Bali to Heraklion Airport in 10 minutes

The Crete National Road between Rethymno and Heraklion is known to be one of the more dangerous roads in Greece, due in part to the difference in driving styles between Northern European tourists and the local drivers.

Many Greek drivers routinely ignore double white lines and 'No overtaking' signs. To compensate for this locals will pull well over onto the hard shoulder, to allow both following and oncoming traffic to overtake safely.

Tourists tend to stay within the main driving lane in accordance with the custom in their home countries; this confuses and frustrates Greek drivers who expect other drivers to allow them room to overtake.

It is this difference in driving cultures which contributes to the many overtaking accidents, especially on bends.

However the National Road road can be a pleasure to drive, with spectacular views, fast flowing bends and very light traffic.

This video picks the road up as it enters the hills near Exantis, between Panormo and Bali, and then continues non-stop to Heraklion Airport a drive of around 40 - 45 minutes.

The video has been speeded up so that the whole journey only takes 10 minutes.

Enjoy.....

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Crete
• Kreta
• Kriti
• Heraklion
• Rethymno
• National
• road
• driving
• accident
• Exantas
• Panormo
• Sisses
• scenery
• tourist
• hire
• car
• Iraklio
• Palio
• Kastro
• Kazatzakis
• dangerous
• overtaking
• Fodele
• Kratikos
• Exantis
• Ηράκλειο
• Μπαλι
• Μπαλιαν
• Voreios
• Odikos
• Axonas
• Kritis
• VOAK

[cretesunshine]

It was around the 2.13 mark that an oncoming car decided to loose control on the bend and slam into the car I was in nearly killing us. When in Crete......concentrate and have you wits about you! There is no law!

[livingincrete]

@cretesunshine (This post republished to correct grammar error ) Glad you survived, hopefully without permanent injury. We call the little shrines at the side of the roads 'Bend-ometers'. The number of shrines gives a good indication as to how dangerous that particular bit of road is. We have tried to count them but there are just too many .

[pagomeniii]

the code of road traffic tells that you have to make right if someone attempts to overtake you and slow down to let him overtake. also you are driving as right as you can because someone from opposite direction will think to overtake another driver no matter when, its something like safety distance between the two directions

[livingincrete]

@pagomeniii The traffic laws requires no such thing. Greeks are amongst the friendliest people in the world when out of a car, however many of them change personalities entirely when behind the wheel and consider themselves invincible. The macho attitude of many means that they rarely if ever give way, as it would be a sign of weakness. For good historic reasons Cretans have little respect for governments or the laws that they pass. They are proud of their independent thought and actions.

[pagomeniii]

@livingincrete it is required by greek traffic code. i mean the fact that you have to make as right as the conditions allows you and slow down a little to let the overtaking venichle pass the quicker possible in order to not stay in the middle or the oposite road direction. as for the other fact indeed is not in any traffic law but some times could help you not to be involved in an unpleasant situation (as you noticed there are many turns in cretan road and you can't see of what is coming :)

[livingincrete]

@pagomeniii It is actually illegal to drive to the right of the solid white line marking the right hand side of the carriageway. If you were to hit a pedestrian for example or cause an accident by being in that position you would be in trouble. It is tradition, not the law which makes drivers move to the right, and perhaps a sense of keeping out of the way of 'the idiots'

[ThePlanhtarxhs]

ΘΥΜΙΖΕΙ ΤΙΣ ΣΤΡΟΦΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΜΠΡΑΛΟΥ ΕΞΩ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΛΑΜΙΑ, ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΘΝΙΚΗ ΟΔΟ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΟΥ - ΠΑΤΡΩΝ

[harryd456]

im going back to crete in two years but first i gotta go back on a cruise

[ALEX196644]

ntropiiiiiiiiiiiiii..........

[SpeedManiac1976]

very nice video, funny when you add the sounds when they pass you & all :P

greece seems a very nice country to live in or spend holiday vacation in, maybe i do a fly & drive sometime :)

if your bored or something and wanna know whats driving like around netherlands, belgium and germany take a look at my playlist '' opel astra coupe on the road '' lots of driving movies there tooo :)

thanks for uploading, hope you upload some more, they are hard to find !!!

[denisraftis]

I had the dubious pleasure of driving or should I say seeing my life flash before my eyes for 2weeks on Crete. The Island is Beautiful no doubt, but I didn't think I'd live long enough to enjoy the holiday, the paradox is by the end of 2 weeks I was driving as crazy as them.

The people are magical pitty so many die on their roads purly down to speed. SPEED KILLS!

I recommend Crete to anyone looking for a spectaculiar holiday as one is guaranteed always Beautiful Blue Skies & Sea...Love Ireland

[easyJetAirbus]

ahhh.....brings back memories...... :)