Sunset horse riding falasarna

This evening trip pairs a 110-minute horse ride near Falasarna with drone photography and a tavern dinner on the sand. Falasarna faces west, which makes it the best sunset on the north coast of Crete, and the ride is timed so you are in the saddle as the light goes. HappyTravellersTours runs it over 6 hours from €250 including hotel pick-up, and it holds a 4.9 rating across 17 reviews.

What this experience actually does

The evening moves from stable to saddle to table across about 6 hours. Three parts make it up.

First you choose a trail, and the choice is made on riding ability rather than preference. Beginners take the countryside route through green trails, local herbs and mountain views as the sun starts to drop. Experienced riders take the coastal route along the shoreline with an unobstructed view of the sunset, beach rides are restricted to experienced riders for safety. Second, a drone follows the ride, producing photos and video you keep. Third, the evening ends at a beachfront tavern with a tasting of local dishes, eaten with your feet in the sand.

The ride itself lasts 1 hour 50 minutes, which is long for a holiday trek.

Places this tour visits

The evening happens on the far west coast of the Chania regional unit.

• Falasarna, the ride and the sunset are at Falassarna beach, the long west-facing sand where the sun drops straight into the sea.
• Chania, pick-up covers the city and the coast, so this works from any base among the beaches around Chania.

What’s included and what isn’t

The €250 covers transport, the ride, the photography and dinner.

Included:

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• 1 hour 50 minutes of horse riding
• Drone photos and video of your ride
• Dinner at a traditional beachfront tavern

Not included:

• Sunbeds

A liability waiver is required, and the tour runs for a minimum of 2 people.

Why we recommend this experience

We recommend this for the timing more than the horses. Falasarna is the sunset on this side of Crete, west-facing, unobstructed, and far enough from Chania that most visitors never get there for the evening. Being on the beach at that hour, on a horse, with somebody else driving you home, is a well-designed evening.

The reviews are unusually consistent about why it works, and the answer is one person. The guide, Yannis, is named in almost every review we read, by guests from the United States, Canada, France, Finland, Japan and the UK. What they describe is not horsemanship but hosting: tailoring the evening to what people wanted, taking the drone footage himself, showing people around, and being, in one American reviewer’s words, an extremely passionate and genuine local. Every dimension, guiding, transport, value, scores a flat 5.0 out of 5.

Beginners are well handled. One American guest rode for the first time and rated the day five stars, which is the split the operator’s own trail system is designed around.

Two things to be straight about.

The review base is small. Seventeen ratings is not many, and a 4.9 across 17 tells you far less than a 4.5 across 500 would. Nothing negative recurs in what is published, but there is not much published to go on.

Be honest about your riding level, because the operator asks you to and the reason is safety. Beach rides are restricted to experienced riders; declaring yourself experienced when you are not puts you on a beach at speed on an unfamiliar horse.

CreteLocals insider tips

Wear long trousers, declare your real riding level, and expect a late finish.

1. Wear long trousers and closed-toe shoes, since stirrups and bare legs do not mix and the operator requires both.
2. Declare your riding level honestly, because it decides whether you get the countryside trail or the beach one.
3. Bring a hat and sunscreen even for an evening ride, as the Cretan sun stays fierce well into the early evening.
4. Book for two or more, given the tour requires a minimum of 2 people to run.
5. Ask for the drone footage before you leave, which is included and is the souvenir people mention most.
6. Plan a slow next morning, since dinner on the sand after a two-hour ride is not an early night.

What to know before you go

Hotel pick-up and drop-off are included, and the whole evening runs about 6 hours. A liability waiver is required, and rides are at your own responsibility.

Bring comfortable clothes, long trousers and closed-toe shoes, plus a hat and sunscreen.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the horse ride?

The ride itself lasts 1 hour 50 minutes, inside an evening that runs about 6 hours including transfers and dinner.

Can beginners ride on the beach?

Beach rides are for experienced riders only. Beginners take the countryside trail, which the operator restricts for safety reasons.

Is dinner included?

Dinner at a beachfront tavern is included, served as a tasting of local dishes with your feet in the sand.

Are the drone photos included?

Drone photos and video are included, shot during the ride and given to you afterwards.

What should you wear?

Wear long trousers and closed-toe shoes, which the operator requires, plus a hat and sunscreen.

How many people are needed for the tour to run?

The tour requires a minimum of 2 people to go ahead.

Check dates and prices for the Falasarna sunset horse riding with dinner.