Crete travel guide: plan your Road Trip to Balos Bay
Balos Bay is one of those places that you don't want to miss while in Crete! Its popularity is not accidental: beautiful landscapes from viewpoints, white and pink sand, which is rare in Crete, and crystal clear water in shallow-to-ankle lagoons, shimmering in shades of turquoise and blue, attract crowds of tourists. This is why, and there is nothing to hide, the beach can be completely trampled in summer, and even in the off-season, do’t expect that you will be alone there!
There are two ways to get to Balos bay: by the sea, by private boat or cruise ship, or by rented car. Which one is better? It depends whether you prefer to relax on the beach and admire this place from this perspective, or are you ready for a gravel ride by car and a half-hour trekking, which can be quite a challenge on the way back?
How to get to Balos Lagoon?
Cruises
The Balos Cruise Ship departs daily from Kissamos Harbor at 10:40 AM. During the cruise, the ship stops for an hour and a half at the small islet of Gramvousa, where passengers have free time to swim and snorkel. Then it sails to Balos Beach, where it is moored for several hours until 5:45 PM when it returns to port.
You can leave the car in the port on a free parking.
The price of such a cruise is 25 € + 1 € for the maintenance of the Lagoon (kind of tax) per person. The price doesn’t include drinks or meals.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office in the port, but in high season it’s worth booking them in advance.
Bookings can be made online HERE. On the cruise's website you will also find more information about discounts and a detailed description of the trip.
ACCESS BY RENTED CAR
Getting to the bay by car is not easy or pleasant. The hardships are rewarded with beautiful views and a thrill that accompanies each time you have to miss an oncoming car. As soon as you pass the toll station, which is the aforementioned 1 € per person for the maintenance of the Lagoon, you will have a seven kilometer uphill climb on a gravel, riddled road. Don’t count on the fact that you are in a hurry, because the numerous stones that can puncture the tire prevent this, and you certainly would not want that. Because when renting a car in Crete, the insurance doesn’t cover damage done on non-asphalt roads, so a trip to Balos is a double risk. Therefore, be careful when choosing this way of travel.
It is also worth mentioning that the road winds uphill, quite steeply in some places, up to the free parking lot, where you will find a bar and a toilet.
From there, follow the marked trail on foot, taking a short straight path to reach the best vantage points for a breathtaking view!
Balos Beach
To get to the beaches in the lagoon, you have to go down the hill that you have driven the car. The hike takes about half an hour, but the path can be crowded, which may delay the descent. It should also be remembered that on the return you have to climb this hill, which can be a challenge in the prevailing heat. There is one bar on the beach where you can buy water or something to eat but the prices are high so I recommend taking a drink with you. It’s also worth wearing sports shoes, because it is easy to injure your feet on a stone path, e.g. while walking in flip-flops or sandals.
On the beach, you can rent sun loungers for € 5 per person, which is a total of € 10 for two sunbeds and an umbrella (already included), which can be very beneficial, because there is no shade in the bay. If you aren't planning on spending too much time at the beach, get something to cover up your head because it's easy to overheat.
The beach itself is very interesting: white sand dominates, and here and there you can see pink, made of coral shells. In some places rocks protrude, which sometimes make it difficult to enter the water, so when planning a swim, I recommend taking swimming shoes.
In the lagoon, the water is warmer than in the bathtub, it is only ankle-deep and the bottom is filled with soft sand, so you can easily walk barefoot.
It is a wonderful experience to relax in such a beautiful natural setting, so despite the large number of people coming to Balos, it’s really worth coming here.
When to visit Balos?
The best two times are in the morning or in the afternoon.
The parking lot on the hill fills up very quickly, so it's worth going just after sunrise. However, if you arrive in the afternoon and see a line of cars stuck to the hill’s side wall, don’t be discouraged, just drive to the very end, because probably a lot of cars have already left.
The car park closes at 8 PM, because it’s not possible to spend the night in the bay or visit it after dark. We absolutely wanted to watch the sunset and we got to the car just before 8 p.m., but on the way back we saw that there were still a lot of cars in the parking lot.
Is it worth visiting Balos Bay?
I don't think I need to convince anyone, even if you don't like typical tourist attractions. The photos speak for themselves ... this view is really impressive, and the journey itself (especially by car!) is an adventure in itself.
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