Balos Beach Crete is one of the best beaches in Greece, the Mediterranean, Europe and, for that matter, the world.
You’ll see tours to Balos advertised at every travel agency between there and the Crete capital Heraklion, and for once, the hype is absolutely justified. Balos Bay is absolutely breathtaking.
Visiting Balos is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Crete. Along with nearby Chania beaches at Falassarna and Elafonissi, it’s one of the highlights of any Crete holidays.
It’s in a wild, remote area, and one of the best places in Crete to visit, hands down. It’s so spectacular that you may want to consider basing your decision on where to stay in Crete in allowing some time to get there.
So how do you get to Balos Beach Greece? How long do you need at this stunning Crete lagoon? Read on for everything you need to know about one of the best Crete travel experiences of all.
Why Visit Balos Beach
Balos Beach’s setting is incomparable, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The shallow Balos beach lagoon lies between a rocky hill and dramatic peaks in the north-westernmost corner of the island of Crete.
The famous lagoon of Balos has, in effect, two beaches – the strip of golden sand has crystal-clear seawater on one side, and the pristine shallows of the lagoon on the other.
The conditions at Balos Beach Crete are pristine, with clear turquoise waters, and a mixture of golden and rare pink sand.
There is also the bonus of a stopover on the island of Imeri Gramvousa, where the ferry stops a few minutes’ walk from Gramvousa Beach, another of the best beaches in Crete.
Balos beach and lagoon are located between mainland Crete and Cape Tigani
It’s in the far north-west of Crete, an hour’s boat ride from the nearest port at Kissamos in Chania province
Most Balos cruises also visit Gramvousa Beach – another of the most stunning Crete beaches
Balos Beach Crete – Useful Tips
A close-up view of Balos Beach
Balos beach from the ferry
The boat to Balos beach moors a five-minute walk from Balos lagoon and beach
The water in the lagoon area is mostly very shallow, ideal for kids to paddle and splash in
The seaward (north) side of the beach has the deeper water, with waves being swept towards the shore – it’s great water for swimming
It’s also one of the few pink beaches in Crete, with stretches of pink sand visible along the shoreline on the seaward and lagoon side.
If you want to get the best views of Balos beach, you need to climb the steep footpath up the mountain towards the car park – the classic panoramic view of Balos, over the sands and Cape Tigani, is near the top of the walk.
Bring your own food, as the snack bar soon sells out in the peak season – and it’s exorbitantly expensive.
Also bring cash, which you’ll need for the beach bar, and, if you’re driving, the 1 euro road toll and car park fee (2 euros per hour).
See Also: 30 of the Most Famous Landmarks in Greece
When Is The Best Time To Visit Balos Beach?
We were lucky to stay in Crete for several months, over the peak summer season into the October shoulder season and beyond.
During this time we made friends with numerous locals, all of whom said the same thing – avoid Balos in the July and August peak season.
We were advised that it was far better to visit in October, when Balos lagoon beach would be far less crowded. We followed this advice, visiting in mid-October. But if you are there in July and August we say it is definitely still worth braving the crowds to see this amazing beach.
Even then, the Balos boat trip was pretty busy, with at least 300 passengers on board. Most of them made a beeline for the ‘main’ beach, with the sand facing the sea just after the narrow inlet to the lagoon. An isolated patch of paradise it was not.
The Balos ferry runs for six months of the year, from the beginning of May to the end of October. The water is usually too cold to swim in until late May, sometimes even early July.
The Crete sea swimming season does, however, last until the end of October. On balance, this is the time we’d recommend visiting Balos beach as you can enjoy some time in the crystal-clear turquoise water without the full-blown summer crowds.
What Facilities Are at Balos Beach ?
As it’s a remote beach, facilities at Balos beach are fairly sparse.
There is a stock of sunbeds and umbrellas which quickly sell out during the high season. There is also the option of hiring an umbrella for 5 euros (plus a 5 euro deposit) from on board the ferry.
Otherwise, there is a small WC block on the mainland (east) side of the beach, a short walk up the hill.
You can also hire a huge swan or flamingo pedalo if you so wish – these are available on the busiest section of the beach, close to all the umbrellas and sun beds.
There is also a beach bar and snack bar just above the beach on the mainland side.
Where Is Balos Beach Crete
And away we go – a late season ferry trip to Balos Beach
Balos beach and lagoon are located on mainland Crete, close to Cape Tigani in the north-west corner of Crete island, an hour’s boat ride from the nearest port at Kissamos in Chania province.
Here are distances from the main cities and towns in Crete to Balos Beach:
From Chania: 52 km, 1 h 15 m
From Rethymno: 114 km, 2 h 15 m
From Heraklion: 190 km, 3 h 20 m
From Agios Nikolaos: 248 km, 3 h 50 m
How to Get to Balos Beach – The Kissamos to Balos Ferry
The boat to Balos beach departs from Kissamos each day during season. The ferry, Gramvousa, is operated by Cretan Daily Cruises.
It’s one of the best boat trips in Crete, taking you around a rugged peninsula into the open sea.
On some days you stop at gorgeous Gramvousa Island for an hour or two, giving you time to see the amazing Gramvousa beach and the Venetian Gramvousa Castle. The journey to Gramvousa takes an hour.
After the Gramvousa stop, it’s a 15-minute trip across the water to the mooring for Balos.
Most of the Balos tours booked around Crete use this boat – it has a 1200 passenger capacity. The tour guides even have a few tables to themselves!
The fares in 2026 are €40 for adults, and €24 for under-12s. Under-2s travel free.
In the peak season three boats run from Kissamos to Balos each day, departing between 10.20 am and 12.30 pm, returning between 5.45 pm and 7.30 pm.
There is also a Falassarna to Balos boat during the season – this normally ends around mid-October.
How to Get to Balos Beach by Car
The road to Balos Beach is a narrow dirt road that is meant to be used by four-wheel drive vehicles only. It’s a 12 km ride from Kissamos port to the Balos Beach parking area, which is high above the beach.
The Balos Beach road is also narrow in places and precarious, with a big drop into the sea and some stretches with no protection against this.
We didn’t opt to drive there, so didn’t use the road, preferring the Kissamos to Balos ferry instead.
However, we could see the road from the sea. We were surprised to see that most of the vehicles using the road were small hire cars. We looked extensively into car hire in Crete. And the terms were similar in many places: you’re not meant to go off-road (onto dirt tracks like this). If you do your insurance may be void.
That said, many obviously decide to drive to Balos Beach. I’ve seen many images of the Balos road, and have driven worse dirt roads in a normal vehicle in Australia. The main hazards are large stones / small rocks and potholes, and from my experience going bush in Australia, I’d say that you’d need to drive the road to Balos very, very slowly.
The other option you have is this 4×4 Balos tour from Kissamos. You travel there and back along the dirt road in a suitable vehicle, and get dropped off and picked up from the car park at the top of the hill overlooking the beach. You then have four hours at the beach, including time walking down the mountain and back up to the car park.
Can You Walk to Balos Beach
You can also hike to Balos beach. There are two routes – one from Ancient Falassarna, 9 km (6 miles) to the south, and the other from Kaliviani, next to Kissamos harbour.
I haven’t attempted either, though had pencilled in a day to do the walk up from Falassarna. Locals described it to me as very difficult, but if I’m in the area again, I’ll be doing it, for sure.
Both are around 9-10 km in length, with some hard, rocky terrain. You’d need to be well-prepared, with adequate water, food, sunscreen and mobile charge.
Kissamos Port to Balos Beach
Kissamos is within easy reach of Balos. You can book a return boat ticket to Balos online or at the office on Kissamos Pier, or there is the possibility of a private boat to Balos, especially if you’re travelling as a group.
You can also drive there along the Balos dirt road or hike there from Kaliviani.
Chania to Balos Beach
Chania is one of the most popular places to stay in Crete. It’s a great place for branching out and exploring the island, especially Balos, but also the Samaria Gorge walk.
Chania is just over an hour from Kissamos port, and tour buses usually pick up customers who have booked from the resorts along the way.
This Balos tour from Chania is the standard package, with pickup, return boat tickets, stops at Gramvousa and Balos Beach and then return and drop-off in the evening.
See Also: Things To Do In Chania – the most beautiful city in Crete.
Rethymno to Balos Beach
Rethymno is the third largest city in Crete, an hour’s drive east of Chania on the road to island capital Heraklion. Its Old Town is a joy, as its main beach which extends well beyond the town to the resort villages to the east.
A day trip or tour from Rethymno to Balos makes for a long day (13 hours or more), with an early start and late finish.
This Rethymno to Balos Beach tour also includes pickup, drop-off, return boat trip and stops in Gramvousa and Balos Beach.
See Also: Things to Do In Rethymno – Crete’s Gorgeous Third City
Heraklion To Balos Beach
This Heraklion to Balos tour is a long one – taking up to 15 hours if you’re travelling from the resorts east of the capital including Hersonissos and Malia. I’d recommend visiting Balos from Chania if possible, but if a day trip from Heraklion is going to be your only opportunity, then go for it.
Places to stay near Balos Beach
We opted to stay in Falassarna, at the Falasarna Bay Hotel, which proved a very good option. It overlooks Agia Paraskevi, the northernmost and most child-friendly part of the beach, and the bus tops right outside, which is always a bonus. You can book rooms at the Falasarna Bay Hotel here.
It shares the same building with Falasarna Beach Studios & Apartments, which offer similar accommodation. There are three or four restaurants and beach bars – we tried them all and can recommend them all – within a few minutes’ walk.
Kissamos is also a good place to stay if you’re visiting Balos. Balos Beach Hotel is a popular option, with apartments overlooking Kissamos Bay and very close to the bumpy road to Balos. And Kaliviani Traditional Hotel, in the village of the same name, a family-run hotel with superb views over the sea and Rodopos Peninsula.
Overall, Chania is possibly the best place to stay in west Crete, partly because there’s so much to see there, particularly around Chania Old Town and the Venetian Harbour.
The 4-star Belmondo Hotel is fabulous, with some rooms with balcony overlooking the harbour. Enetiko Rooms is another great option, less than 100 metres’ walk away on the south side of the Harbour.
Places to Visit Near Balos Beach
The famous Balos Beach is one of the three most beautiful beaches in Crete, and all of these are on the remote west side of Crete. Balos is a full-day trip by itself, so you’d need to visit them on separate days.
Falassarna Beach is about 11 km south down the coast as the crow flies. During the season (May to mid-October) you can catch between four and six buses a day from Chania, which pass through Kolymvari and the small town of Kissamos, the main transport hub in this corner of Crete.
This dramatic bay is one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever seen.
The main beach is where you’ll find most of the tavernas and equipment hire, but if you have time I suggest taking a look at some of the smaller series of sandy beaches to the north, in particular Agia Paraskevi Beach.
This beach has some wonderful natural rock pools with sheltered water ideal for kids to paddle in.
Elafonissi Beach, an hour’s drive south of the port of Kissamos, is the most famous of the pink beaches of Crete. It’s located in the south-western corner of the island of Crete, and like Balos Beach is packed during the summer months.
Elafonissi is a beach on a peninsula, extending to the adjacent island onto which you can walk via the shallow waters. The biggest attraction at Elafonisi beach is the fringe of pink sand that each wave washes up onto the shoreline.
The main beach is busy even in the shoulder season, but the beaches on the island are further away from the parking lot, don’t have facilities and tend to attract far fewer people.
For a very different experience to the famous beaches we’ve mentioned so far, head to Kedrodasos Beach. This remote corner of tropical paradise is a series of sandy beaches and coves spread out among a grove of juniper trees.
If you’re on a tour to Elafonissi Beach, you don’t get enough time to visit Kedrodasos as well, but if you are driving, you’ll have plenty of time to see them both. Kedrodasos also has its own car park.
Frequently asked questions about Balos Beach
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Where in Crete is Balos beach?
Balos Beach is in Chania province, in the north-west corner of the island of Crete. It is 52 km (32 miles) from Chania, and 15 km (9 miles) from the port of Kissamos.
How do you get to Balos beach?
You travel to Balos Beach by ferry from the nearby port of Kissamos. Some ferries stop at Gramvousa Beach before stopping at Balos, and you then have a few hours at Balos before taking the return boat to Kissamos. There is also a dirt road to a car park above Balos Beach, but this is not recommended for most (non-4WD) hire cars.
Is there a bus to Balos beach ?
There is no bus to Balos Beach. You can only reach Balos Beach by ferry or by a dirt road, which is very rough. There is a lot of advice saying don’t drive unless you are in a 4wd and if you do wish to drive a hire car there check that your insurance will cover you as most hire car companies do not cover you on dirt roads.
Can you swim at Balos beach ?
Yes, you can swim at Balos Beach. There is also plenty of shallow water for children to splash and paddle in on the lagoon part of the beach.
Is Balos Beach Sandy?
Yes, it certainly is sandy.
Does Balos Beach have pink sand?
Yes. When we visited it had some a sizeable area of pink sand on the mainland (east) side of the beach, the furthest part away from the ferry. As at nearby Falassarna Beach the amount of pink sand can vary, depending on tides and weather over the preceding day or more.
Are there umbrellas on Balos Beach?
Yes, a stock of umbrellas and sun beds is available for hire at the beach, though in high season it’s possible they may sell out. You can also hire umbrellas on board the ferry from Kissamos.
Can you eat at Balos Beach ?
Yes, there are a couple of snack bars serving gyros and other traditional snacks just off the beach (the far side from the ferry).
Balos Beach Crete – Final Thoughts
Balos Beach is one of the best places to visit in Crete, and one of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see.
My advice is to make a huge effort to visit Balos Beach, and I would build staying somewhere relatively close like Chania into your Crete itinerary for a night or two so you don’t have a very long day getting there and back.
And if you can, try to visit in the shoulder season (May-June or September-October), avoiding the massive crowds that build up there every day at the height of summer.
It’s overtouristed, it takes quite an effort to reach it and is expensive, but Balos Beach is one of the most beautiful places you’ll visit in your life.
We have spent over eight months travelling around Crete, which has led to me writing a great many articles about the island. Here are some m ore for you to further whet your appetite:
Things To Do In Chania – discover the most beautiful city in Crete, indeed, perhaps, Greece
Pink Beaches In Crete – the 3 stunning pink sand beaches to visit on Crete
Famous Landmarks In Crete To Visit – from Knossos to its most famous beaches, gorges and more
Kedrodasos Beach – glorious pristine beach and coves in a grove of rare juniper trees
Things To Do In Rethymno – discovering Crete’s enchanting third city
Rethymno Beaches – 20 of the best beaches in Rethymno province in central and western Crete
Bali Crete Beaches – guide to all 5 beaches in this beautiful north coast village
Things To Do In Heraklion – discover the greatly underrated capital of Crete
Visiting Knossos Palace Crete – the foremost ancient Minoan site in the world
Panormos Crete – complete guide to this charming fishing village on Crete’s north coast
Arkadi Monastery Crete – fascinating monastery and church, site of infamous massacre during the Cretan Revolt
Kalypso Beach Crete – a fjord, of all things, in Crete – and one of the best places to swim and snorkel in Greece
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.