Balos & Gramvousa Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Meals & Transfer Chania

Kissamos and Kissamos Port

Kissamos is a relaxed market town at the far western end of Crete's north coast, about forty kilometres west of Chania, set on a wide bay between the Gramvousa and Rodopou peninsulas. It was the harbour of ancient Polyrrhenia and later a Roman town in its own right; Roman mosaics found beneath the modern streets are displayed in the small archaeological museum on the main square. Today it is a working town of tavernas, bakeries and a long pebble beach rather than a big resort.

The port sits a few kilometres west of the centre, and it is the departure point for every boat trip to Balos and Gramvousa. On the transfer option our driver brings you straight to the quay. On the port-only options, plan to arrive by about 08:00 for the welcome refreshments, breakfast and safety briefing before the 08:30 departure.

The Gramvousa peninsula from the sea

The Gramvousa peninsula is the wild, roadless finger of land that forms the north-western tip of Crete. Its slopes are covered in low thyme and juniper scrub, its cliffs fall straight into deep blue water, and the whole area is protected under the Natura 2000 network for its rare plants, sea birds and nesting sea turtles. The only land access is a rough dirt track followed by a steep footpath, which is why most visitors choose a Balos boat trip from Kissamos instead.

The outward sail takes about an hour along the peninsula, with bare mountains on one side and open sea on the other. Find a sunbed or a seat in the shaded lounge, keep a camera ready for the sea caves and folded rock layers along the shore, and watch for the first view of Cape Tigani, the rocky headland that guards the lagoon.

Balos Lagoon

Balos Lagoon lies at the tip of the peninsula, separated from the open sea by a thin strip of sand and the rocky Cape Tigani. The water is often only knee to waist deep, warm and remarkably clear, and in places the sand turns pink from crushed shells, which gives Balos the colours seen in so many photos of Crete. As a protected site it has kept its natural shape, with almost no buildings around it.

On this cruise you spend about two hours at Balos, arriving before the lagoon fills up later in the day. A tender takes you closer to the shore; swim, snorkel with the masks and fins from the boat, paddle a SUP or wade across to the lagoon itself, and a light brunch with Cretan snacks is served. Is Balos worth visiting? For the colour of the water alone, yes. The best time to visit Balos is from late May to early October, ideally in the morning.

Gramvousa Island and its Venetian castle

Imeri Gramvousa is the small uninhabited island just off Balos, crowned by a Venetian fortress built in the late sixteenth century on a hilltop about 137 metres above the sea. The Venetians held it for decades after the rest of Crete had fallen to the Ottomans, and in the 1820s, during the Greek War of Independence, revolutionaries and pirates used the island as their base. Below the hill there is a sandy cove with clear water and the rusting wreck of a cargo ship that ran aground in the 1960s.

The catamaran stays at Gramvousa for about two hours. Swim near the shore, snorkel along the rocks, or take the steep stone path up to the castle, roughly twenty to thirty minutes each way, for the classic view down over Balos. Castle entry is not included in the cruise; wear proper shoes and carry water. Lunch, with a choice of three dishes, is served on board during this stop.

Chania and the coast road to Kissamos

Chania, with its Venetian harbour and lighthouse, is the base most visitors use for a Balos day trip from Chania. On the default option our driver collects you from your hotel anywhere along the coast between Kissamos and Georgioupoli, covering Chania town, Agia Marina, Platanias, Kalyves and Georgioupoli itself, so there is no need to drive the narrow peninsula track or look for parking at the port.

The road west from Chania follows the coast through the beach resorts of Platanias and Maleme, passes the base of the Rodopou peninsula and drops into Kissamos, roughly an hour from Chania town. In the evening the same transfer takes you back to your hotel, which is why the full option lasts about 8.5 hours against 6.5 hours for the cruise alone. If you are staying near Kissamos or prefer to drive, the port-only options are the simpler choice.