From the north, Plakias can be reached through the mountain range, by two different roads that run through the Kotsifos Gorge and/or the Kourtaliotiko Gorge-northeast.
The visitor will find all the facilities and amenities in Plakias: hotels, apartments, youth hostel, camping sites, traditional tavernas- cafeterias-bars (at the main street running along the sea front), many shops and supermarket, although there is no bank or automatic cash machine. There is a big free parking area east of the main town.
Plakias name in Greek language means "flat". It has a wonderful gold-sandy beach extending from the east and stretching around the bay, 1300m long, within which there are many smaller secluded beaches for naturalists at the east end and organized ones providing facilities such as beach chairs, umbrellas, showers, parking spaces, sea sports, scuba diving etc. The bay also attracts many windsurfers.
Other activities include interesting walks both locally and beyond the coastal mountain range north of town suitable for nature explorers as well as mountain biking and cycling.
"World International Tourism Day" is celebrated each September in the main square with a big evening festival , with a free buffet meal and free traditional music, songs, dancing shows.
Plakias location provides a good starting point for excursions to southern Crete and there are several other wonderful beaches close by, as Gavdolimano and Souda with palm trees to the west, Damnoni, Ammoudi, Lefkogia and Schinaria (preferred by scuba divers) to the east.
