car with you if you have one. The ferry takes 7 to 8 hours, however, versus about 35 minutes on the plane, and the fare is usually about the same as a plane ticket. In addition, the trip is on the open sea, so don’t think of it as a scenic cruise where you will have a view of charming islands.
