Around fourteen years ago my wife and I came to Rhodes for the first time and stumbled across Haraki. You drive into the village by turning off the main Rhodes Town to Lindos road. After a few minutes the road reaches the square at Da Vinci's Italian restaurant. From here Haraki looks pretty uninspiring. You can just see the back of most of the seafront houses. Leave the car and walk past the church through to the front of the village.

Now you see what Haraki has to offer. During the season the seafront road is closed to traffic so becomes a promenade - and promenade is what people do most evenings. This end of Haraki has several tavernas, bars and shops. Walking along the promenade, towards the ruined Feraklos Castle, which overlooks the village, you will pass several houses mostly divided up into holiday apartments, many available to rent. There are a few more tavernas dotted amongst the houses. At the far end is Haraki's main hotel: Haraki Bay Hotel. As well as offering excellent accommodation (which we can recommend from personal experience), this is also a popular eating place.

The beach is mainly coarse sand. Parts of it are pebbly. Where the pebbles end and the sand starts changes year to year depending on the action of the sea in winter. Usually the castle end has more sand. We love to swim and snorkel here.

A two minute drive (or a fifteen minute walk) takes you to Agathi, on the other side of the castle hill; a wonderful soft sand beach with shallow waters ideal for families and not-so-confident swimmers when the sea is calm (which it usually is). Agathi also has three informal tavernas and many sunbeds so it's an excellent place for a day trip.

Evening entertainement consists of eating and drinking in the tavernas and bars, most of which overlook the sea. If it's vibrant night spots you are looking for then Haraki is not for you, but it's not a sleepy place in the season - just a lovely atmosphere created by a bunch of like-minded people enjoying themselves.

Accommodation is mostly self-catering apartments. Most of them are fairly basic affairs but pleasant enough - and oh that view.

There are a few shops which sell most of the things that holiday makers and self-caterers may want. Again they are all pretty reasonable.

There is currently no ATM in Haraki although money can be exchanged at Haraki Rent a Car. There are banks and ATMs at Archangelos, Lindos, Rhodes and other main towns which are all a drive or bus ride away.

The village is served by a regular bus service to Lindos and Rhodes Town.