Preveli Beach, Beach destination with palm grove in southern Crete, Greece.

Preveli Beach is a coastal area in southern Crete where a river flows through dense palm growth and forms clear pools before reaching the Libyan Sea. The narrow sandy shore is framed by steep cliffs, with vegetation extending nearly to the water's edge.

The beach area shows traces of human settlement extending over 130,000 years into the past, confirmed through archaeological discoveries. These findings indicate the region was inhabited during the earliest periods of human history.

The name comes from the Moni Preveli monastery, which owns the river mouth and lower gorge; its buildings stand 1.5 km away at 170 m above sea level. On the east bank behind the beach is the disused 14th–15th-century chapel of Agios Savvas. Local legend says Odysseus stayed by Lake Preveli on his way home from Troy.

The beach can be reached via two routes: from the west through Kato Monastery or from the east via Drimiskiano Amoudi. Both paths involve hiking, so bring sturdy shoes and plenty of water.

In early summer 2009, an American team found stone tools on the western slopes of the Preveli Gorge, the oldest dated to 130,000 years ago. No remains of their makers were found, and since Crete was never connected to the mainland in that period, the tools suggest the island was reached by sea.