Gramvousa Island and Balos Bay: what are interesting and how to get there. Balos Bay (Crete): how to get there? Reviews of tourists
Balos Bay and the beach of the same name are located 60 km from the city of Chania and 15 km from the resort of Kissamos, from where excursions depart and all roads lead to the amazing lagoon formed by the islands of Agria Gramvousa, Imeri Gramvousa and Cape Tigani. In this geographic point there are 3 seas: Ionian, Mediterranean and Cretan.
The bay is famous for its crystal clear waters, which, according to local residents, have 20 shades of blue, depending on the time of day and lighting. The sea surface changes color from piercing turquoise to dark ultramarine. The laconic landscape bears little resemblance to the earth. The black volcanic rocks, indented by narrow paths, have almost no vegetation. Soft yellow-white sand invites you to relax on the beach. Ruins of a Venetian fortress desert island Agria remind of the fragility of human creations, in contrast to the masterpieces of nature, which remain unchanged for thousands of years.
Balos beach
The exotic beauty of Balos Beach attracts thousands of tourists who can relax in peace in any season. Thanks to the rocks that protect the lagoon, you can swim and sunbathe here, even when on neighboring resorts raging winds and waves. If you are looking for solitude, it is worth visiting the bay early in the morning, before boats and buses crowded with people have arrived.
To get to coastline, you will have to walk from a steep path, and if you arrived by car, then leave it in the parking lot at the top of the mountain. While walking, you should look carefully not only at your feet, but also raise your head to enjoy the enchanting landscape.
The lagoon is separated by a sandy spit, on which there are sunbeds and umbrellas. The latter are not able to provide full shade, so be sure to bring sunscreen and light clothing to escape the scorching heat. The right side of the bay is deep, the left side is shallow, children will like to splash around there. The abundance of small pink shells gives the sand a characteristic color and occupies the attention of young bathers for a long time. The beach is officially considered wild, therefore, apart from the tavern located in the vicinity, there are no benefits of civilization here. This has its own charm: lifeguards, beach cabanas, toilets and water equipment rentals would only spoil the landscape.
How to get to Balos bay?
All paths go through the village of Kissamos. Buses depart from Hanni to the port of Kissamos every 50 minutes. The stop is located on Partheniou Kelaidi street. The cost of the trip is about 6 €. Travel time is approximately 1 hour.
Ferry or ship from the port of Kissamos
Independent travelers take a ferry or a boat. The trip will take about an hour. Navigation is carried out from May to October. Ticket price - 20 €.
You can join an excursion, the cost of which varies from 40 € to 60 €, depending on the program and duration. The offer includes a transfer from the hotel and back, a boat trip with a visit to the waters of the Gramvousa Islands, a tour of the fortress and the actual stay on the beach.
rental car
From Kissamos you need to overcome a distance of 2 km to the village of Kaliviani. From there there is a dirt road to the lagoon (10 km). Use the Balos Beach Hotel and the signs indicating the direction to the beach as a guide along the way.
The road is difficult. It consists of rocky potholes, steep descents and difficult turns. Transport moves in both directions, so sometimes you have to cuddle up close to the rock.
Rent a car with high ground clearance to avoid problems. Local insurance does not cover driving on dirt roads. When entering the peninsula, you need to pay an environmental fee of 1 € per person.
Having reached the bay, the car should be left in the parking lot and go down the path to the beach, which is about 3 km more. You should not try to cut the road, it is dangerous because of the unstable soil and thorny bushes framing the path to the bay.
Bus from Kissamos
Buses run from Kissamos towards Balos bay. Ticket price - 2.5 €. Ending station located near the parking lot, not far from the only tavern in the area. The rest of the way must be overcome along the path.
donkey taxi
If you don't want to walk along the path to the beach, you can ride part of the route on a donkey. Local residents offer animals for rent right in the parking lot where cars and buses stop.
The path to the sea will be long, so stock up on bottled cool water. The descent costs 5 € and the ascent costs 8 €. Pack transport takes tourists to one of the viewing platforms, and picks them up there on the way back.
The bay of Balos, in Greece, is one of the most beautiful on the planet. This is a bright representative of the natural attractions of Crete, the place where the confluence three seas, the Cretan, Mediterranean and Ionian Seas met here.
According to scientists, about 14 color shades can be distinguished in the waters of the bay, and the temperature of the water in the sea also varies in places.
The unique picturesqueness attracts individual travelers and numerous excursions here, and tourists are not at all afraid of the relative remoteness of this place.
How to get there?
The bay is located near the Gramvous peninsula, in the northwestern part of Crete. It is 60 km from the city of Chania. There are several ways to get here, but you need to take the town of Kastelli Kissamos as your starting point.
Buses from Chania (from Partheniou Kelaidi street) to the port of Kissamos leave every 45 minutes, travel time is about an hour, ticket price is 5.70 euros.
From Kissamos, you can take a ferry or boat to Balos Bay, or you can choose to travel overland. It is better to do it on a rented car.
Excursion to Balos
Organized excursions to the bay usually include:
- transfer from the hotel to Kissamos, followed by a boat trip to the bay;
- visiting the island of Gramvousa, located there, with the remains of an ancient fortress;
- way back to the hotel.
The cost of a trip bought from a guide will cost about 60 euros.
Buying a similar tour at a local agency will cost 28 euros, plus another 15 euros for a boat ticket.
A group organized excursion to Balos Bay takes a whole day, with a specific time allocated to visit the island and Balos beach. If you would like to make sea excursion on your own, then you need to know that pleasure boats go to the bay only in the morning.
From the port of Kissamos and the Bay of Balos, starting at 10 am, four ships ply: Gramvousa, Porto Gramvousa, Gramvous Express and Balos Express.
The price of an adult ticket is 20 euros. Travel time is about an hour (one way).
At in large numbers tourists are sometimes allowed an additional vessel. This path is the least tiring, but it has one significant drawback. On the way from the sea you can not see those great views that open to Balos from land.
To the bay by car
The village of Kaliviani is located 2 km from the port of Kissamos. From it originates the road to Balos Bay.
The road is unpaved, the landmark is the Balos Beach Hotel, there are signs.
One of the signs at the beginning will tell you that you are moving towards paid beach. Local authorities charge an environmental fee of 1 euro per person, thus maintaining the cleanliness of the place.
The road leaves much to be desired, and this creates another problem - local rental offices do not consider driving on dirt roads as an insured event.
On a stretch of almost 10 km, there are steep descents, difficult turns and sharp stones, which are easy to damage tires. Alternatively, an SUV.
From Kissamos in the direction of the bay go Shuttle Buses, the fare is 2.5 euros. At the last point of the route there is a spacious place that is used as a parking lot, there is also a small cafe, but this is not the end of the journey.
Next, you need to overcome the descent to the sea about three kilometers long, but the effort is worth it! It is from here that you can see the bay from those fantastic angles that you will not see when comfortable trip on the ship.
Donkey "taxi"
If you are afraid that the road will tire you out, you can use the services of donkeys - locals will offer you this cute animal as a mobile vehicle. You can get "Cretan transport" in the same place, at the parking lot.
The path to the sea is a descent, you have to go in the heat, so stock up on water. The descent on such a "taxi" costs - 5 euros, but keep in mind that the road back will turn into an ascent, and for the return trip on a donkey you will already be asked - 8 euros.
In some particularly difficult places or steep steps, you will need to get off the donkey (to avoid injury) and walk several tens of meters.
At observation deck, the escort with a donkey will leave you and you will reach the beach on your own. Please note that the way back will be more difficult and longer.
A small nuance - if you decide to get to Balos Bay by land, you will not get to the island of Gramvousa, which can only be reached by sea.
Particularly hardy and lovers hiking can use the trail ancient city Falasarna (15 km from Kissamos). The trail, marked in places with paint markers, runs along the Gramvousa peninsula and ends at Balos bay. The journey takes at least 6 hours.
This island is also known as the "Pirate Island". It is a must-visit for those who come to Balos Bay with an organized boat tour.
On the island, at an altitude of 137 m, there is a Venetian fortress built at the end of the 16th century.
The fortress has a triangular shape, each wall of the fortress is about a kilometer long, and the length of the defensive walls around is about 270 meters. In the old days, the island was used for shelter by the rebels.
There is also a legend that once pirates hid their treasures here. The landscape of the island is decorated with the remains of a ship that was in distress in the late 70s of the last century, giving the local places an aura of pirate romanticism.
Balos beach
The landscape that opens before travelers who have reached the bay is worth the inconvenience that a relatively difficult road brings.
The water contains a unique composition of minerals, which makes it an unusual bright azure color, with various shades of green, blue and turquoise. Most agree that this beach is the most beautiful in the entire Mediterranean. The sand is white and pink, and the water is absolutely clear and warm.
A couple of years ago, Balos beach was completely wild, but in Lately there are sun loungers and umbrellas (set - 7 euros) and there are always a lot of people. The infrastructure is almost not developed, one changing cabin, you also need to take water with you, since there are no shops around.
If you do not have time to get here in the morning, it is better to take an umbrella with you - there is nowhere to hide from the sun on the beach.
The bay is not protected from the winds either, because of which there are small waves, but this does not affect the desire of tourists to definitely relax on this beach. Shallow water does not allow for full-fledged swims, but it is very convenient to relax with children. By the way, you can sunbathe while lying right on the sand in the water.
The Greek island of Crete attracts attention every year European tourists legends: Zeus was born here, Theseus overcame the terrible Minotaur, and Icarus fulfilled his dream and soared into the sky on wings own production. Crete is a fairly large island, and its diverse landscapes, riot of colors, change of reliefs and landscapes will not let even seasoned tourists get bored. Mountains give way to plateaus, caves to gorges, and beaches cut into the sea and let the eyes admire all sorts of shades of blue. The pearl of the island - Bay of Balos: on Crete, in Greece and even in Europe it is considered the most beautiful on the planet.
What a miracle - this Balos
The bay "sheltered" in the north-west of Crete, and "baths" in three seas at once: the Aegean, Ionian and Libyan. Scholars believe that this is the reason sea water in the bay has many shades. The fact is that the waters of each of the seas are rich in a specific composition of minerals: they together give such a delightfully azure color.
The sand in the bay is also unique - it is light, not white, but with a pinkish splash. This phenomenon was provided by fragments of pink corals that fell on the sand. The beach was considered wild for a long time, although this cannot be said by the number of vacationers today. However, you will not find any sun loungers or deck chairs on the shore. Strange thing: it takes a long time to get to the bay, the beach is not equipped beach equipment but there are always people on it. What attracts them? The wonderful beauty of the sea, sand and neighboring islands, comfortable temperature water and air.
The depth near the coast is unlikely to reach the knee of an adult, but it warms up to 33-35 degrees. The bottom that is in the palm of your hand is clean and transparent. True, on windy days there are a lot of algae and a characteristic smell.
The bath in the lagoon is more suitable for children, where it is almost like in a bath - there are no waves, and the temperature is ideally comfortable for the body! Those who certainly need to fully swim, you need to go beyond the shallows. By the way, it was “formed” by the island of Tigani. But you need to keep in mind that the water is cooler behind the shallows.
Balos bay beach - absolutely romantic place, and for sure Aphrodite herself looked after him many centuries ago as a bath. And of the mortals, Princess Diana and Prince Charles visited him. And not just as travelers, but to spend an unforgettable experience here. Honeymoon. They, who were open to all the ways and directions on Earth, liked the island of Crete and its luxurious bay.
Tigani and Gramvousa
Nature always surprises people and she will always be able to “get around” them in fantasy. Balos Bay is surrounded by two major islands Tigani and Gramvousa. They are given strange names according to the Greek translation. But this “strangeness” was provided by the shapes of the islands. If you take a good look at Tigani from above, it resembles a frying pan turned upside down. And the nearest Gramvusa resembles a mallet or a hammer, in which the sharp side is "located" under water, and the other sticks out above the water.
There is a famous fortress built by the Venetians. You need to climb up, having overcome 137 “steps”, if you can call the split blocks that way. But only to those who make this tiring ascent will the breathtaking beauty open, and at the same time the view of the closest namesake island of Agria Gramvousa, located to the north.
Let's reveal a secret: you can climb not only along the rather risky "ladder" of the wreckage, but also along the path of the "pirates". But in both cases, it is necessary to have comfortable shoes on your feet: ideally, sneakers. But flip-flops and flip-flops can be taken with you when it's your turn to the beach.
Excursion approach to Balos or extreme car trip
It is wiser to combine a visit to Balos Bay with a visit to Gramvous and its fortress, which is planned in special excursion. It starts in the small Cretan town of Kissamos, where sightseers board a boat and follow to the island, and after a walk on it and an excursion to the bay, they go back. A shuttle service is provided from the hotel to the hotel.
A walk along the sea is always full of impressions, refreshing and offers tourists beautiful views from the water. The only "but" is the limited time, as in all excursions. From here follows the second opportunity to visit the bay of Balos - to take a walk by car. And in this case there is a big and thick "BUT" - insurance in this direction does not apply because of bad road. What does "bad" mean? And the fact that it is paved only in the area from Kissamos to the Balos Beach hotel. And this is where all the good almost ends, as the participants of the extreme trip are waiting for:
- 8 kilometers off-road, that is, along a narrow serpentine between mountains and a cliff;
- The risk of falling "under the hooves" of mountain goats, which can easily walk or run on the roof of the car;
- 2 kilometers of descent on foot (and only on foot) along a rocky path leading straight…
to the beach of Balos bay. While you're going down, the road will be brightened scenic views mountains, seas, shallows and islands. But remember - on the way back you will have to climb! If such a prospect is not terrible, then go by car. But at a speed of no more than 20 km / h, agreed?
Some hunters before the ride do this: they sign a car rental agreement, specifically silent that they will go to the bay. At the same time, they choose a machine that is heavier and more powerful, such as an SUV. Alas, there were cases when, due to mountainous coverage, people came to the place with torn tires if they took vehicles that were not suitable for car tracking. Then, when they returned the car to the rental, they looked pale.
Important information for tourists
You can go to the bay on your own and by boat. Landmark - Kavonisi pier in Kissamos. Tour boats depart regularly from here. ATTENTION: pleasure floating transport runs only in the first half of the day! The first flights (four of them) depart at about 10.00. In an hour you will be there.
Buses from other cities run to the pier in Kissamos. But for this reason, only morning flights should be considered!
And the last type of "transport" to the bay is a donkey "taxi". Local residents offer to ride on a cute eared for a cash reward. The descent on it is much easier than on foot, and ... cheaper than the ascent. The owner of the donkey will ask for almost double the cost for the return trip! You can rent a donkey at the parking lot.
A trip to Balos Bay is always popular with tourists. If you are in Crete, be sure to visit this piece of paradise! But don't forget your sunscreen and comfortable shoes! And do not compare the amazing Cretan lagoon with the Maldives or the Seychelles. It's like comparing marshmallows and Coca-Cola!
Especially for Lilia-Travel.RU - Anna Lazareva
If you ask any inhabitant of Crete about the beautiful place this Greek island, for sure, many will call the Balos lagoon. Every year, thousands of tourists buy ferry tickets to see with their own eyes the famous "confluence of the three seas." A travel companies name the trip to Balos among the five most popular excursions. What is one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world famous for and what should tourists know about Balos?
Lagoon and Bay of Balos.
Balos - paradise off the coast of Crete
Balos Bay is located on the northwestern coast of Crete, 50 kilometers from Chania. The bay is formed by the Gramvousa peninsula, the island of the same name and Cape Tigani.
Balos is famous all over the world for its clean sandy beach with pink and white sand, and water of all shades of blue. The spectacle is incredibly exotic not only for Greece, but for the entire Mediterranean, and therefore wild beauty these places need protection. That is why the bay, together with the entire adjacent territory, was decided to be declared a protected area - Balos is protected under the Natura 2000 program. beautiful views, a unique landscape, are guarded and wildlife- endemic plants grow in the surroundings and wild species of rabbits live.
Confluence of three seas
The guidebooks about Crete always mention the fact that the waters of the Libyan, Ionian and Aegean seas meet in the bay. However, formally this happens not in the bay, but on the northern point Gramvousa peninsula - at Cape Vuksa. Balos Bay is located in the Libyan Sea. However, it is the confluence of the waters of several seas that explains the incredible beauty of the lagoon. They say that in a day Balos allows you to see 10-17 shades, but to understand which sea prevailed in this moment very hard.
Balos Lagoon. In the right sand spit a small channel is visible connecting the lagoon with the sea.
Cape Tigani
Cape Tigani, which forms a lagoon from the west, is the personification wildlife Balos. This rocky mountain 122 meters high, on which you can take a walk. Let's meet a small chapel of St. Nicholas. If you climb from it to a flat top, you will be able to enjoy the panoramas of Balos from an unusual high point.
Balos Bay and Cape Tigani protruding into the sea. View from the island of Gramvousa.
Balos: lagoon or bay?
The correct answer is both. A lagoon is a shallow body of water (how small, and even tens of kilometers in diameter), separated from high seas a narrow strip of washed sand or coral reefs. Laguna Balos fully corresponds to this definition. It is completely isolated from the sea, only during high tides and strong waves a small channel opens from the north, which connects the lagoon and the bay.
A bay is a small part of the sea, bounded by parts of the land (islands, land ledges, reefs) and protected by them from wind and waves. Balos Bay is just that.
Thus, in Crete, the word Balos refers to the whole complex of "beauties" on the Gramvousa peninsula.
Bay and lagoon of Balos, and the seas surrounding them.
The location of Balos is literally perfect. Swimming in the lagoon is like swimming in a picturesque natural pool and children can play here safely. Gramvousa reliably protects the beach from the winds, therefore, regardless of the intensity of the wind off the coast of Crete, the elements will not take you by surprise. It is also worth remembering that there are no trees and shaded areas in the lagoon. It is better to take care of sunscreen in advance.
The "equipped" part of the beach on the shores of Balos Bay. At the top, on the crest of the hill, there is a parking lot.
Himself finely sand beach Balosa has only recently acquired a small number of sunbeds and umbrellas. There are many tourists in the lagoon, but the size of the beach allows you to find quiet place. Yes, and the absence of any beach activities maintains a peaceful atmosphere.
There was only one tavern on Balos that closed in 2015. Now the beach is completely wild again. That is why it is better for tourists to take food and drinks with them, or, if you are traveling by ship, rely on its bar.
In any case, if you want to be alone in these places, then it is better to come here either early in the morning or late in the evening. Better yet, come here. in early spring, or late autumn when tourist boats are laid up.
How to get to Balos bay - by water
All ships arrive at Balos from the port of Kissamos, located just 500 meters from the village of Trachilos and 3.5 km from the town of Kissamos. In it you can take a ferry or a boat to the lagoon. The easiest way to get to Balos is to buy an excursion from the guide at the hotel. The tour operator's bus picks up tourists directly from the hotel and delivers them to the port, from where excursion boats deliver to their destination.
Independent tourists can first get to Trachilos in a rented car, and then buy a boat ticket at the port. Tickets can also be purchased in advance at tourist centers or online.
Prices cruise start from 27 euros. Excursion with a tour operator - from 50 euros. The group tour has several disadvantages: limited time and high price(By the way, the bus picks up tourists from the Rethymnon area at 6 o'clock, and in the Heraklion area, many operators do not even offer such excursions due to remoteness). But there is also a plus: you don’t have to plan a trip yourself. And for those who are not limited in funds, there is an option to rent a boat (from 150 euros). The disadvantage of this option is the high price, but you can go to Balos at any time and without crowds of tourists.
Depending on the program, first sightseeing boats bring tourists to the island of Gramvousa. But sometimes it is visited in the second place. Gramvousa - small island where pirates found shelter in the Middle Ages. During the time of the Venetians, a fortress appeared here, which rises on a mountain. You can climb up and enjoy the views. And then stay free time for swimming. Usually, 2.5 hours are allotted to get to know the island. There will be 2 hours in the Balos lagoon for swimming.
Balos bay on the map of Crete.
How to get to Balos bay - by car
By car, Balos can be reached from Trachilos through the village of Kaliviani along the sea along a dirt road. Travel time is up to half an hour. The path is not easy: the road is not equipped and will be a real test for the suspension and wheels of the car. Off-road vehicles are the best way to travel to Balos. When renting, be careful. Many offices in the event of an unpleasant incident will not consider the case to be insured precisely because of the primer.
View of the lagoon from the hillside, on top of which there is a park.
Despite the possible difficulties, during the peak season, hundreds of cars reach Balos every day. You can arrive earlier than boats with numerous tourists, or vice versa - choose to visit in the evening. From Trachilos to the nearest "parking" (just a flat area on the crest of a hill) and a small cafe - about 12 km. Here you can relax and park, but the parking lot can accommodate only a few dozen cars. It is worth leaving early in the morning so that you do not have to leave the car right on the road. After the rest you have to walk about 1 km. If you choose a gentle path, then a little more than 2 km.
Please note that when returning from Balos to the parking lot, you need to climb the mountain. Enterprising locals bring donkeys and mules to lift tourists, and the price for such a service can vary from 2 to 10 euros.
View of the lagoon and bay from the shore. In the center is the island of Gramvousa.
What to see near Balos
On the way to Balos or on the way back, you can stop by Kissamos - a town with beautiful waterfront, beaches and taverns. Prices for food and accommodation in it are lower than in more "promoted" resort towns Crete. In Kissamos, it is worth visiting Archaeological Museum to look at artifacts from ancient cities near the village.
By the way, one of these cities is Polyrinia (7 km from Kissamos). This is an amazingly picturesque settlement where local residents live in houses built literally on the foundations of ancient buildings.
If you go straight after Trachilos and not turn towards Balos, then you can get to Falasarna. This is the name of the modern village, popular beach and ruins of an ancient city. By the way, the sandy beach of Falasarna is firmly established in the top 5 in Crete.
Balos beach, (Crete, Greece) - location, description, opening hours, entertainment and infrastructure. Helpful Hints And practical information from "The Subtleties of Tourism".
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Balos beach is one of the most inaccessible beaches in Crete. You can get here either by car (but this is a rather difficult task, since there is no normal road), or as part of organized excursion to the island of Gramvousa from the port of Kissamos. The boats run almost every hour.
What is unique about the beach? Firstly, the fact that here you can count dozens of shades of water, and secondly, the fact that it is in this place that three seas meet: the Ionian, Aegean and Libyan. Try to determine which sea you are swimming in now, but the number of shades of blue and the purity of the water are simply amazing. Add to this white sand and a small bay where children can splash - and you will fall in love with this place forever.
Balos beach
Usually, Balos beach is visited as part of an organized excursion to the pirate island of Gramvousa, on top of which the remains of a Venetian fort have been preserved. Walking around this arid island with endemic plants and rabbits, about which the guide will definitely warn that you should not catch them, is to spend about an hour under the scorching sun, after which, naturally, you want to swim - and the ship docks on the other side, right opposite the pirate islands.
It is in the waters of Balos beach that three seas meet: the Ionian, the Aegean and the Libyan. Try to determine which sea you are swimming in now, but the number of shades of blue and the purity of the water are simply amazing.
This is Balos. On sandy shore there are very small pink shells that can take a child for a while - this is clearly a training session in front of Elefonisi beach, it is a little further.
Sunbeds and umbrellas have appeared on Balos beach relatively recently, because there are quite a lot of tourists here. But, which is very pleasing, there are practically no water equipment rental services on the beach, and nothing disturbs a relaxing holiday.
There are no people living nearby, there is not a single cafe or restaurant, if you are thinking about buying a bottle of water or having a bite to eat on the spot - the beach is completely wild, there are no such services. The only pity is that getting to Balos beach is not easy, and the ships that bring excursions to Gramvousa allow you to spend only an hour on the beach. You can swim in this cozy cove even when a storm is raging in the neighborhood and the sea is restless.
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