The palm forest of Preveli is the second largest in Crete after the palm forest of Vai. It covers an area of ​​about 40 acres and hosts the endemic Cretan palm of Theophrastus.

Apart from palm trees, it also hosts osiers, reeds, oleanders, and locust trees. You can walk through and swim in the refreshing river waters.

About 70% of the forest was devastated by a big fire on August 22, 2010, but most of it has recovered. In a short period of time, the forest managed to regenerate and keep alive some of the incinerated palm trees. At the same time, new trees sprouted. The colony of palm trees now forms a small tropical paradise amidst the dry rocky Mediterranean terrain. It is located 38 km south of Rethymnon, below the monastery of Preveli, at the mouth of the Kourtaliótiko gorge near the famous Preveli beach.