What is…
Fair Havens in the Bible

This is a harbor in southern Crete, about 5 miles east of the city of Lasea (Lasaea or Lasaia) (Acts 27:8).

Under guard of a centurion, the Apostle Paul stopped here on his way to Rome.

…the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. And when we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; and with difficulty, we sailed past it and came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. —Acts 27:6-8 excerpt

Here the ship in which the Apostle Paul and his companions sailed was detained a considerable time waiting for favorable winds.

Against Paul’s advice, the master of the ship determined to continue the voyage, as he deemed this harbor unsuitable for a winter stay (Acts 27:9-12). The shelter was insufficient for protection from very dangerous Mediterranean winds typical during this time of year.

However, continuing on was not safe either. The result was that, after a stormy voyage, the vessel was finally wrecked on the coast of Malta (Acts 27:40-44).

Fair Havens harbor (below) is near the modern city of Kaloi Limenes, Crete.

More information

• Lasea (Lasaea, Lasaia)
• CRETE—What does the Bible say about it?
• What is CNIDUS?
• What is SALMONE in the Bible?
• APOSTLE PAUL AND ARCHAEOLOGY—What does archaeology tell us about Paul’s travels through Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12)?
• SHIPS in the Bible
• WIND AND WIND STORMS in the Bible
• What is a CENTURION in the Bible?
• What and where is ALEXANDRIA? and what is its biblical significance?