Elafonisi Beach, Beach in southwest Crete, Greece.

Elafonisi is a beach in southwestern Crete with a shallow lagoon stretching between the mainland and an offshore islet. The water remains knee-deep or shallower across an area roughly 50 to 100 meters wide, allowing visitors to wade across to the island.

During the Greek War of Independence in 1821, local villagers died on the islet. A lighthouse was built in 1939 following a maritime wreck that occurred nearby years earlier.

The name Elafonisi means deer island, though no deer have been seen there for generations. The shallow lagoon between the islet and the mainland stays ankle-deep for most of the year, and a narrow channel separates the islet from Crete, shallow enough to wade across. A lighthouse stands at the far end of the islet.

The sandbar between the Cretan shore and the islet of Elafonisi lies in shallow water, so you can wade out to the island; only a narrow channel separates the two. The beach faces southwest and is exposed, with little shade on the open sand. The small village of Elafonisi stands opposite the islet on the Cretan coast, and a lighthouse marks the far end of the island.

The islet at Elafonisi is uninhabited and carries a lighthouse at its far end. The sandbar linking it to Crete lets bathers walk or wade across the narrow channel, and the beach on the reef is a popular swimming spot.