Thodorou Island

Thodorou Island (the large island in the background) is located just a few miles northwest of the coast of the town of Hania. It is used as a wildlife sanctuary, and it is prohibited to enter it under any circumstances, without a special licence. There is one open day in the year, June 8th, when the church on the island - where it gets its name from - celebrates in honour of its patron saints, the Saints of the Theodori (theo= god, dori=gifts). This view of Thodorou (as the locals call it) was taken from Kalamaki Beach.

The animals under protection are the famous Kri-Kri goats, the Cretan ibex. They are an endangered species, suffering mostly at the hands of illegal poachers. Apparently, their meat is very tasty, but I've never tried it, and it's unlikely I ever will, as the animals are hunted by very corrupt people with no sense of law and order. The goats' habitat is the White Mountains (Lefka Ori), near the Omalos Plain. It is highly unlikely that you would get the chance to see one, as they are not human-friendly. This view of the island was taken from Stalos beach, three kilometres west of Kalamaki beach.

You can see another view of Thodorou here; CreteTourNet also has some nice aerial shots of the island.