Gavalochori is more oriented to history and nature than recreation and sport, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of recreational activities available. A search of the internet, of course, will produce all sorts of businesses that offer recreational and sports experiences, facilities, and equipment, but this will get you started.
Western Crete is well known to bicyclists because of its wide variety of terrain. The roads in and around its 2500-meter-high (8000-foot) White Mountains are often used by biking professionals to train for races such as the Tour de France. In the summer months, you can find a number of shops in the nearby villages of Almyrida (Αλμυρίδα) and Kalyves (Καλύβες) that rent bikes ranging from easy-to-ride leisure bicycles to mountain bikes to competition bicycles. In addition, the area hosts a number of amateur bicycle events. The best place to connect with these is through one of the nearby bike shops. The closest one is in Kalyves, the Adamakis Nikos Motorbike and Bicycle Center, and you can find more information here. A place to begin looking at routes for bicycling fun is here.
Bowling might seem like an odd thing to do while on vacation on Crete, but why not? There is one bowling alley in the Gavalochori area, and it is in the Mega Place complex near Souda (Σούδα), which is 23 kilometers or 14 miles from Gavalochori. You can reserve lanes by contacting the facility directly here.
The most famous diving site in the Gavalochori area is the Elephant Cave, located near the village of Drapanos (Δράπανος), which is 6.2 (4 miles) from Gavalochori. In the cave, you can see stalactites and stalagmites in a spectacular array of colors and shapes, both above and below the water, as well as the fossilized remains of an elephant. This and other diving sites in the area can be accessed through commercial diving centers that operate during the tourist season. The closest one to Gavalochori is the Omega Diving Center in Almyrida (Αλμυρίδα), which is 4 kilometers (2½ miles) from Gavalochori. It offers a wide range of diving experiences, including excursions for beginners, snorkeling, and trips for certified divers. More information is available here.
This website doesn’t usually send you to the east coast of Crete, but the only golf courses on the island are located there. The 18-hole Crete Golf Club and Hotel is located near Chersonisos (Χερσόνησος), which is just east of Heraklion (Ηράκλειο) and not far from the National Road. It is 137 kilometers (85 miles) from Gavalochori. The website of the club can be found here. Farther east in the Elounta (Ελούντα) area is a compact 9-hole course, the Porto Elounta Golf Club and Spa. A distance of 184 kilometers (114 miles) from Gavalochori, the facility is linked to major hotels in the area but is available for use by the public under certain conditions. To contact the club, click here. If you are interested in minigolf, check out the section on activities for children in this website.
There are two gyms in Kalyves (Καλύβες), which is 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Gavalochori. One is the Kalyves Gym, which you can find on the road that leads to the National Road from the “T” junction in Kalyves. The bike shop next door is a very visible landmark because there are usually several bicycles parked outside. Kalyves Gym doesn’t have a website, but you can find out basic information about it by typing Kalyves Gym into Google. The other gym is Kalyves Underground Crossbox, which is on the road that runs west from the “T” junction in Kalyves going toward Kalami (Καλάμι). Information about this gym is available here. Chania (Χανιά) (29 kilometers or 18 miles away) has a number of gyms. Two of the major ones are Planet Fitness and the Befit Urban Training Center.
Horseback riding is available at a number of locations in Western Crete. One of the most established riding centers is the Deres Horse Riding Center, located south of Chania (Χανιά) and 54 kilometers (33 miles) from Gavalochori. The center offers a wide variety of experiences for both novice and experienced riders. You can find more information here.
Crete has no official ski areas, but it has a small band of dedicated skiers who traverse the island’s three major mountain ranges in search of skiing opportunities. Perhaps the word to use for skiing on Crete is emergent. A New York Times article provides a good overview of the situation.
There are many vendors of equipment for use in the water. The place closest to Gavalochori (4 kilometers or 2.4 miles away) is Almyrida Summer Sports, located on the beach in Almyrida (Αλμυρίδα) next to the Almyrida Beach Hotel. It offers a wide range of water-sport rentals, including kayaks, wind-surfing equipment, standup-paddle equipment, pedal boats, and catamarans. You can also book instructional and group tours through the agency. More information is available here.
