Vai Palmgrove

The palm forest of Vai is one of the most famous destinations in Crete and is located about 20 kilometers east of Sitia, on the coast of the Carpathian Sea. The palm grove is included in the list of the protected areas and the reason is no other than the existence of the Cretan palm in its about 25 hectares.  The area and the forest have taken their name from the local dialect, where palm trees are called vagia <=> Vai. The Cretan palm tree is called palm of Theophrastou and is known since the Minoan era. This palm forest, although there are a few more on the island (much smaller - Preveli and others) is the only one of that size on the island.