9 Malia Tours to Build a Day Around

1.Off-Road Quad Safari with Lunch/Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 664 reviews · 5 hours · from $82Our pick

Take a five-hour self-drive quad safari from Malia through olive groves, villages, and dusty mountain tracks. Your English-speaking guide gives beginners a short lesson, leads you to Milatos Cave and Prophet Elias chapel, visits Lyrakis Family olive oil factory, and finishes with lunch or dinner.

“Huge thanks to our guide Nedi who was taking care of us the entire safari. He told us intresting facts about the visited places, took amazing photos of us and made sure we are having fun! Which we definitely did! Thank you so much! We finnished our tour with the lottery and got to try their local home made drink. Nedi was super helpful, hospitable and a great photographer. Till next times! :))”

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2.Quad Off-Road Tour to Villages with Hotel Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 557 reviews · 4 hours · from $67

Join a small group of up to eight for a four-hour quad ride from Malia through Krasi, Gonies, Mochos, and Aposelemis Dam. You’ll visit Kera Monastery, sample olive oil, stop for photos, and tackle dusty mountain tracks. Hotel pickup, fuel, helmets, water, and a guide are included.

“It was an amazing experience, the guide was very nice and entertaining. Well spent first day at Crete. Definitely an activity to do whilst your in the area. Price is reasonable, worth the time and experience. Perfect location spots and amazing pictures taken by the guide.”

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3.Snorkeling Boat Trip with Lunch and Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 345 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $81

Cruise from Malia past Stalis and Hersonissos to Saint George Bay on a small motor yacht. You’ll get hotel pickup, snorkeling gear, two swim stops, lunch, fruit, dessert, wine, soft drinks, and an English, Greek, or German-speaking guide. The family-run crew keeps the outing friendly and relaxed.

“Enjoyed every minute. The food was good but the red wine wasn’t really to my taste. The crew were really helpful as I have a walking disability. I wished it was longer.”

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4.From Heraklion,Agia Pelagia,Malia: Samaria Gorge Guided Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 298 reviews · 12 - 14 hours · from $53Best value

Set out from Heraklion, Malia, Agia Pelagia, and nearby resorts for a 17-kilometer trek through Samaria Gorge. Your mountain escort explains the route, waits at the back of the group, and helps as needed. Finish with free time in Agia Roumeli before the ferry to Sfakia.

“If like walking around new places and beautiful landscapes, then this trip it's a must. I have to admit it not easy and you should pack a lot of patience and good shoes to get through the gorge, but in the end it will all be worth it. The guide was very friendly and walked with us until the end (actually he started a bit later to be able to check on travelers who maybe had issues, but caught us close to the finish line). You shouldn't forget your sunscreen and some bottles of water. There are springs at resting spots so you can refill the bottles. You finish at…”

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5.Quad Safari with Monastery, Malia Palace and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 232 reviews · 5 hours · from $93

Ride a 520cc quad from Malia through olive groves, mountain tracks, Vrahasi village, and the 16th-century Monastery of Saint George Vrahassotis. You’ll stop at an 800-year-old oak, eat lunch in Latsida, taste award-winning olive oil at Vasilakis Estate, and finish with a swim at Potamos Beach.

“Really good day, friendly instructors just all round really enjoyed ourselves. Good value for money would definitely recommend doing .. scenery is fantastic in the hills .. nice meal as well .”

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6.Off-Road Quad Safari Tour with Lunch and Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 137 reviews · 6 hours · from $89

You’ll drive or share a quad from Malia through olive groves, vineyards, forest tracks, and mountain roads to Vrachasi and Sisi. Guides including Nikos and Andrej lead the route, with a village coffee stop, swimming, a tavern meal, and a sandy coastal ride.

“Really enjoyed every bit of it would highly recommend if your in Greece”

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7.Off-Road Quad Safari Evening Tour with Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 103 reviews · from $90

Join Safari Experts Crete for a five-hour evening quad tour from Malia or Hersonissos. After a beginner-friendly safety lesson, ride through olive groves and villages, stop at Prophet Elias Chapel and an olive oil factory, swim near Sissi, then enjoy dinner. English, French, and German instruction is available.

“Top Guides, High level of safety through guided tour and Speed. Perfect set up in the evening.”

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8.Crete Pirate Ship Cruise with the Black Rose to Stalis and Malia

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 103 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $64

Sail from Hersonissos on the Black Rose, a pirate-style ship bound for St. George’s Bay, Stalis, and Malia. You’ll swim, snorkel, eat a BBQ lunch, and enjoy playful pirate entertainment. The four-and-a-half-hour trip suits families and casual beach lovers, but stops and food quality can vary.

“Bonne ambiance, belle balade, le beau temps c'était top ! Petit repas et baignade depuis le pont du bateau excellent !”

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9.Guided Sunset Quad Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 99 reviews · from $73

You’ll drive a 520cc ATV from Sisi into Crete’s mountain countryside, passing muddy tracks, forests, Vrachasi, Saint Peter, and a monastery before reaching the coast for sunset. A guide leads the ride, with hotel pickup, helmets, fuel, and cold water included.

“We only booked the trip the night before and soon after I got a WhatsApp message offering us the daytime safari as the weather did not look as good for the afternoon/ evening. The whole experience was brilliant - we used the buggies and had the best time. We visited a beautiful beach village, a famous cave, a monastery, climbed more of the mountains then had an olive oil factory tour and tastings. We finished with a lovely lunch in a traditional Greek taverna before getting back to base and being taken to our hotel. We even got sent photos our guide took during the day after we returned to…”

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