The increasing demand of international tourists for beach holidays has resulted in a rapid increase of the number of coastal resorts worldwide. As a result, substantial changes in the morphological and structural patterns of coastal resorts development have occurred. In seeking to add to the body of knowledge about coastal resorts morphology this paper draws on the Cretan experience using two methods of data collection: observation and secondary sources. A morphological model of a typical Cretan coastal resort is provided, depicting three zones of tourism activity: the high-density, the lower-density and the rural zone. The future prospects of resort developments are discussed and the conclusions and implications of the study are provided.