The turquoise boat trip
Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa: the cruise worth the early start
A pirate-island fortress and a lagoon the colour of a swimming pool, on Crete's wild northwest tip.
See Crete day trips on GetYourGuide ↗ What you are actually going to see
This is really two places in one day. Imeri Gramvousa is a small island crowned by a ruined Venetian fortress, with a shipwreck rusting in the shallows below and a steep walk up to sweeping views. Balos is the showpiece: a shallow, almost tideless lagoon where pale sand meets water that shades from white through mint to deep turquoise, wrapped around the Gramvousa peninsula at the very northwest corner of Crete. In photographs it looks unreal; in person, early in the day, it very nearly lives up to them.
The two ways to get there
There are two quite different routes, and it pays to know the difference. The easy, popular way is the daily cruise boat from Kissamos (Kastelli) port, which sails out to Gramvousa, gives you time on the island, then anchors off Balos for a couple of hours — no rough driving, and you see both spots. The other way is to drive: a paved road to the Kalyviani turn-off, then a long, rough, unsealed track to a car park, followed by a steep 20–25 minute walk down to the lagoon. The drive reaches only Balos, not Gramvousa island, and hire-car companies often forbid that track — so for most visitors the boat is both easier and more complete.
Timing, crowds and the sea
Balos gets busy, and the cruise boats and the road walkers converge around the middle of the day, so the lagoon is at its most magical early and late. On an organised cruise you cannot control that timing, but the boat trades it for reaching Gramvousa as well. One real variable to plan around is wind: this corner of Crete is exposed, and on windy days the sea can be choppy enough to make the crossing uncomfortable or, early and late in the season, to cancel sailings altogether. The cruises run roughly late April to October.
What to pack for the boat
Bring more sun protection than you think you need — there is very little shade on either the island or the lagoon shore — plus a hat, water and something on your feet for the rocky bits and the fortress climb. Water shoes are handy at Balos, where the sand gives way to patches of seagrass and shell. If you are prone to seasickness, take something before you sail, especially if any wind is forecast. And bring cash for drinks or a sunbed; facilities out here are basic.
Tour or do it yourself
For Balos and Gramvousa together, the boat is the clear winner — it is the only way to reach the fortress island, it removes the notorious dirt-road drive, and it handles the timing so you can simply enjoy the day. A hire car only makes sense if you specifically want Balos alone, are happy with a rough track your rental may not cover, and want to arrive at dawn ahead of the boats. Most people are better served by the cruise. Booking through this site compares the Kissamos cruises on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation and the fare shown in your currency.
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